Do teenagers care? Open the fucking schools.

[FreierFall]

All my son's friends are now meeting up in groups. Probably in each other houses. Of course I am the worlds worst mother for saying he can only meet one friend outside at a time. Pretty much everyone he knows is assuming they can do what they want now. Why bother keeping secondary schools shut now? It's pointless. Instead we are going to have groups of bored teenagers roaming around all summer. I am in despair.

And where would the money to pay for screens come from?

My DDs couldn't take books home from school as they didn't always come back and they were often sharing.

@Lidlfix

I’m not sure. My school have said they’ll fit them though 🤷‍♀️

@DBML are you a private school or not in the UK? If not how are you funding that?

Even though there is additional funding for schools I wonder whether the Government will pay out for things that aren’t on their guidance, so no funding for PPE.

@BBCONEANDTWO because the Government have told schools they don’t need anything like that

@ineedaholidaynow

We are a state school. A secondary in a deprived area.

As far as the screens go, I’m not sure how they are being funded? It may even be that the DT department will fit them using sheets of clear acrylic or cellulose plastic or Perspex. We’ve had plenty of materials like this donated to the school as the DT department have spent much of our time off making PPE (face shields) and fabric masks for care homes etc.
It might just be that schools get handy.

Sadly, I didn’t mean that a caring and concerned government was about to step in and do everything possible to ensure the safety of staff.

I am in Scotland so thankfully won't have to worry about schools opening for a while. If we are still in lock down at the moment with only 6 weeks left to the holidays I cannot see it happening for us until August. Would potentially cause more upset to pupils than it would remove.

Maybe teachers in once we start to open up to plan how August might look and be briefed on to set up classrooms and implement social distancing protocols?

@DBML
In your post you implied it was because you had given your word and he unquestioningly followed it. Different if he has come to this conclusion himself.

The bored comment I made was to why some teenagers will meet up with each other not why schools must open

@Gwynfluff

Granted, I’m very fortunate to have such a sensible lad. But, he has his moments and I’m willing to put my foot down.
He is the way he is, because I am the way I am. I’m happy to put up with the odd tantrum, slamming of doors, sulking. It won’t change my mind.
My son forms his conclusions based on my unwavering decisions. When he’s 18, he can get a say.

@DBML I was going to come and do some scrumping from your magic money tree!

We have been needing an extra classroom for years but no funding available. This could be our opportunity. A temporary one will do, we already have some temporary ones built in 1960s still being used, so its not that we don't get value for money!

@ineedaholidaynow

Lol - reading back, it’s easy to see how you might have thought for a second, that my school had people higher up who cared 😂😂
Not so! We get around things by drafting in the DT department and sorting a bit of DIY. It’ll do though and it’s certainly better than nothing.
I feel sorry for the primary schools who might not have skilled enough people to carry that sort of work out in house?

We can't even afford a caretaker which would be useful for all our crumbling buildings

Interesting Sweety - you sound as though you’re about my age.

Well done on your academic achievements -particularly impressive as you had to teach yourself.

Is that why you’re so resentful towards teachers?

God knows why any of you would want to stay in teaching after all these threads.

So much for #bekind. No wonder people sometimes describe MN as full of angry middle aged women! The OP made a post about how she is feeling. If you disagreed with her point, there is the option to walk on rather than slagging her off as being unable to look after her kid. It's rude and uncalled for.

Dear OP, I feel your despair. I have a teenage son who constantly tells me how awful I am for making him do his schoolwork or not letting him meet his friends. I have overhead conversations where friends are asking if he is "allowed out" and he has to make excuses. I think it's about continually having those conversations about safety .I once agreed to let him go meet his friends if I went with him . He thought I was joking until he saw me get dressed and he decided not to go. It is hard work especially when there is no consistency with some parents more liberal than some. I think it's better to be seen as the bad parent at the moment and keep them safe than anything else. Good luck

This is such a horrible thread title 😟

God knows why any of you would want to stay in teaching after all these threads.
We love the students, enjoy teaching them, and most parents are reasonable, supportive and know to contact school if they have any concerns.

Most people in life aren't arseholes.

Unfortunately Mumsnet has a particular group of posters who are vocal and enjoy a teacher pile on. Offline some of them probably wouldn't say boo to a goose and the others are probably the loud minority of parents who really do storm into school demanding to see the head because a teacher told their child that the rules apply to them like everyone else, or email the governors complaining their child wasn't selected by the random allocation to an opportunity (because apparently random allocation should actually mean that children of PTA mums get preference and don't you dare accept that a 'naughty' child's name came out instead of naice mum's child).

As a TA in a special school, I have some understanding of a teacher's lot.
I think some of the very vocal posters on MN think teachers have an awful lot more power than they actually do. The reality is, if SLT say jump, the staff do it. They don't make these unpopular decisions - they don't decide in what format the work is sent home or how often, the frequency and manner in which parents/carers are contacted or whether to use video platforms or not to teach. Teachers go into school when they're told, stay at home when they're told and certainly aren't responsible for schools being closed...
With regard to the level of bullying and venom on some of these threads - I've worked with kids who have been subject to the most horrendous and brutal bullying. This is sometimes in naice leafy lane schools. At the most extreme, examples include being told to kill themselves, being made to drink urine, kicked down stairs. Parents are undoubtedly appalled and mortified when they discover what their child has done. However, you give people an anonymous platform on an online forum and you can see some of that willingness to bully others never really goes away. "Open the fucking schools!" One of the most entitled things I've ever read. If it was written by a 15 year-old I could understand. I know people are at their wit's end, frightened, desperate etc but this is so entitled.

My teenager is more than happy to just play with his mates on xbox. They dont seem to want to meet up thankfully.

Just concentrate on your own kid, they are who you are responsible for.

Teenagers have a tendency to only see their own situation rather than the bigger picture, that’s why as a parent you care to keep your child safe.

Why would teachers stay in the job? Well in the real world I spoke to 25 parents and about ten pupils. Many of them were not just keen to thank me (they all did that ) but were effusive with their praise for our school and the teachers. Several stayed on for a chat that they really needed. Many felt that they had no idea what was going to happen with high schools returning and didn’t know how the schools were meant to know when it was all so badly presented. They seemed to feel we were all doing our best - a world away from some threads in here.

If some teenagers don't care and won't follow any suggestions about taking precautions, no wonder teachers are worried about dealing with them. I hope your son gets some better friends when he is allowed back.

But the intention is not to have classes of 30
I get teachers are apprehensive but I also think it's not realistic to believe this will all be better by September

I have family who work in supermarkets and not everyone is social distancing and there a fair few coming as whole families , for almost a day out . And obviously single parents have no choice but to take children in , so kids are also in supermarkets so it's not risk free

@jinxpixie the reason parents send there children in ill normally is because we are told do otherwise we receive crappy letters about attendance
I got moaned at for keeping my son off for 48 after sickness bug as that's the right thing to do and I luckily don't care about there stupid letters and told them so , others feel
More under pressure

How unfortunate that some parents seem unable to parent, and are allowing their children, CHILDREN, to go out and meet one friend. Which it clearly isn’t by posts here. If you know they’re meeting in groups you don’t let them go. We have this weird thing in our house, with 2 teenagers, where us, the adults are in charge and have to sometimes enforce unpopular rules.

Again, people are missing the point - it’s not about avoiding C19 forever, it’s about making sure that curve stays as flat as possible so the NHS (that you no doubt make a huge show of clapping for) can cope. Nothing happens that doesn’t affect something else. Please, just think a little wider and more considerately. This isn’t over, far, far from it.