Reopening schools before September

[Keepgoing88]

Given the information about what other countries are planning to do does anyone else think schools may reopen before school summer holidays? I was all prepared to have the kids off until September but seeing what has gone on in the news recently I'm not so sure now and thinking it might be earlier, at least in some.capacity. anyone else?

@usuallydormant What they call key workers is very different from our definition. Our list of key workers is enormous. Frances is not. They could allow a lot of children to return to school before they had the same policy as us about which kids can be in school.

@alloutoffucks - it's clear that a lot of people are going to be screwed from the fallout of this and it will be hugely unfair compared to others. Looking for a better word than unfair but can't think of one

Yay send the kids back they'll be fine. We won't give a crap about all the adults working in the school or the parents on the school run. Maybe we should start sending kids back just for the subjects where there's not already a teacher shortage. Try to preserve the maths physics and Mfl teachers coz if we kill off too many of those we won't be able to replace them.

Yes, but you are suggesting that in France they will send kids back based on their parents' occupation. There is no suggestion of this at all.

@lovelydream I think the government agree with you. A 1.7% death rate means about 750,000 people die. Yes the economy will be stronger with some elderly and disabled people dying. Those left will have to pay less out. We already see lots of old people dying in care homes. That will save the country a lot of money.
Personally I am begging to hate a lot of people in the UK who think anyone old and disabled is expendable.

@greathat I suggest we have a clap once a week for all the schools staff? That makes up for the fact that some will die from this policy surely?

great so whats your alternative?

Sit it out and wait for a vaccine?

But there's not a guarnatee there will ever be one - if the reports of reinfection are true.

Can we maybe not focus on how to get kids back but keeping the staff as safe as we can?

Has it ever been confirmed that kids are super spreaders of this virus?

Oh yes I've always taught in my lessons that the immune system is massively boosted by a bunch of strangers who don't really give a crap clapping you from their doorways. While harbouring asymptomatic infections they'll send the kids to school with on Monday

@Random18

I agree - I'd like to know how many teachers have actually caught it from the kids that are still going to school as key worker children - I suspect very low numbers.

and actually if I were a HCP / carer / bus driver / supermarket worker and many more, I would seriously question why I was going to work reading some of the comments on this post.

@alloutoffucks

And no I won't be clapping for teachers - plenty of other people are still going to work every day to keep the country moving

I'd like to know how many teachers have actually caught it from the kids that are still going to school as key worker children-I suspect very low numbers.

I know of three teachers who died of COVID just last week. We struggle massively to recruit teachers round here at the best of times. That may not sound many, but that’s 30 children (and many more if secondary) who heads will need to find a replacement for.

My alternative is something that doesn't end lockdown by shoving 30 odd kids into a small room for 6 hours, then hundreds together in a crowded corridor multiple times a day and not expecting things to go to shit. Start small and build. Not just throw your hands in the air and give up on lockdown all at once . But then I'm not being paid hundreds of grand to advise the government nor do I have all the data. Just a degree level understanding of the science and plenty of experience of teenagers

It’s acknowledged that HCPs and carers should have PPE (even if there are issues with them getting it.) My local supermarket has plastic screens, taped lines on the ground, controlled entry etc.

So what will schools have?

Plenty of teachers still setting work for our students and trying to ensure they get at least some level of education too!

Schools will not reopen until September. Pubs, clubs, restaurants not until New Year (same as Italy).
How can these pubs, clubs and restaurants have a hope in hell of retaining their businesses if they are forced to stay closed for 9 months? How can the government afford to furlough them for those 9 months?

I think this would also lead to significant legal claims against employers for who/how they select to continue to furlough as the majority of employees pushed on to furlough will be women - remember the majority of people are not having their wage topped up and anyone earning over £30k is at massive financially disadvantage
Not to mention the millions of women simply made redundant because they can’t be present in the office and will be seen as completely expendable because they are looking after their children.
The fact remains that the government simply does not have the means to pay furlough until September or January.

Allout what are Germany doing different to the UK?

@VideographybyLouBloom - Many pubs restaurants etc will go out of business. I suspect though that schemes will be put in place for this sectors companies, but feel the employees will suffer.

@VideographybyLouBloom - Chancellor said scheme would be extended if need be and it will. Until New Year? Unlikely imo. Untill September? I'd say yes

@Blackbear19 They are mass testing, contact tracing and forcing isolation.
If you do this early enough you can contain it. It is what WHO have been recommending for months and our government ignored saying there was no point testing. Now they are saying they will test, but nothing seems to have actually happened. We have only just started testing NHS staff and their families a few weeks ago.

@noblegiraffe You wont have anything. You will be told to practice social distancing by people who have no idea or do not care how impossible that actually is.
I really hope teachers unions push to protect all school staff. Because the government won't.

@Appuskidu

That is awful. Their poor families. How traumatising for their students too.

The number of new infections for teachers in school with key worker children is probably mainly because they are being socially distanced and enforcing temp checks, hand washing and individual work stations.

My school often only has two kids in.

Our main student body is 1800. Big difference in exposure rates.

all you can’t practise social distancing in a classroom of 30 kids.

So it can’t be that.

How will it be staffed? At my school there are 80 members of staff. At least 2/3 are shielding for 12 weeks or live with someone who is. We can't run a school on 1/3 of staff as it wouldn't be safe. As much as I would love school to reopen I can't see how it would work.

At my school there are 80 members of staff. At least 2/3 are shielding for 12 weeks or live with someone who is.

That seems disproportionately high for one school compared to the percentage of the population who have been asked to shield for the 12 weeks