Can't bloody decide what to do for best!

[Lovestonap]

Son is in year 6, school have advised they will open for year 6 and explained clearly the measures they will put in place. Great. I'm not worried for my son's health particularly and I'd love to see him back at school. However, I'm genuinely worried for the teachers. Health care workers are dying and it seems to be linked to viral load/exposure, regardless of underlying conditions. Is it selfish to send my son back to school when we will have to be continuing to home school our younger daughter anyway?

Do the schools want us to send them back, thus making less work to set online, or would they prefer us to keep them at home if we possibly can?

Primary Teachers, can you please let me know what you would prefer if it was up to you?

This is genuinely a case where I want to do the best for not only my family but the country in general and I don't know how to make this decision

Honestly? The school do NOT want you to send the children back. At this point they would prefer to be setting work online, rather than risk having children in classrooms.

There are multiple concerns, which both teaching unions and the British Medical Association are repeatedly spelling out.

All the teachers I know are so upset that they are expected to take reception, year one and six very soon.
My friends husband has medical issues and she is terrified of bringing something home to him.

People have been working in supermarkets for months!

Puppybum, that's true but I'm not sure what bearing that has on this? Others, thank you. I genuinely want to hear what teachers think (and not what the government or daily mail tell me they think).
Although I still have a couple of weeks to decide I think seeing as I can keep him home, perhaps I should. It helps that he's an anti social so and so who really isn't missing people all that much.

Totally different situation in supermarkets. The staff aren't locked in a small room with 15 people who cough and sneeze all over the place, pick their nose, put things in their mouth and want to hold your hand or need a hug or need a wound cleaning because they have fallen over.
Most adults understand to distance. 4 year olds do not.

Teaching has an extremely high level of unionisation in the UK.
97% of teachers belonged to a union in a poll in 2015. And unions are made up of their members, so I think it's safe to go with what the unions are saying. They're raising concerns at the moment, and the BMA is supporting them too.

(I'm not sending mine back in June, and while I am concerned about the children and teachers, I find it reassuring that the more people who are able to keep children off do, then the safer it will be for their teachers and other staff).

I’m a teacher (post-16) and I have a daughter in Y1 who I’m not sending in. If my work was open (which I doubt it will be) I’d be absolutely fine with parents keeping their children off right now. Their decision. If you’ve no choice, fine. Schools are open and there for you. If you do have a choice and don’t want to send them in, keep them off without a second’s guilt.

No it is not selfish to send your son to school. It is perfectly normal that everyone is full of anxiety but as soon as the kids start to return to school, people will start to forget their anxieties (well most people)

Schools don’t particularly want them back atm - more due to the amount of social distancing etc. Online work (at ours) is continuing. But I think it is a very personal choice. The couple next door to us are struggling with their two children. Some children need to go back.

And preschools, I work in a preschool and have said my reception child will go back only because I know I have to go back 1st June. Seems ludicrous

I think send him back. It won’t be possible to keep schools closed until a vaccine is found so I think schools need to get on with it with arrangements made to protect vulnerable teachers.