Thread to state that you will not be playing a part in the experiment of secondary schools reopening as normal with no masks, no social distancing, no additional cleaning and no additional transport

[TheKarenWhoKnocks]

The arguments have all been hashed out many times on other threads. This thread is for parents to state that they won't be participating in this and will not be sending their young people back to secondary school as things stand. Not deregistering, just not attending. Phoning in sick, phoning in as self isolating etc but not sending them in.

I state that I am not going to send my children to secondary school under current proposals.

And yes I know how to deregister #inevitablejinxmomentcomingup night!!! 👋🏻

@Cantspeakpublic

No one will be forced to take a test by the way. If you don’t test you have to stay at home for 2 weeks. Just to let you know

I did hear that, thanks @Cantspeakpublic

Has anyone actually contacted their LEA to enquire about the position they are taking?! I have a friend who has a senior role at my local LEA and she has confirmed that they won’t be issuing fines for non-attendance in the autumn term.

For what it's worth I have already spoken to both schools my children attend and they have intimated that they will be supportive.

I don't want to lie to anyone or cause extra work for teachers, I'm willing to take the risk of fines and if it comes to that I'll de-register.

My preference would be to shadow the school learning so that my children can step back in when I feel it's safe.

What do you want, a medal?

I'm a teacher. I'd think bad of you. You gain nothing by lieing and being dishonest. You'll still be investigated except you'll be setting a poor example to your children to follow along the way as well as removing all communication possibilities down the line with the school on the issue.

Not to mention wasting lots of peoples time, along with the worry and anxiety you'll cause staff who will be worrying about your children.

Keep your child at home. As long as you educate them properly I wont think bad of it and I completely respect your decision to do so. But if you think the school won't judge you for being deceitful and dishonest you're wrong.

My preference would be to shadow the school learning so that my children can step back in when I feel it's safe.

Work for the teachers in providing you with the curriculum plans. Unless you're relying on the school having to provide blended stuff from September. (which they are according to DfE).

I see why some of you think you're doing a good thing.

Our schools haven't announced plans yet. One Head clearly anticipates a big climb down from the declared plans. As do I.

But as it stands, my lot won't be going back on day one.

Opening schools as per the plan is the wrong thing for the Covid infection level in this country, the safety of the children and the staff.

I want education. I do not want to participate in making things worse for everybody.

I already have the curriculum plans at top level, I'm doing the best that I can to minimise any extra work for teachers.

And no, I don't want a medal. I want to provide education for my children whilst keeping my family safe.

I wanted OP to know she wasn't alone with her doubts about returning to school in September.

Not sure why all the nastiness on this thread.

@tootyfruitypickle

Mumsnet HQ, please can you create a schools coronavirus section. This is getting ridiculous.

Yes, tis

You definitely can't read a room OP. Not interested in your plan. Enjoy homeschooling!

The "nastiness" comes from the people who can see the time that will be wasted by you doing this. At least be honest, don't try and fob it off as multiple isolation periods.

The teachers will have to chase up any work they set as an online offering. They'll have to evidence this to ofsted.

I don't disagree with your stance. I'm frustrated you can't legitimately "protest". But please deregister. It won't be magically safer after 6 weeks. The amount of work that this is going create is crazy.

I have already said I am being honest with my children's schools.

Since March we have been uploading school work to a Class Dojo portfolio, no chasing necessary.

From September the teacher will have to respond to the work you send. A job that takes seconds face to face. Much longer to type.

Fact is you will create extra work whether you want to or not.

Class dojo is primary, nothing like secondary. I'm sending my child to primary. Class bubble and they need the social interaction. How long do you anticipate keeping them off? The school will have to reintegrate them when you decide to return. Again more work.

My children are going back. You can ruin your children's education if you wish but please just be honest and face the consequences rather than trying to hide behind lies. It's hardly a good example to set to your children is it.

If you’re sending you’re kids fine. If you’re ok with you’re decision then there’s no need to be defensive and nasty to those who aren’t. Calling others wrong doesn’t make you right.

Because there is no wrong or right.

Ditto if you’re not sending them then that’s great too. No need to judge those who are sending kids - although I’ve seen minimal cases of this. I just wanted to say it to be balanced.

I just don’t get the nastiness from those who seem angry people they don’t know are home schooling kids temporarily. It’s concerning Behavior:

Your not you’re! I’m so tired!

I feel I have no choice but send DS back, he is in his final year. If he wasn't I would keep him home. We have home educated in the past for primary.

I don't believe it will be safe.

I'm a bit puzzled by your plan though. Will the school not require you have your child tested? because if a child tests positive then this means the children and adults they have been in contact with should self isolate. If you refuse to test this makes you look extremely socially irresponsible. Not the point you are trying to make is it?

Whilst I agree that no child should be made to be derigester in these circumstances, and loose their school place, I don't see how adding to the workload and anxiety of others can be tolerated.

The government should really be giving parents three options. Full time, supported home schooling with appropriate resources or derigester.

The government have not acted ethically. They have failed in their duty to ensure children receive an education. The reason though they can not be legally challenged is because the education act makes clear that parents are responsible for ensuring their children recieve an education. Please see section 7.

But as far as I am aware (not having read all and every amendment to it) it doesn't state

1)where this education should take place (this I do know)
2) that if that education is not in school the child must be derigestered. (???? although the act states the parent does not have a legal duty to inform anyone or request a child to be derigestered)
3) that a school place can not be part time if a child is also educated elsewhere (this I do know)
4) that a parent can not legally co-opt the services of education professionals, or schools to provide a child's education in part (this I do know)

In view of the fact that you are not legally required to derigester in order to keep your child off school, and that the government withdrew its education provision without requiring parents to wholly provide an education, I think any action such as fines is reckless on their part.

My logic is as follows. Parent has legal duty under section 7, parent contracts with statutory provision to provide education, this contract is discretionary and entered into by choice. (this fact is wilfully obscured to parents) the parent gives up the responsibility of providing the full time efficient......education to the state. The state in its dishonesty implies to all that the state has the legal duty to have to provide education. If something is "implied" and wilfully it continues to be implied so that certain facts are obscured to one side then we have all kinds of interesting questions!!!

But you will get visits and letters, you will be wasting a lot of time. But even that is ridiculous.....no one sent SS round during lockdown to every child not in school, no one gave a fig then about those children's welfare. So you know it's about state control not welfare or education.

I'm sending mine in, even though I have grave concerns about the private school buses that go to my child's school- they aren't putting on extra or doing anything whatsoever to make things safer, except insist on masks in an unsupervised bus whilst the driver is driving!

That said, those threatening EWO and SS are barking up the wrong tree, they won't have the time or the energy to follow up this stuff, there will be heaps of kids that don't come back. It isn't normal times, and it won't be possible for those services, especially as they will also be affected by Covid/absences, to start chasing everyone around. The option for school will be there, some will not take it.

Thank you @Diplidally .

I really wish the government had put time and effort into coming up with and funding imaginative solutions instead of blindly and stubbornly insisting all kids go back full times or there are fines.

They could have invested in so many things that help many different plans:

Outdoor temporary buildings to help with distancing on site or local parks

Using other public buildings for the above

Bolstering the oak academy and maybe even combining with bbc bitesize to provide tv content for those without laptops For those who want to homeschool

Providing laptops and tablets etc for the same

Financial support for parents or their employers if children go back Part time to allow social distancing

Invest in more hand washing facilities such outdoor wash stations

There are so many things they could have considered.

But no they just said carry on as normal. It’s woeful and slack. They couldn’t even offer the money for some hand gel.

I still haven’t decided what I’ll do and I support everyone’s decision. But surely we can all see that this is a shambles. That they could have done more. They didn’t even try, they just come up with slogans and deadlines.

I think they'll have to eventually @Diplidally. It's just a shame we always have to learn the hard way with our - apparently unable to predict the logical consequences of their actions - government.

It's like in January and February when other governments were stocking up on PPE and test reagents and ours did nothing and just kind of hoped they'd get away with it with some kind of dumb luck.

That said, those threatening EWO and SS are barking up the wrong tree, they won't have the time or the energy to follow up this stuff, there will be heaps of kids that don't come back

That's precisely the point. We don't know who is continuing with home education and who isn't. We don't know who is genuinely isolating and who is lying because they've left a bruise on their child. So every student will have to be checked and investigated. This takes up precious time and money. While still on roll, the school are responsible for educating your child.

Fwiw we're expecting 92% return based on parent surveys.

Your statement has been duly noted.
Won't change a fucking though.

thing