No prosecution for parents petition - any thoughts?

[sunseekin]

“We deem that absence related to the coronavirus pandemic would meet the grounds prescribed. As long as the school knows where a pupil is and why they aren’t attending, there should be no risk of the pupil losing their school place.”

This was part of the Government’s response to March’s petition (90,000 + signatures) re fines and prosecutions for not attending school due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Given that the pandemic is still very much in full swing does it still apply? Or has this (part of the Coronavirus Act 2020) been caveated or repealed since then??

I know that Gareth announced that school was compulsory and that fines would be a part of that. But it’s always compulsory, but there are still legal reasons why you might not attend.

Fines would obviously be reasonable for someone who was bothered about coronavirus on a Monday but not on a Tuesday, or on holiday because of coronavirus one week but back in school the next. Which is why Gareth may have said fines were a part of things, but the response surely suggests that reasons relating to the pandemic could still be valid legal reasons.

I am at the point where I am pretty confident that I won’t be sending by two school aged children back in September. For family reasons and because I think teachers and students who need to be their for a rest array of reasons (including mental health obviously) deserve to be as safe as possible.

A positive virus mutation or the disappearance of corona would be amazing, but it seems more likely that we have an autumn/winter to get through before things can get better.

I can cope with this, science and medicine (especially recent announcements re treatments) give me hope that better times are around the corner. I’m able to home teach, see it as a way of helping keep schools safer and am now trying to get the logistics clear in my head.

I don’t think it’s fair that we lose their places, I think we only really need to think about living with it when we have seen how it behaves in all the seasons and have a better understanding of longer term impacts.

Here is the link to the full government response.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300399

Big apologies if this duplicates or has been asked elsewhere, I’m trying to keep up - promise!

Thanks both. @cantkeepawayforever my worry is the risk of being in toilets to wash hands. I know children avoid the loo's because they are grim but we also know that feaces contains the virus and is sprayed when the toilet is flushed.

Teachers on MN have said there no lids on toilets in schools.

Also, are the soap substitutes effective for covid? They are usually greasy aren't they and it is the fatty cell that is broken down by soap.

Cetaphil contains SLS - a common detergent - and pharmacist consulted stated that it was as capable of disrupting the virus coat as as any more 'mainstream' handwash.

I think if you have got to the point where you are saying that you cannot risk a child going into the sink area of school toilets in order to wash their hands, then it isn't the skin condition that you are worried about.

Meant to say that I don't use Dermol for 'Covid-related' handwashing, as it isn't effective - that's why I only use it at home for 'normal handwashing purposes'.

Thanks. I'm looking at the whole school day and what risks it will present. I am very concerned and will be deregistering.

We already have a choice. Send them in, or deregister. You can't expect the teachers to provide remote work for the children who's parents decided to keep them, while teaching full time at school.

I think if you have got to the point where you are saying that you cannot risk a child going into the sink area of school toilets in order to wash their hands, then it isn't the skin condition that you are worried about.

This with bells on.

Are your children primary or secondary old bag?

Just one with Sen left in secondary.

A school in a deprived area with nearly 2000 pupils. I'm not confident. We have older DC and is disabled. If we became incapacitated by it they could not look after themselves and we have no one to help us.

Tbh i agree with you oldbag it's really not ideal spending more time in public toilets than necessary.
You may actually be increasing risk over not washing hand but just not touching face.
Also maby taps are not hands free and many places have doors you have to pull to get out.

That's a tough situation old bag. How will you deal with GCSEs?

@Hercwasonaroll I've looked into that. Subjects without a practical element can be taken at exam centres. Subjects with a practical element can be taken as IGCSE's at an exam centre. So we plan.to follow the syllabus for each one and pay for DC to take them at a centre. We are hoping that by then this will be over. DC will be yr9 in September.

Yes they can be. Some schools may be willing to let you sit them there as well.

Do you worry for your child's social needs or are you planning contact with other home educators?

@oldbagface

Can ask in what way you think this will have moved on?

I think numbers will probably increase, I can’t see everything staying the same. Tbh I’m hoping it will in many ways - people taking risks in pubs etc have choice and choice who they go and visit afterwards. In September many will feel or indeed have no choice, either about going or who they come home to. But who knows, nobody really knows which is why I will exercise caution pretty much whatever the numbers (unless negligible) as I think schools going back as they are intending is a massive change - at the very least school numbers should be increased incrementally.

@Hercwasonaroll I do yes but on the other hand DC said to me 'I prefer not going to school mum. I can be myself and I don't feel upset all of the time.' Don't forget he has Sen.

I discussed this with the senco who agreed that many of the Sen DC at our school were feeling the same way. (The school have kept up welfare calls to all Sen children)

Thanks @sunseekin I get a similar feeling.

I don't doubt he is thriving at home, many SEN students are. It's a tricky one the social contact. We all need it and withdrawing from it in the short term doesn't tend to be helpful in the long term.

However if the government allows parents to decide whether to send their children to school (rather than formally withdrawing them and fully homeschooling) then those children who have been most at risk, neglected and abused over this last few months will continue to suffer.

Those parents will not send their children back to school - they will claim concern about covid as the reason. That CANNOT be allowed to happen.

@AllTheUserNamesAreTaken
If those parents don’t ever want to send their dc to school they can Deregister them. They don’t need Covid as an excuse.

Kids are having their educations ruined and will already have had 6 months out of school
Why do people keep spouting the six months out if school? Nine weeks are holidays.

*of

I know @Hercwasonaroll it's a worry bit he has similar age cousins so when things are safer for us as a family he will see them. He also has school friends that he talks to online.

It's an impossible situation.

He prefers the company of adults.

He is obsessed with certain topics so I have ensured I am clued up and we have good banter.

He wasn't' 'thriving' at school either.

It's so difficult and such a balancing act. I do seriously worry about children who haven't seen anyone but the people they live with for months though. Even if they are talking to others, they need that face to face interaction outside the family group. It takes a village to raise a child and all that. Is he seeing anyone else? It's probably as safe now to see anyone because schools aren't back yet. I'm seeing all my friends before I go back to work as I'm aware they may not want to see me come September.

I'm not surprised he isn't thriving at school, so many pupils wiht SEN are let down. Mainly due to lack of funding and appropriate support. Plus the government obsession with putting square pegs in round holes.

@Hercwasonaroll no. He's not seen anyone. I feel sad about it all. He seems ok though. He's made of strong stuff.

He has interests and skills in things that children his age would not know much about.

Certainly a balancing act.