The government is trying to make you think schools will be socially distanced

[noblegiraffe]

The government are currently running a (well publicised) propaganda campaign to say that schools are safe. They are using social media influencers, journalists and friendly scientists (firmly ignoring any unfriendly ones like the Royal Society). Branwen Jefferys of the BBC tweeted “So how high is government anxiety about school return? A PR company acting on behalf of the Cabinet office is now emailing media offering experts to support the “messaging”. Strange way to approach news journalists ..”

And just about every news outlet running stories about schools seems to be rotating stock footage of half empty classrooms with teachers miles away from the kids. There have even been photos of kids getting temperature checks (not allowed). I was watching Sky news where a commentator was saying how awful it was that kids would be sent back to socially distanced schools. The PM gave a rambling speech to carefully spaced kids in a library. And in a visit to a classroom it’s clear that the kids were all shoved down one end in order to give some lovely spaced kids at the other end for the PM to pose in front of.
metro.co.uk/2020/08/27/boris-johnson-staged-school-visit-social-distancing-13188600/

Matt Hancock was on the news saying it was really important for teachers to stay 2m from the kids to avoid spreading the virus between all the bubbles they’ll be working in, despite knowing that this will be utterly and hopelessly impossible.

Why are the government lying? Why are they sending the ‘right’ experts to the press? Why are kids being spread out for staged photo shoots instead of honest pictures?

And why are the press largely going along with it?

Schools are going back, in a lot of cases to an estate that is unfit for purpose. Old buildings, no ventilation, large class sizes. Pupils will be crammed in facing a teacher who won’t be able to stand 2m from them. If it’s so safe, why aren’t they showing and acknowledging the reality?

YABU: what they are doing is fine and there are perfectly reasonable explanations for all the suggestions of socially distanced classrooms and schools in the media

YANBU: the lying liars are lying to us again

@noblegiraffe

No one is forcing you to send your kids in to school

Fines for non-attendance say otherwise.

Yeah I noticed you cut off the rest of the sentence to suit your post.

Dereg - no fines.

See this is what happens when something gets oved form AIBU to the Coronavirus board. there are whole swathes of people who won't come to this board because it is even worse than AIBU.

I am sure that wasn't MNHQ's intentions. This board, after all, is meant to be in health.

But the level of nastiness and viciousness is beyond most of what I see on AIBU.

moved obviously.

Interesting that posters who are all handwringing about how kids need to be in school are so quick to suggest that taking them out of school is just fine.

@noblegiraffe

Interesting that posters who are all handwringing about how kids need to be in school are so quick to suggest that taking them out of school is just fine.

Actually what I think is paramount is that all dc have access to ft education in school. Which obviously hasn’t been the case.

But everyone should decide on their own circumstances.

Yeah, but noble, they do of course mean other people's children.
In the same way that people who want stricter discipline in schools actually mean for other kids, not theirs.

I agree @Piggywaspushed it's as though some hover around the coronavirus board waiting for anyone feeling vulnerable or worried so they can give them a good verbal kicking. Must get a cheap thrill or something. It's all very sad. Some are worse than others and very often the usual suspects.

I think, Callme they only think of whatever will suit their argument at any given time rather than have a coherent position on the education of children.

I think that if it’s important for kids to be in school then that should include the clinically vulnerable ones.

Can I ask a question from teachers that have read their risk assessment - if a teacher has symptoms Im assuming the bubble is shut down straight away - teacher goes for a test on the Monday and gets the result on the Weds saying negative but still has symptoms - do they come back to work if the test is negative? Or is it after symptoms have gone? If negative test but still off sick could another staff member cover their bubble?

I couldn't answer about the bubbles as we really don't have them in secondary! But I don't think you are right about it shutting down.

On your second point, no, no one must return while they have symptoms. Not just because it might be coronavirus. No one wants flu or a cold or other virus either.

This isn't school RA by the way, this is in the government guidelines and applies to any workplace/setting.

As a secondary teacher I’m not part of a bubble to allow for teaching across all year groups. As I’m going to be supposedly 2m apart from students (ha!) there is no need for the bubbles to isolate. If they did they would have to close down all the school except for Yr 12 (the only year group I won’t be teaching).

@palacegirl77

Can I ask a question from teachers that have read their risk assessment - if a teacher has symptoms Im assuming the bubble is shut down straight away - teacher goes for a test on the Monday and gets the result on the Weds saying negative but still has symptoms - do they come back to work if the test is negative? Or is it after symptoms have gone? If negative test but still off sick could another staff member cover their bubble?

Nobody knows because the gov have not issued guidance. If there are 2 or more actual positives in a "bubble" then the school are to talk to PHE.... Oh, wait a minute, what PHE?!

@noblegiraffe

Interesting that posters who are all handwringing about how kids need to be in school are so quick to suggest that taking them out of school is just fine.

The only handwringing on a daily basis is done by you with your daily posts. Pubs have been open weeks and we’ve only had a few small spikes dotted around the country - and yet AGAIN no rise in hospital admissions - only decreases.

47,600 pubs in the UK opened back up. say 1000 a week through the door that's nearly 300M people in 6 weeks - Where is the increase in hospital admissions or deaths? No one wears a mask in the pub!

@motherrunner

As a secondary teacher I’m not part of a bubble to allow for teaching across all year groups. As I’m going to be supposedly 2m apart from students (ha!) there is no need for the bubbles to isolate. If they did they would have to close down all the school except for Yr 12 (the only year group I won’t be teaching).

So if you had symptoms and had taught my daughter for an hour or two you would be off sick but she would still attend? Isnt that totally against the track and trace guidance?

if a teacher has symptoms Im assuming the bubble is shut down straight away

The idea seems to be that because the teacher has kept at least 2m from everyone at all times (ha!) the teacher has no contacts at school so no one else needs to isolate.

@WhyNotMe40 Thats outrageous! How can there be no guidance on this? I can see why people are very fearful it will spread through the community on this basis!

Oh, By, I upped my thread posting when you cried on the last one.

@palacegirl77 Track and trace want you to list people who you have ‘close contact’ with. As we are supposed to stay 2m apart from students they will not be counted as a ‘close contact’ so yes if I test positive no-one who I teach will isolate.

[quote palacegirl77]@WhyNotMe40 Thats outrageous! How can there be no guidance on this? I can see why people are very fearful it will spread through the community on this basis![/quote]
Indeed. How can there be no guidance on this.

It’s like if they had to think about it clearly, they’d go ‘oh fuck’.

Matt Hancock nearly got there when he said that ‘certain teachers’ really needed to stay 2m away from the kids.

We have basically been told to pin ourselves against walls to stay away from the children. So, in effect, no one believes we will develop symptoms, unless we go for a causal, cheeky coffee (excuse sarcasm not aimed at you)

So, we wouldn't be near enough to your daughter tor T and T. This doesn't follow a fair amount of the science but there you have it.

So, a cover teacher will be used, bringing another person into the bubble.

teachers will become instructors from the front, which really hasn't been the case since the 80s.

@HipTightOnions

if a teacher has symptoms Im assuming the bubble is shut down straight away

The idea seems to be that because the teacher has kept at least 2m from everyone at all times (ha!) the teacher has no contacts at school so no one else needs to isolate.

Right I see - and the logic there is if there is no SD between kids and one tests positive is that they "are unlikely" to transmit it to the other kids (and the teacher has been far enough away?)

I don't type fast enough!

@HumousWhereTheHeartIs

The government don't choose the experts who appear on the news. Showing pictures of kids getting temperature checks is allowed.

The picture might be allowed but it is false and not stated in the Governments guidance.

@palacegirl77 I think the theory is as long as your daughter had not been within 2m of the teacher for more than 15 minutes then your daughter would still be able to attend, only those treated as contacts ie within 2m for more than 15 minutes would have to self isolate. That is why teachers are meant to stay in their 2m safe zone at the front of the class. The problem is that many classrooms don't have sufficient space for the 2m safe zone, so practically the pupils who sit in the front row would probably have to self isolate.

If there is a second positive result then PHE or ? will get involved and the decision made whether the 'bubble' or whatever the school equivalent is will have to all self isolate or indeed the whole school.