If You Could Choose Any Education Option for Sept

[IDSNeighbour]

I'm getting so confused by what parents actually want to happen with schools right now (I'm not a parent, I'm a teacher). I want to know what home opinions my classes are going to be coming in from in Sept - whether they're likely to be nervous or confident, whether they will want to SD or not, etc.

I know parents aren't one hive mind but the 'loudest voice' seems to keep changing its mind. Or I hear different ones, idk.

I'm sure there used to be a board for polls and surveys but, if I wasn't imagining, I can't find it.

So, if you're up for an unscientific straw poll to help me gauge general feeling, can you post A, B, C, D or E in the thread (you can explain if you like, I don't mind!)
A - I want full time schooling as close to the old normal as is allowed
B - I want full time schooling but with safety measures such as social distancing and masks for all who can and are old enough.
C - I want blended learning (half in the classroom and half online)
D - I want to keep my child at home all the time, home school them and not be penalised (ie, I want my place back when I think it's safe)
E - I think schools should remain closed for most children for now.

@askmehowiknow
Teachers will be infected in line with community rates.

Will be? Do you know something that the scientific community don't? What about those community rates though: do you know whether they are going to rise as a result of further opening?

Is there any evidence this isn't the case?

But current community infection rates are the infection rates with social distancing and additional preventative measures (such as mask wearing etc) in place.

Are you saying that teachers will be infected at that same rate despite not having the measures in place?

Or will teachers be infected at the rate predicted in the community if all SD and other measures were dropped? And if so is that ok?

@Iamnotthe1 I don't think anyone knows what will happen to community rates sadly. I'm probably not the best person to ask though! If you do want my opinion I predict there will be a slight rise as lockdown eases

C for now. B from next Spring once we have sufficient data and have gone through a winter. Individually as a family we’re going to have to stick to D though as DS1 has rare genetic condition with multiple underlying conditions.

That high risk settings don’t increase transmission?

We know that indoor, poorly ventilated settings in close proximity to others increase transmission.

Do you think that they don’t?

How have you not spotted that news?

@noblegiraffe

That high risk settings don’t increase transmission?

We know that indoor, poorly ventilated settings in close proximity to others increase transmission.

Do you think that they don’t?

How have you not spotted that news?

Just look up other poorly ventilated work places I guess

@askmehowiknow

Is there any evidence this isn't the case?

Are you now asking for evidence to prove a negative? You are aware that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, yes?

On a related matter, have you reviewed the evidence I provided you with regarding your mistaken beliefs around the transmission from asymptomatic infections? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I read threads like this and it makes me realise that, fortunately, so many people have no idea how scary it is to have a child who is one of the, "...but they had underlying health conditions".

That for us the reality of filling out hospital passports, having an emergency hospital case packed, our young teenagers knowing the drill for ambulance waits for their sibling, the panic of having sat with Drs scratching their heads and googling your child's condition in front of you because they can't understand what a scan shows, or why sats aren't coming up, of having to battle with school to get the correct support and take medical issues seriously....this is a constant...and now there is this fucking virus, a new unknown fear.

I want schools to go back, I would love ds to go back, but I am really scared for him and I cannot believe we are being told that if we feel it's not safe enough, we will be fined.

Just look up other poorly ventilated work places I guess

Do you disagree with SAGE in designating them high risk and advising mitigation measures?

[quote askmehowiknow]@Iamnotthe1 I don't think anyone knows what will happen to community rates sadly. I'm probably not the best person to ask though! If you do want my opinion I predict there will be a slight rise as lockdown eases [/quote]
No, you're exactly the best person to ask because you are the person claiming that there's minimal risk and that it'll all be fine. I can only assume that perspectives comes from you having information that I don't have access to.

@noblegiraffe

Just look up other poorly ventilated work places I guess

Do you disagree with SAGE in designating them high risk and advising mitigation measures?

I agree with PHE advice based on SAGE. Don't you?

@Iamnotthe1 we have increasing amounts of epidemiological data as millions are infected. Obviously interpretation of these data will vary. However it's better than nothing

How can two pupils infect 7 teachers

Core subjects
English, Maths, science.
1 English teacher
1 Maths Teacher
3 science teachers

Non core subjects (Take your pick) Four options on average,
Art
DT
MFL
History
Geography
Music
Drama
PE
Other options are available.

Buy my reckoning (with no shared classes)

If the two pupils took exactly the same subjects, in exactly the same sets they could infect 9 teachers.

If they had completely different subjects and different sets
18 teachers.

So in KS4 where teenagers spread the virus at the same rate as adults, 2 teenagers could infect anywhere from 9 to 18 teachers.

This is of course under the current plan of no SD, no masks, no extra sinks or washing facilities, classrooms that are too small for the classes and year group sized bubbles with teacher 'outside' the bubbles.

[quote askmehowiknow]@Iamnotthe1 we have increasing amounts of epidemiological data as millions are infected. Obviously interpretation of these data will vary. However it's better than nothing [/quote]
Excellent - so which interpretation of this data shows that a full reopening with little to no protective measures is safe and in the best interests of the whole child?

@askmehowiknow why do you seem to go round in circles with your arguments, do you just like winding people up?

Schools are in the main poorly ventilated workplaces therefore are high risk

@Bupkis - please talk with your Head. I think you will find that many, many heads understand your fears and will be as supportive as they can be. I have a type 1 diabetic child - no where near the situation you are describing but nonetheless frightening as a parent - and have had a ‘what if’ conversation. It was a positive thing to do and I feel they will be supportive if it comes to it. Most of us are parents too and we care about the children. None of us want to see a child get sick because of a rigid application of rules. Just keep your school informed.

B

Or C

I agree with PHE advice based on SAGE. Don't you?

I agree with the science (not just from SAGE, but the government agrees with SAGE on this when it applies to other workplaces) that says that poorly ventilated indoor situations in close proximity to others increases the risk of transmission (globally acknowledged).

Anybody that seeks to deny this is the case in schools is raising a lot of entirely reasonable questions that have not been answered.

Can you answer them? Not so far. You bring up A-levels instead.

The number of posters I have seen on many school threads recently saying "if you don't like it deregister your child". Do they realise that a number of children that will be taken out of school are the vulnerable ones, the ones that those posters have probably been shouting about for months that everyone needs to be considering and need to be in school.

Will those posters care about those vulnerable children once schools are open, will they be out of sight and out of mind, as long as we have option A which is best for their own child?

Thanks @Enoughnowstop, unfortunately we have spoken to the school already, and the head has said without a letter from a medical professional, we would be fined.

@bupkis I am sorry to hear that. You would hope for more flexibility. Go with your instinct as to what is best. You might be able to play the professionals off against each other - send ahead an email asking him to confirm the circumstances in which a fine would be issued. Show response to your consultant and ask for advice? They might do a letter for you if they realise that the school is being inflexible?

• the head not ahead!

[quote Enoughnowstop]@bupkis I am sorry to hear that. You would hope for more flexibility. Go with your instinct as to what is best. You might be able to play the professionals off against each other - send ahead an email asking him to confirm the circumstances in which a fine would be issued. Show response to your consultant and ask for advice? They might do a letter for you if they realise that the school is being inflexible?[/quote]
In most cases, it's the authority that fines, not the school itself. The school just applies whatever it has been told to apply. It may be worth speaking with them instead.

A definitely. If it’s C,D or E I’m going to have to give up work. I think B will be bad for their mental health