Schools won't be reoping on 1 June, and if they do, I won't be sending my child

[effingterrified]

Unions will be doing what they exist to do and protecting the health of their members.

Until Boris can provide teachers with a safe workplace ie PPE for all staff, adequate social distancing, etc, unions will be telling members not to go in.

And if they do open, I won't be sending my child in as they wouldn't learn anything in the last few weeks under these conditions, and the health risks not only to the children, but to the teachers and parents, are not worth it.

Plus my child relies on a school bus to get to school and there is zero way of socially distancing on one of them. Or of running 3 school buses, say, per route, at an affordable cost.

Also, my dc is happy as Larry off school, and learning as much or more. Let's face it, how many kids object to longer school holidays? I know there are some eg vulnerable kids, but they can already attend at present.

Fed up of threads pretending all parents can't wait for schools to reopen. Not among the ones I know.

But seriously, is your child being lonely or stir crazy enough of an excuse to potentially kill her friend's parent/s?

Jesus, OP, really?!

@Straycatstrut

I'm a struggling single parent. I'm crying and breaking down in front of my kids. I am crying out for a break. My kids aren't happy as larry off school. My kids are getting depressed like me. I want to die

I feel the same.

OP, I suggest you home-educate your children if it works so well for your family and finances.

It certainly doesn't work for mine.

The self-righteous attitude that seems to come with parents declaring they won't send their children back to school is infuriating.

Do what you feel is right for your family. Look at the bigger picture. Look at the correct and accurate data. Make your own risk assessment. And THEN how about don't judge anyone else for what they decide!?

I will be sending my child back if and when schools open. Don't dare insinuate that means she will KILL people!!

@Healthyandhappy The reading will come, try not to worry. I'm a single parent and have a 12 year old DS. He has autism and is currently refusing point blank to do any of his school work. He could have a place in school because of his care plan, but I'd feel really bad sending him in for other people to look after while I'm sat at home.

It's not easy though, and both our mental health is suffering x

Why can't some people see that just because something is working/ok for them then it might not be great for someone else?

This situation is shit, utter shit. No solution is really a good solution, of course it isn't!

But not everywhere. Sweden never shut its schools, Denmark went back very quickly. The WHO doesn’t just take stats from the UK !
I’m in Europe just now and schools go back on Monday . Different age groups to start .

The schools in Sweden shut for older pupils and also universities which just demonstrates that the decision was more about childcare than pupil's education or well-being. Schools are going back in countries that they have the virus much more under control than we do. That may change in the next few weeks but I'm not holding my breath.

Keeping us all in lockdown will also kill people. Worsening economy = more poverty = more deaths.

Maybe you are the one with blood on your hands.

Or maybe you're being ridiculous and nasty.

I’m in a country where it’s supposedly the worst in Europe , they are still lifting restrictions. There has to be a lift at some point.

The problem with threads like this and many people's perspective is a misunderstanding of the many complex layers in this argument.
I'll say up front - I'm a HCP

PPE - only useful if people understand why they are using it and use it correctly. A mask will give you very little protection but indeed may limit spread. So it's protecting others, not you. If you are in contact with Covid and at risk because of providing close personal care or aerosol generating procedures then you need the full whack, FFP3 visor, goggles, gowns. Gloves - a PP has said upthread are useless unless used properly. I can't count the number of times I see people at the supermarket wearing gloves, gaily touching everything including their face then throwing them away in the bottom of the trolly....

The costs of lockdown are enormous to many people's mental health, not to mention vulnerable children, domestic abuse victims. These people need protection and proper support services too.

Who/what is going to pay for the NHS if no-one goes back to work?

People need to make their own risk assessments, but on the basis of accurate interpretation of data. As a HCP expected to carry on my normal job I was very concerned at the beginning of this. I have risk assessed, my team have changed the way we work to ensure social distancing with colleagues but we can't entirely do that with patients so we observe scrupulous hygiene-as another PP said, this isn't going away so we all need to think about how we are going to manage the risks in the long term.

And ultimately, do what works for you. I have a ds hoping to go to university in September. I am praying he will be able to go - even though he may be at slightly higher risk from a serious illness than an under 10. But I will respect whatever decision the university make and how they manage it. Life has to go on.

Keeping us all in lockdown will also kill people. Worsening economy = more poverty = more deaths.

What is the evidence that a worse economy will lead to more deaths than coronavirus? For that matter what evidence is there that letting the virus rampage through the nation and potentially killing thousands won't have a worse effect on the economy than lockdown anyway?

Why are you running around with your pants on your head panicking?

Don’t send your kid to school it’s your choice. Clearly they are opening.

Just remove the pants, get a cup of tea and calm down.

Will I happily send my child to school, even if it results in a very tiny increase in the risk of her friend’s parents dying, which presumably they accept since the friend was at school? Yes. Same as I drive my car and increase a lot of people’s risk of dying by a small amount. Life goes on.

But seriously, is your child being lonely or stir crazy enough of an excuse to potentially kill her friend's parent/s

Best take all the children at school out now then hey? I mean it's not their parents are doing anything important is it?

It does seem unfair, a lot of of front line hospital staff have to put their children into school. I wonder what would happen if they refused to work because they wanted to keep their children off school.

Clearly they are opening.
Sorry, but I wouldn't bank on that just yet. They may, in some capacity, but a lot can change between now and then.

Schools will open eventually, I understand that there are many parents and kids who are struggling with the current situation and they should be allowed to make a risk assessment and let their kids go back to school if they choose. Equally those who don't want to send their kids back yet should not be penalised for it.

For that matter what evidence is there that letting the virus rampage through the nation and potentially killing thousands won't have a worse effect on the economy than lockdown anyway?

Because the stats show the most at risk are in the 70s and older who aren't contributing to the economy in a working to pay tax sense

The millions of working age tax payers on the other hand who aren't being allowed to work and businesses forced to stay close and face massive redundancies and financial ruin......

OP would you like us all to start goady threads every time we decide not to do something that we don't have to do?
If you don't want to send your kids to school that's fine, the guidance says you don't have to, but don't judge others whose children will be attending.

100% support the unions supporting teachers to ensure schools are safe before children return, of course it needs to happen, but it shouldn't happen until the government and unions agree what is needed to facilitate it (equipment or financially) and all schools implement these procedures. Primarily they will do this for the health and safety of the teacher, but hopefully that will result in improved safety for the children and their families.

I don't trust this government to ensure robust enough procedures are in place at every school before they return, it is right the unions hold them to account and make sure they do.

Because the stats show the most at risk are in the 70s and older who aren't contributing to the economy in a working to pay tax sense

Many people in their 50s and 60s are at high risk too, not only of death but also from long-term complications. These will be working age people and their contribution to the economy is not negligible especially in terms of tax as they are more likely to be higher earners.

The millions of working age tax payers on the other hand who aren't being allowed to work and businesses forced to stay close and face massive redundancies and financial ruin......

Most people are "allowed" to work though.

your comments are naive at best and ignorant at worst regarding vulnerable kids

clearly dont have a clue outside your own bubble - incredinkt dismissive

@mrpumblechook

If "most" people were allowed to work then there wouldnt be millions of people on furlough - sure I read somewhere it was 70% of businesses furloughing staff.....

Whether you send your children back to school or not is entirely up to you as parents.
However, whilst they are off, this is where you stand with the law. So all those not bothering to educate your children should be ashamed, no matter whether you work or not.
HTH.

Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 applies to England and Wales:

Compulsory education

7: Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

a: to his age, ability and aptitude, and

b: to any special educational needs he may have,

either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

I keep seeing the question "what's the evidence that a worse economy = more death"

Yet I've frequently seen that the recession and subsequent austerity measures - did just that.

They're the same thing aren't they?

@effingterrified good for you, i'll be sending my DD in as soon as they open. Just don't go around judging others for doing so. Everyone has free choice.