I think I agree with everything Chris Whitty said....

[sunseekin]

It’s more what he didn’t say....

He talked about the total risks. I agree the total risk of keeping children off school is higher than the total risk of sending them in.

But I am disappointed that didn’t attempt to drill down at all into individual family‘s circumstances. Ideally all children should have the option of school, but the enforcement in a pandemic, especially with no regard to these individual circumstances is unethical and something that should never be allowed to happen again. School isn’t the best or safest place for all children at the moment.

He talked about the risks being low. I think the risk to individual children is low.

Not sure that I like how he switched from talking about the total risk to individual risk without highlighting it though. Maybe it’s the editing rather than Chris that’s being misleading. After all where there is individual risk and exponential growth things could change quickly.

Furthermore it appears that he didn’t seem to add timescales with regards schools, ie for how long does he expect the risk to remain low and how quickly does he expect the risk to grow?

He talked about harsh winters and being prepared for Covid-19 to cause problems and that they would look to close shops or pubs first if (if - come on!) opening schools raised the r value.

But he didn’t talk about forward planning for this; I can only presume that knee jerk reactions make more economic sense (so long as the nhs doesn’t start to get overwhelmed).

I really like Chris but I feel like someone has cherry picked statements from what he was trying to say. I would like to see him on television and wonder why that hasn’t been the case....

I’m confused how private schools were allowed to educate children when I believe (from MN) that state schools were expressly instructed NOT to provide education

Well I'm confused because DD (Y9 in September) has said that she has had recap work plus a fair bit of new work, especially in maths. It's an academy and she's in the top maths set, I don't know if that's made a difference. They do have quite a lovely bolshi head who said early on that she will not follow government advice if it doesn't suit their school because in her opinion every setting is different with different needs. We've been kept completely up to date about the school's plans and the children have been told via email exactly what will happen on the first day and what is expected of them all from September. And she crucially says that all the staff can't wait to get back and see the kids again (she may be slightly exaggerating there...)

We've been sent the new bus pass with updated school bus instructions from the council.

I find it quite reassuring and I assumed all schools were doing this. I mean I'm sure it won't all go to plan but at least there is a sensible plan in place.

With regard to the CW interview, I thought his entire point was that nothing is risk-free at the moment BUT there was a greater risk (to the majority of children) of harm to children if they miss school than if they catch Covid. Which I think is true. But maybe I didn't see all the interview.

@Forgone90

No children are naturally scared about this virus. If they have worries it's most likely due to parents pushing their worries onto the children.

For God's sake let them be kids, they will never get this time back. I'm sure some people want them going in in hazmat suits.

Kids will not be able to concentrate and learn properly if schools have too Many strict rules to follow in regards to covid.

Yes, because wearing masks in supermarkets/public transport, having schools closed, play parks taped off, soft play, cubs, football etc is all perfectly normal and it is the parents who are pushing their worries onto their children.

not to mention intelligent secondary school children reading the accurate scientific articles on the school reading list about covid back when the pandemic was at its peak here.

Enough now stop

Education is not exactly free if you are a taxpayer.