Chris Witty "We're at the limits of the contact we can allow"

[confusedandold]

I've been watching the Press conference and I always find Chris Witty the voice of reason. He is saying that we are at the limit of what we can open without the virus spreading further and we may even have to take a step back. So where does this leave the opening of schools in a few weeks time?

I’m exceedingly fed up with this. I need things like schools, shops etc to open for my sanity as a single parent. My life is naturally very socially distanced - live remotely, very small circle etc. It seems so unfair that people with their mass gatherings, holidays etc are going to make it lockdown for everyone again.

Yes piggy but living in catchments that ensures the best and with the security of being able to buy in as much tutoring and prep as wanted.

The majority of the cabinet who have children have state educated children.
THe cabinet do not make the decisions
the lobbyists and press barons and consultants do

The majority of the cabinet who have children have state educated children.
This is worth noting because as with all this it’s wider than their personal wants.

Like I said before if parents could really see the state of education and joined with teachers and they worked together as a lobbying group education could be funded and dragged into the 21st century.

I’d be happy for parents to lobby this. I’d probably not disagree so much if phrases such as the childcare one and your responsibility were dropped. There is a way to have conversations, when you drop the outer edges of arguments.

Johnson is thick and over educated from a time when Eton admission was by connections not ability

Johnson was a King's scholar at Eton and a scholar at Oxford too. I'm sure he's many things and has a reputation for being lazy and disinterested in detail - but you don't get those by being thick.

THe cabinet do not make the decisions
the lobbyists and press barons and consultants do

Although this is more convincing

True Marsha but both ways obviously. Hard when people are slagging you off and refusing to acknowledge you have any right to risk mitigation and scoffing at the idea of school staff dying to not retaliate.

I can see that. It’s very easy for both sides to feel annoyed.

I hope I’m wrong but this is usually the point in a thread (where people are actually discussing and finding common ground) where a load of new contributors turn up with big spoons and inflammatory statements.

Or perhaps u4t have all gone away to crowded beaches for the weekend

Ha probably. But I’m going to maintain this new calm for a bit. And say maybe more should write to their MP, for money for cleaning and PPE. I already have so can’t again.

@drinkingwineoutofamug

This is SO boring now .And not relevant to what is happening now.

Are you saying the whole of the british public are lemmings ?

Or don’t know the difference between staying as a family in a separate household while ill against mixing households constantly?

You are right on one thing though . The government constantly overestimates the intelligence of the British public and also their moral compass.

Not a fan of Chris Whitty - don't think he's the voice of reason at all. In fact, I think he seems to have too much influence.

Yes. That’s what unions have been doing really. Asking questions, asking for clear guidelines, asking for funding for safety measures but people seem furious about that.

Maybe a parent petition demanding cleaning funding for schools or enough tests on site for all kids and teachers to be issued one when they have symptoms.

I for one don’t drive so would be waiting on the post and people shouldn’t really be shut in a car with a symptomatic child anyway or expected to drive when they are also ill.

Lots that could be valuably campaigned for. Perhaps even a member of staff trained to perform the tests safely and a courier system that collects them so when you go to pick up your symptomatic child you only have to worry about keeping them isolated at home rather than how the he’ll you’re going to get them to a test centre.

I might be a bit thick here but why are there no plans to sort out new spaces NOW like village hall, or more lesson planning to make use of outdoor space where possible, so that social distancing can occur easier in schools? Basically are schools getting any guidance on how to do this. It's a bloody nightmare. I feel like the government is totally unsupportive of how to get this to work and yes is prioritising other areas over children's education, which then obviously impacts upon families being able to work, mental health of both careers and kids etc etc.

Honeybadger
Hence my point about lobbyists and consultants and newspaper editors

the Unions presented a roadmap of what they wanted months ago
but the press have not covered it
and Williamson has been able to go to ground
leaving everybody in limbo

why are there no plans to sort out new spaces NOW like village hall, or more lesson planning to make use of outdoor space where possible, so that social distancing can occur easier in schools?
because the village halls are private businesses with their own hirers who are desperate to get back into action

outdoor space is not much use in December

🙋🏼‍♀️Not at the beach 🤣

Yes schools having postal test kits. Such an obvious but brilliant idea. Means that it’s going to get taken and not dodged and some staff could be trained in how to properly test (although I’ve done it it’s not hard), kids will be more compliant with a teacher not parent too. I had a lot of protesting first!

Test stuff is a good idea. I hope that the quick ones are here soon, no idea where they are at with it.

@800msprint

I might be a bit thick here but why are there no plans to sort out new spaces NOW like village hall, or more lesson planning to make use of outdoor space where possible, so that social distancing can occur easier in schools? Basically are schools getting any guidance on how to do this. It's a bloody nightmare. I feel like the government is totally unsupportive of how to get this to work and yes is prioritising other areas over children's education, which then obviously impacts upon families being able to work, mental health of both careers and kids etc etc.

Government have told schools.not to use other spaces. To be fair, its not really practical anyway - firstly these places aren't secure, won't have necessary facilities and would be extremely difficult to staff - you can't have just one member of staff on site for example even if you've only got one class worth's of children there. Secondly, how many of these extra spaces are there? Within walking distance of my house there are five primary schools and one secondary school (and I'm talking fifteen minute walk. If you go to a thirty minute walk there's more still). Within that same fifteen minute walk area there is one church hall and one small library. So how useful would those two additional classrooms be between five primary and one secondary schools?

The only practical way of doing it is for part time schooling and half size classes and then all students and staff to wear masks.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Sv_pS8MgQ

If anyone’s bored this makes a good case for cheap rapid tests being used now.

Yep Hear. We’re not allowed to use them yet in my community they’d be great. Village with one secondary and one primary. 3 church halls and a community centre. Each school has a different church hall within a 4minute walk.

Obviously complex issues with staffing and health and safety but they have toilets and projectors and sound systems and are managed by communities very keen to be of help and actually have at least a couple of staff with up to date enhanced dbs clearance due to running children’s church, mums and tots etc.

Actively saying we couldn’t use them didn’t make much sense for our community but it’s too late now in August

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras thanks. Didn't know that. Yes I guess some places won't have availability of extra spaces. I can see it would be nightmare to sort h and s but then this is a nightmare!
I can see it being part time schooling.
My other query is over scientific evidence. It seems that kids are less likely to be carriers. Anyone know if there is solid evidence for this because if so then you would hope opening schools would happen. Back in March we didn't know anything about the virus. We know a little more now. I guess we've not had schools open fully and so can't tell what will happen with 30 kids close together.
I'm burying head in sand till late August.