School re-opening under threat

[jomartin281271]

Headline in the London Evening Standard today that this new surge could threaten re-opening of schools. I'm not surprised. The government know that it's not safe to open schools under their current guidance. Cramming children, teachers and admin staff into those tiny spaces could cause a catastrophe. I feel sorry for teachers. Most of them are really committed to the job and their lives are being put at risk. Scary times.
www.standard.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-second-wave-schools-september-a4511516.html

@ohthegoats

How come all the schools didn’t close through the lockdown when they were open to front line staff children? Surely those children would more likely carry the virus than others?

183 outbreaks in schools in the last 4 weeks.

I am quoting this tweet because everyone needs to know this.

These outbreaks happened with only a few year groups in and social distancing. What is it going to be like in September?

www.gov.uk/guidance/steps-to-take-following-the-death-of-a-colleague-in-childrens-services

The DfE have released guidance for schools on what to do when there is a death of a teacher. I assume they wouldn't publish this if they were expecting just 1 or 2 deaths and schools already have a policy for the odd occasion it happens anyway.

If they are acknowledging this is going to happen with this guidance, what are they going to do to prevent it?

Ah yeah, it was super helpful guidance. Apparently death of a teacher needs to be treated sensitively. It's like the guidance we had on how to suck eggs identify gaps in September and teach accordingly.

@jomartin281271

I know the government are desperate for everyone to go back to work, but they should be asking the parents and teachers what they think. Lots of parents need to go to work and the schools could stay open for them. Where the government are getting it wrong is not listening to the parents who are happy to educate their children at home. If they set up a decent online education system that could be monitored remotely by teachers who have had to self-isolate, it could mean that only half the usual amount of children will be at school. This would make it much safer for teachers and the children who were at school.

We have to go back to work otherwise no one will have jobs !!! What do we do stop kids going to school until a vaccine is found which might never happen ?

@walker1891

*www.gov.uk/guidance/steps-to-take-following-the-death-of-a-colleague-in-childrens-services*

The DfE have released guidance for schools on what to do when there is a death of a teacher. I assume they wouldn't publish this if they were expecting just 1 or 2 deaths and schools already have a policy for the odd occasion it happens anyway.

If they are acknowledging this is going to happen with this guidance, what are they going to do to prevent it?

Omg. I hadn’t seen that.

Will they include how to support my son who goes to the same school as I work at and would be orphaned to placate foot stamping parents who can’t accept there have to be some safety measures in schools?

I’m disgusted by some of the attitudes on here.

There must be reasonable evidence that the death was caused by an occupational exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19).

I wonder what counts as reasonable evidence...

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@pepperycinnamon pubs might not be essential but the people who work at them can't just be forgotten about. I think schools should be the priority but what is the solution for the staff who work at these non essential places? Furlough forever?[/quote]
What will the alternative be for all the office staff, cleaners, teaching assistants etc who work in schools? Should they be off on full pay? Whichever 'industry' sector is closed for business this will be an issue, it's a hard one isn't it?

Where the government are getting it wrong is not listening to the parents who are happy to educate their children at home. If they set up a decent online education system

You are welcome to do this. There is a free online system which is good. I used it alongside zero in school hours for y5 since March.

Do our kids get anything if we die in service? I’m a single mum and I have never questioned what would happen to my pension if my job actually caused my death. Not hyperbole but a genuine question?

On the pubs issue, I’d say we are at the limit of furlough, grants etc - it has been extreme already. Allowing them to open now helps a bit. The economy has to start getting on otherwise more trouble ahead.

OK, I've just had a 5 minute look at the surveillance reports. They can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports

Started on 23rd April. These are the numbers of outbreaks of 'acute respiratory infections' in schools every week since the 23rd April. They also give a confirmed 'how many were confirmed COVID positive test results', but as has been pointed out in other threads here, the chances of these being anything other than COVID are low - time of year, fact that 2 or more children/adults in a 'bubble' had the same symptoms (takes 2 or more to be called an outbreak). More likely to be false negative test results.

Starting from week 18 (dated 23rd April), weekly cases were:

2
1
4
3
15
14
24
44
40
55
49
30

One week is mysteriously missing around week 28/29, but might be that this was me doing a v quick 'open, find data, close' type search, so missed something, sorry.

Can you see where schools went back? To bubbles of 15 with extensive safety measures in place? Week 21 was half term, when lots of schools closed completely for the first time since Feb - 3 outbreaks. The following week was the magic 1st June. 15 outbreaks.

What have the D of E been doing for the last six months?

Not relevant at all but I read this and for a moment thought "what has Prince Phillip got to do with anything?"

@ohthegoats

OK, I've just had a 5 minute look at the surveillance reports. They can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports

Started on 23rd April. These are the numbers of outbreaks of 'acute respiratory infections' in schools every week since the 23rd April. They also give a confirmed 'how many were confirmed COVID positive test results', but as has been pointed out in other threads here, the chances of these being anything other than COVID are low - time of year, fact that 2 or more children/adults in a 'bubble' had the same symptoms (takes 2 or more to be called an outbreak). More likely to be false negative test results.

Starting from week 18 (dated 23rd April), weekly cases were:

2
1
4
3
15
14
24
44
40
55
49
30

One week is mysteriously missing around week 28/29, but might be that this was me doing a v quick 'open, find data, close' type search, so missed something, sorry.

Can you see where schools went back? To bubbles of 15 with extensive safety measures in place? Week 21 was half term, when lots of schools closed completely for the first time since Feb - 3 outbreaks. The following week was the magic 1st June. 15 outbreaks.

That's hardly surprising is it? I mean 55 "outbreaks" (so 2 or more cases) in the whole country is hardly anything to write home about though is it? How many schools are in the country?

Wow ohthegoats and that must be mainly primary school data also as most secondary’s weren’t open or just for the year 10 co hort.

Imagine being the child of a teacher who dies and coming and reading all these horrible threads.

Shit. That has really got to me. I’m not sure I can risk leaving my son orphaned for the sake of a job.

Fingers crossed for some sanity and humanity in the August guidance.

@TheHoneyBadger www.teacherspensions.co.uk/members/working-life/life-events/death-in-service.aspx

You have to nominate your child, it sure how you go about this though?

*not sure

@TheHoneyBadger

Imagine being the child of a teacher who dies and coming and reading all these horrible threads.

Shit. That has really got to me. I’m not sure I can risk leaving my son orphaned for the sake of a job.

Fingers crossed for some sanity and humanity in the August guidance.

What are the actual chances of your son being orphaned? Like 1 in how many thousand or million? Please tell me.

I understand everyone getting up in arms but what happens if schools don’t go back. Millions of parents lose their jobs or can’t work, mainly women. Mass unemployment, businesses going bust. Severe mental health implications for everyone. It’s not as easy as just don’t open or open part time.

Will they include how to support my son who goes to the same school as I work at and would be orphaned to placate foot stamping parents who can’t accept there have to be some safety measures in schools?

You'd hope so wouldn't you? But given that this government are completely against school staff being allowed to wear masks I wouldn't hold out much (any) hope

Wow your humanity is gobsmacking TrustThe.

It will be someone’s son.

@TrustTheGeneGenie what a horrible response.

@Napqueen1234

I understand everyone getting up in arms but what happens if schools don’t go back. Millions of parents lose their jobs or can’t work, mainly women. Mass unemployment, businesses going bust. Severe mental health implications for everyone. It’s not as easy as just don’t open or open part time.

Plus many parents, especially single parents, simply wont be able to give up work because they obviously need to pay bills. Grandparents will end up having nursery, primary and younger secondary kids when they aren't in school. Aren't these the people we are meant to be protecting?

Ugh some of us don't want this "new normal" shit half life though. You might be happy with that but I'm not
None of us are happy with it. Are you actually silly enough to perceive people’s sacrifices as “being happy”? It’s shit but unfortunately that’s how it has to be at the moment because there’s a global pandemic.

The truth is that very very few ex teachers want to come back into a profession where they have been treated so badly
It’s hard to get out of teaching and start over. If you’ve managed to escape you aren’t going to throw it all away and go back. Especially not when government and parents want to throw you under the bus. Why would you volunteer to be cannon fodder if you have an alternative job?

Parents can stamp their feet all they want but the fact is, if teachers strike or quit and refuse to go back without PPE/SD then that’s the end of the matter. You can’t force them to teach your kids. Of course this is a drastic course of action for teachers but many feel pushed to that extreme when they’re facing possible disability or death and orphaned DC.

@TheHoneyBadger

Wow your humanity is gobsmacking TrustThe.

It will be someone’s son.

I just asked a question like what are the actual chances? Can nobody answer that?

Don't get me wrong I'd have incredible sympathy for someone who's parents actually did die, but in this case the poster is still very much alive so I just asked a simple question.