This is why I won't be sending my children back to school

[softjellycell]

1 primary school teacher tests positive for corona virus
18 children have come into contact with the virus
18 key workers have to stop work
30 teaching colleagues have to stop work and self isolate.
Key worker children no longer have any provision at that school.
Bristol May 14th 2020.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-coronavirus-updates-bristol-teacher-4135096

Eh? So many assumptions there, not to mention that OP doesn't need to withdraw her school place to not send kids back this academic year

The point is that the choice not to send the kids in is entirely within her power already.

She has existing legal options to do this which do not include the schools remaining closed to most of the rest of the population.

crustycrab

I'm alert when I do anything routine with an element of risk. I don't "worry". I get on with the task at hand, alertly. 😂

If others want to "worry" and cloister themselves at home, feel free. I'm going to get on with it.

what about poor supermarket workers who are very much at risk ?

I know who has just died - 3 days after being taken ill- early 40s - three children .

the science shows that children ARE the lowest risk group

these are small steps and I totally respect each family for every decision they take - and if the R is not right schools wont open anyway . you wont get fined if you don't send children back . If you are in a high risk family then obviously the answer will be no .

How will some employers react ? We will have to wait and see .

Yawn, they didn’t close the school, they cleaned the area they were using and relocated the children to a different part of the school. Only the children and adults who were in contact with the teacher were told to isolate and the school remains open for key worker and vulnerable children. My son goes to this school. Let parents make their own choice whether they send their children back the same as you can make your choice, Mangotsfield dealt with the issue well and did what they were suppose to do to minimise the spread of the virus

However I’ve noticed that those who do plan to send them back aren’t plastering their decisions everywhere and trying to persuade everyone else to do exactly what they’re doing.

Really? I have seen more threads - and posts on social media - laughing at the "hysterical' parents who are so scared of their own shadow, at "snowflakes" who don't understand the risks and statistics, and patronising posts offering to educate the ones who don't share their opinion who don't have "any understanding of the virus but will be able to make a better decision once enlightened...

Until you know exactly what is offered by the schools, and under which conditions your own school will open for your child, I find that people blindly deciding to drop the kids and run as soon as they can sound a bit.. pathetic.

I find this post really confusing. “18 key workers having to stop work”. If that school hadn’t been opened 18 key workers wouldn’t have been working this entire time.

It’s amazing many people think it’s far too dangerous for their child to step out the house, but they have been happy for key workers children and vulnerable children to be doing so.

"I'd hate to live worried. It must be exhausting"

Oh get over yourself. There is nothing exhausting about having empathy for those who have died and being worried doesn't mean you have to sit in a darkened room rocking.

There's a worrying trend of people clamouring to be the least concerned person they know. It's not cool. You just look stupid

There is nothing exhausting about having empathy for those who have died

Empathy isn't the same as worry...worry is usually much more self directed

@PicsInRed why would she be at home on no pay if she were to homeschool her child? That's a very rigid way of thinking.

If I were to homeschool my kids I would still have a job and an income

Looks like it is a hypothetical situation then OP, since your OP was factually incorrect and hasn't happened

Smilethoyourheartisbreaking

you are not the only one...

Oh you're a teacher? So that's why you've started yet another thread hoping for a bunfight?
Teachers are also often parents too. OP has a perfect right to start a thread as a parent.the same as anyone else.
And what she says makes perfect sense. I am not a teacher or the parent of a small child. I am a grandparent of one though and I think the return to school has been ill thought out and potentially dangerous for staff and families of children.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3910781-This-is-why-I-wont-be-sending-my-children-back-to-school?msgid=96572522

My DCs school (one of them) will not be reopening yet, and not on June 1st - we have already been told that. The other one is currently planning to open; we will see.

If the teacher is symptomatic only the kids do and their families only isolate if their kids show symptoms

So the primary age children who have to isolate are going to stay at home alone? Nobody is going to stay home and look after them. 18 children at primary school have to isolate at home = 18 parents to stay at home and look after them.

Some quite stunning rudeness on here in response to the OP.

It's nothing less than I expected. Some people are incredibly rude, on and offline. It's not considered the done thing to support teachers on MN.

@LEELULUMPKIN Hats off to you for dealing with what many would find to be impossible . I hope your son gets what he needs soon and that you get a break.

@NoCaseToAnswer No, what's mean is starting yet another thread which descends into a bunfight.

Nothing mean about what I did, I didn't start a bunfight - subsequent posters did. I won't name the school on here but it is a primary school as you will have seen if you read the link to the local newspaper in my OP.

(Don't worry guys, I'm keeping well alert ⚠️🚨) Good, we need lerts.

She has existing legal options to do this which do not include the schools remaining closed to most of the rest of the population.

@picsinred did I say that schools should remain closed to most of the rest of the population?

but they have been happy for key workers children and vulnerable children to be doing so.

Vulnerable children are not obliged to attend, they can if the people with PR want them to. It's considered preferable that they attend but it's not compulsory. Key workers children presumably are only attending where both parents are key workers or in the case of a lone parent where the NRP can't (or won't) take responsibility for whatever reason.

I find this post really confusing. “18 key workers having to stop work”. If that school hadn’t been opened 18 key workers wouldn’t have been working this entire time.

Local key workers here are the most vocal against school reopening for the "general public" - as rightly the offer is the same for working parents, SAH parent, or WFH parent. The increase in number put their own children more at risk.

Our school - like others, I’m sure - has made clear they will open if safe and they can overcome specific barriers due to geography/layout, that there will be no penalties if you choose not to send your children, and that they’ll survey the parents in advance to find d out likely level of take up.

I feel desperately sorry for the teachers, head teachers and leadership teams trying to make these decisions with so much uncertainty and lack of clarity from government and the DfE.

I’ll decide based on what procedures look like when they’ve had a chance to outline some. I won’t care if someone else makes a different decision - their decision would not risk my child in any way.

Your child stays home, mine goes in: your child not at risk from mine or vice versa.

My child stays at home, yours goes in: as above.

As a working parent I’ll just have to sort out how to manage whatever is proposed (or not) with my employer.

It’s all a shitshow but pointing fingers of blame at other parents isn’t going to help, and you need to have the courage of your convictions about your own decisions.

If I were to homeschool my kids I would still have a job and an income

Fab for you, genuinely, but many many wouldn’t. And that’s why we shouldn’t judge those who choose to send their children to school, or make them feel guilty for that decision.

But it's ok to judge those who aren't it seems.

If you’ve decided not to send your children to school, good for you. But it doesn’t give you the right to judge parents who will be sending theirs back.

This is not an “I’m a superior parent to you” competition, everyone is doing the best for their own individual situations.

Local key workers here are the most vocal against school reopening for the "general public" - as rightly the offer is the same for working parents, SAH parent, or WFH parent. The increase in number put their own children more at risk

If that’s true (none of my key worker friends with their children in school feel have expressed this) then it’s a shame they can’t see that even those who aren’t key workers need to earn a living somehow.
However it’s not relevant to our school anyway as key workers children are going to be segregated from the others.

If I were to homeschool my kids I would still have a job and an income

Great, do that then. Good luck.

@NoCaseToAnswer Read the link:

www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/local-news/school-closed-after-two-teachers-4127976

The school takes children from age 6.
The school closed on Monday.
18 children were involved.
30 educational staff for involved.

This is not a hypothetical situation. You are wrong.
The other school in Bristol is solely a secondary, the school I am referring to starts a primary age. Other people up thread referred to the school that is secondary only (and named it), I didn't.

If that’s true (none of my key worker friends with their children in school feel have expressed this)

well, I am only quoting current very heated bun fights on my local facebook group!

On top of the usual fights about who is a key worker (most of us let's face it) as opposed to a critical frontline worker.

@cavemum But it doesn’t give you the right to judge parents who will be sending theirs back.

Quote my post where I have judged a parent who will be sending theirs back.