We need to rise up about the lack of education for our children

[Speeding201700]

Please do this. Please join the Twitter movement #usforthem
Please write to your MPs
Please talk about this.

Our children are missing out on their fundamental human right of an education.

The children of regular families are suffering (all 5 of mine are suffering desperately), but those in vulnerable families are suffering even further. The gap between these children will be HUGE

I am a teacher and a mother. I am ready to go back to work full time and with the 'old normal'. I am also type 1 diabetic.

Please help us rise up to get our children educated. Our children have been totally forgotten about. Throughout my career I've had it rammed down my throat about how school is a safe place for so many children. They don't care about these children now.

I am amazed so many people have just accepted this. It has gone on for too long now.

@rawlikesushi

"Sod social distancing and let’s get back now. It’s an absolute bloody scandal."

Back to herd immunity then? The government were akin to murderers when that was touted at the beginning. Guess all it took was for people to feel the discomfort personally.

Nope I’ve felt this way right from the start. For young people it is an absolute scandal.

"Where on the agenda have they been since the initial opening?"

Since six days ago?

I daresay it's impossible to make any decisions until the impact of that is known.

I get that your family is suffering, we all are in many various ways, but we'll all suffer more if public health doesn't remain the top priority for awhile yet.

At the beginning, when the government were saying that they couldn't lock down too soon because people would get bored of it, I thought they were underestimating us but it turns out they were absolutely right about that.

That's your issue to fix for your child. They've been able to go out to exercise all along

Oh come off it, they've been allowed to go out for a boring walk where they have to constantly jump out of other people's way because everyone is doing the same thing. How is that "exercise". And loads of places were shut or at least their car parks were so you get to walk around the streets within walking distance of your house. How exciting and motivating, not. And do many parents want to let younger teenage girls out on their own, for example?

Now things aren't so bad, you can play tennis (and golf) and go out for cycle rides and runs in small groups. But that is only in England and has only been for a week.

Yes all kids need to be back to school in September. Those who don't want their kids to go can continue to "home-school". Vulnerable teachers can teach from home with equipment provided - yes sometimes internet connections drop out - we can live with that. The rest of our children should be able to get on with their lives.

For all those parents writing to their MPs about their children not getting an education, there are going to be just as many parents writing to keep schools closed. There has to be a balance. Schools can't just return to normal with 30 kids per class. For the foreseeable, it probably will be distance learning and part time in school. I also can't see any further changes happening before 6 weeks holidays no matter how many letters are sent in.

I get that your family is suffering, we all are in many various ways, but we'll all suffer more if public health doesn't remain the top priority for awhile yet

We'll all suffer if the economy tanks too. What do you think that does to public health?

"Nope I’ve felt this way right from the start. For young people it is an absolute scandal."

They're at home, bored, lonely and fed up in order to prevent unnecessary deaths. I disagree that that is a scandal.

Thank goodness I’m not the only one thinking like this OP. My work is putting enormous pressure on parents to get back to normal work and not to be home teaching anymore. Also my year 10 child has sat staring at a screen for 11 weeks now doing barely 2 hours of school work a day. It’s not good enough. His education is being sacrificed for what now? He is angry and I’m getting very concerned. Suddenly no one seems to care about the school kids especially those taking exams next year.

"We'll all suffer if the economy tanks too. What do you think that does to public health?"

I completely agree. Poverty kills too. It's a difficult balancing act isn't it.

They're at home, bored, lonely and fed up

Really? Do you think that's all that it is??

I agree, OP.

We have been able to mitigate many of the negative effects because we are fortunate enough to have the money (bought workbooks and resources, new equipment etc in the short term and in the long term have a good sized house and garden and a SAHP), but it’s absolutely disgraceful that it comes down to that. I’m beginning to get seriously worried about the differences in outcomes we’re going to see for this generation of children, especially those in more challenging situations.

I would support going back to normal for pretty much everything. Those at medical risk can self isolate while the rest of society gets on with it, and in doing so supports those who need to isolate by helping the economy etc. We have flattened the curve and built nightingales. Let’s get on with it now.

Sod social distancing and let’s get back now.

How many more deaths would you like to see? Social distancing is essential in containing the spread, no matter how inconvenient you find it.

Schools are planning for part time well into the academic year.

there are going to be just as many parents writing to keep schools closed

So what? Its important to me to express my views, I dont give a fck how many others write in- they can do what they want and I can do what I think is right.

It's a difficult balancing act isn't it

Indeed. Admittedly I wouldn't like to be the one making the decisions!

"Suddenly no one seems to care about the school kids especially those taking exams next year."

It's not that no one cares it's that there's fuck all anyone can do about it until we know that sending more kids back to school won't exponentially increase the rate of infections.

rawlikesushi

So very selfish! Public health has to take priority over everything. As a teacher I didn't sign up to deal with infection and potential loss of life. Shopworkers, the NHS have PPE as we are told it is not required. Shops limit who can go in and screens are up? Yet because children are bored we should put ourselves at risk!
Every student will be behind and the exam system will be adapted as such. Remember government has suspended the curriculum!

"Really? Do you think that's all that it is??"

I think that's all it is for the majority yes, and systems in place to support vulnerable families.

I think that's all it is for the majority yes, and systems in place to support vulnerable families

Then you're very naive.

Enlighten me.

It's scandalous.

The government could have been doing so much more. What has stopped them making funding available so that schools can make sure every pupil has online access? Research from the Netherlands has come out recently and children don't play a big part in spreading it. In cases where children got the virus it was almost always from an infected parent.

In the Netherlands schools are back to normal now, zoos are open, playgrounds were never shut, sport clubs for children have reopened, children got much better education during lockdown than over here.

This has exposed where ten years of austerity got us. We should be ashamed of how we've let children down, not just now but before the coronacrisis too.

Maybe we need to organise protests..?

@Char2015 why can’t schools return with 30 children in a class?

We need to stop repeating these statements as if they are absolute truth and question why we can’t do these things. The cost of school closure is outstandingly high, and getting higher by the week.

Trust, however children and families are suffering now, it will not be eased by seeing a rise in infections and deaths, a return to a stricter lockdown, a second spike.

Let's unlock carefully and gradually, as awful as it all is, so that we don't have to do it again.

Enlighten you?

Maybe read some threads about how average children from loving families are struggling. Or the ones about the kids who have additional needs who can't attend school. Realise than something like only 2% of vulnerable children are attending school. Think about what might be happening to the rest? Think about the families who've lost an income, who need their kids at school so they can find a new job. Think about that child's life being turned upside down. Think about the only children who haven't seen other children in weeks.

Use your imagination. It's offensive to say this is about boredom. It is not.

Every student will be behind and the exam system will be adapted as such. Remember government has suspended the curriculum!

I have a child in a state school and another in an independent. The independent has not suspended the curriculum. It's powering on with new topics and has been since the easter break. So the result of this is only going to be that the gap widens further between the two sectors.

will not be eased by seeing a rise in infections and deaths, a return to a stricter lockdown, a second spike

We don't even know if this will happen. It's not a given and even if it does I don't believe we can suspend education indefinitely!