Calls for schools to open in summer after the lockdown - Thoughts?

[CakeAndPastries]

Hi All,
See the link to the article below....

What are your thoughts on opening schools over summer IF the virus allows for us to be ' back to somewhat normal life' by then?

I would be for is as my children are in really important senior school years and I worry that they will be impacted by 'learning online' for this last term of the year.

The Guardian Article

@Waxonwaxoff0 so then what we need over the summer is holiday clubs rather than school per se

@Waxonwaxoff0

I countered the ridiculous with the ridiculous; the unreasonable with the unreasonable; the goading with more goading.

As they say, ‘if you can’t beat em...’

Pomegranatepompom So you know what every single school in the uk is doing? You can’t generalise based on your limited experience of a couple of schools. My dh is a Doctor and after the hell he and the rest of the nhs are going through he is taking a break with us in the Sumner.

No - I didn't generalise, I said the 2 schools in my area. I also I knew this didn't apply everywhere.

I'm well aware of the nhs stress and also hope I'll be able to take leave later in the year. However, I do think reasonable to have some flexibility re schools opening.

Haha no it's a really bad idea and won't be 'back to normal' if we're keeping schools open over summer. Kids need a holiday, school staff need a break. The last few weeks have NOT been a holiday for school staff like me. I've had 24/7 childcare and still been going into work putting me and my ds at risk.

@Pomegranate

And how would the government pay to keep schools open over the summer?

Teachers are also key workers and deserve their holidays. If someone turned around and demanded dh work in his summer hols I’d tell them to get stuffed.

Not sure, maybe some of the staff who have had more time off than usual would volunteer? I suspect not going by the replies on this thread.

@Macaroni46 yes, I said that on the first page. No reason why they shouldn't open if they think schools can open.

@Pomegrante

You suspect correctly.

I volunteered to work unpaid last week and have volunteered to work unpaid this week, including bank holidays.

Ive done that because I feel for the NHS workers right now and want to help them.

If we’re out of lockdown and everyone else is starting to get back to a bit of normality, maybe rebooking their holidays etc, do you really think I would go on to volunteer for a further 6 weeks work unpaid?

You’d be having a laugh.

I don’t know of any teachers who have had time off since the lockdown. They are either in school or working from home.

I think teachers are protected in the way that NHS staff aren't. We had all our leave cancelled with around 2 weeks notice.
There's a really positive spirit though and I have not heard one person express any disappointment about losing money and having plans cancelled.

Does anyone seriously think they're going to be going away on holiday in August?

Teachers have been working all through the Easter holiday, with the exception of the bank holidays. When are they going to get leave? There's also the small problem of funding all the extra weeks of work they'll be doing. Yes, HCPs are all working more shifts- they're paid for that with overtime (aren't they?).

@Pomegrante

My interpretation was that cancelled leave would be given back at a later date?

Perhaps if they offered me this I’d agree to the 6 weeks? I could have all 8 weeks of my unpaid time back next spring maybe?

Well I am not a Teacher ,but I think this is an idiotic idea. Children look forward to their Summer Break ,and so do Teachers I would imagine! They have already had their School Year interrupted, and would be looking forward to seeing their friends and going on holiday with their families if this is possible .

The nhs staff are really going to need a break this Summer. I can’t imagine what they are going through but I feel there’s going to be a need for mental health support. Teachers like everyone deserve and are entitled to their break as well.

HCPs stagger their leave throughout the year- if leave has been cancelled, they can get it back at other times. Teachers can only be off on leave when schools are closed. Imagine if teaching staff tried to take all their owed leave in term time? How would that work?

Everyone is entitled to a break and I don't think the article says open all summer, it says part of the summer to allow students to catch-up.

It also says nothing about 'not paying' teachers - OF COURSE if this were to happen they would have to be paid.

We have a very short school year here in number of days compared to other countries & the students will have to catch up at some point. So that's either making next year harder for all or doing something else.

I don't feel schools should open at all now - but I'm not a scientist or medical professional.

Who thinks they are going on a normal summer holiday? I really doubt that is possible, look at China where it started in Nov / Dec they still have restrictions of sorts and issue with becoming ill.

The only reason I think it is a somewhat good idea is that I know my children would have learn't a lot more face to face than what they will online learning. Also because the normal school terms are workload intensive as it is without having to catch up as well.

I’m seriously torn over the summer holiday. How long can airlines go without flying? Will holidays companies be able to cope if they are to pay back all of the summer holidays?
That’s a lot of jobs right there. America seem intent on opening back up soon and poor European countries will be absolutely destroyed without their tourism over the summer.

On the one hand I think that that holidays are a no-go...but on the other hand, who knows?

If I can go, I will do.

As for the clarified idea for opening schools over the summer, if I get a choice then and it’s paid - I’ll decline. I’d rather my 6 weeks off thank you very much 😁

No. The children need to have a break - they will have been working from home and are entitled to a break. Mental health far more important. This obsession some people have with schools reopening is worrying.

We have a very short school year here in number of days compared to other countries

Evidence??

Lots of countries have longer summer breaks than UK. Schools in Scotland break up in June, but go back in August. Ireland, Italy- don't these both have three months off? France have about the same as UK IIRC.

I doubt it will happen to be honest but I wouldn't altogether be surprised. Teachers have continued to teach and pupils SHOULD be continuing to learn. So even though the pupils are not in the school building next week, following the Easter fortnight, they should be still learning. E.g., I am working from home but I ensure that my 4 children all complete their school tasks, even if it is at the weekend, because that suits our family. Even though teachers may be in the school building only twice a week, they are working usual probably longer hours at home. So both teachers and pupils are experiencing teaching and learning even if they are not in the actual building. All of this speculation depends on lots of things ... If schools were opened obviously staff would have to be paid for the 5 or 6 weeks extra. Could the country afford this at the moment? There would be lots of logistical issues such as staff who are moving to different schools for a new job, staff and pupil holidays, lunchtime staff and teaching staff who often have second jobs that they do in the holidays, childcare issues, etc. However, surprising things have happened recently and maybe we shouldn't be surprised - anything could happen I guess.

Weeks of holiday comparison just in Europe..