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

I'd be so proud of him if he were my kid.

This week I took ds to the opticians. Mask on, I wasn't allowed in with him, theycleaned theentire room afterwards. Glasses will be delayed.

I also took for the first brace impression. Delayed since March. Again, only him and the dentist, dental nurse. We waited outside while they cleaned the room. Actual fitting will be delayed.

Took dog to the vets for vaccination. (Have tocram it all in as i won't have time once at school). I waited outside, dog went in alone.

Back to a class 32 tomorrow. 2 to each desk. No room to pass each other without brushing past another desk. Makes no sense at all. None.

That girl on the front row covering her mouth. You can tell she thinks he's a twat and she's either really embarrassed or trying not to laugh at him. The glazed look on all their faces is not a sign of respect.

Thank you @Piggywaspushed

@Spiderseason

Re :hand sanitiser.

Covid doesn't emit from hands. It lives in the throat and is an air Bourne respitory illness.

Yes quite. Whilst hand washing is of course important, it doesn't help if you're not distancing.

I am a TA. The windows in my classroom haven't opened in years. There is no sink. We don't have enough toilets as numbers of pupils have increased. We will be in prolonged contact in enclosed poorly ventilated spaces with no PPE.
The children will be fine but the adults in school are at risk. The virus will spread amongst the children who will take it home and it will spread through the community. Older people and those with health conditions will be at particular risk. Infection rates will increase followed by hospital admissions then deaths.
This winter there will be a second wave and a horrible death toll.
Worst case scenario of 85,000 deaths this winter according to leaked government report.

Whilst I don't wish to re-start the pile-on there was a few weeks back about loo-cleaning, the fact that hundreds of students will be sharing a very limited number of toilets with little to no cleaning other than at 4pm, is going to be a real factor in illness this coming term.

Yes, is there any reason you cannot get the windows opened? Eg I have tools at home I could easily bring in to a work place to get a window opening again.

@Xenia

Yes, is there any reason you cannot get the windows opened? Eg I have tools at home I could easily bring in to a work place to get a window opening again.

I a lot of older school buildings, the window is simply a plate of glass in the wall. No catches, no frame. Just a glass wall.

[quote NotDonna]@lucylocketspockets huge apologies! I’ve no idea what happened with quote there. I was trying to agree with you.[/quote]
@NotDonna thanks, I thought you were but MN is a strange place right now.

Many windows are painted shut. If you came with tools to try and open some of the windows in some of the local schools to me, they would probably fall out, they are so rotten. They will be relying on the draughts for ventilation.

Many windows have restrictors on them so children can’t climb out of them.

Some classrooms don’t even have windows, they are not much better than a cupboard.

My classroom has no windows.

@Xenia

Yes, is there any reason you cannot get the windows opened? Eg I have tools at home I could easily bring in to a work place to get a window opening again.

I believe in one poster's case they have been painted shut because they can't be maintained. Could you also dig deep and replace the whole window and frame please?

In my room they can be opened a few inches (I'm on an upper floor) but we can't have the door open because there's another teaching space directly outside, so we'll just have airborne particles swirling around the room I suppose. It's going to be interesting when it's windy because the gusts take the blinds off their rails but without the blinds the kids can't see the board because of the glare. But I know, I'm just looking for problems instead of trying to solve them

@Xenia

Yes, is there any reason you cannot get the windows opened? Eg I have tools at home I could easily bring in to a work place to get a window opening again.

They aren’t opening windows in my school-they are like a large wall of small window panes.

Worst case scenario of 85000 deaths this winter according to the leaked government report
And yet the point of the thread was about how the government lie yet you choose to believe other things
Talk of certain death =must be true
Talk of safety = has to be a lie

Oh and many classrooms won’t be able to have external doors open to help with ventilation due to the sites not being secure.

Funnily enough the politicians don’t seem to have their press calls in schools like these.

@Uhoh2020

Worst case scenario of 85000 deaths this winter according to the leaked government report And yet the point of the thread was about how the government lie yet you choose to believe other things Talk of certain death =must be true Talk of safety = has to be a lie

So you believe that schools are safe and there will be a worst case scenario of 85,000 deaths.

@Uhoh2020

Worst case scenario of 85000 deaths this winter according to the leaked government report And yet the point of the thread was about how the government lie yet you choose to believe other things Talk of certain death =must be true Talk of safety = has to be a lie

It was leaked, the government don't want it discussed.

[quote bumblingalonghappily]@NotDonna we won't be able to see your chid's work, full stop. It's not just a matter of being two meters away- I'll literally be standing in a taped off rectangle at the front of the room that I can't leave and the students can't enter. [/quote]
You'll be looking at the books after the lesson though? You could always have a system where a pupil with a query puts their hand up, takes their work to a table near the front and then you look at it when they have gone back to their seat? PITA but better than nothing?

There’s a good post by BCF on the graphs thread on the worst case report.

Every government has to look into it and plan, I feel more reassured they have, but also by the reiteration that schools open are still the priority. Other restrictions first.

Many schools are operating 72 hour quarantine period for school books/marking

You could always have a system where a pupil with a query puts their hand up, takes their work to a table near the front and then you look at it when they have gone back to their seat?

Well no, because they have to seated in the classroom unless they have a medical need to go to the toilet. This could mean any number of them moving about multiple times.

so you believe that schools are safe and there will be worst case scenario 85000 deaths
I dont believe either of those things personally but people have been drawn into the covid hysteria and lapped it up which has only come from the government and media, believing certain death belies them as soon as they step foot out the front door. The government have lied about stuff ,and the media creating panic all the way through yet people don't question it and only choose to believe they are being lied to when it doesn't suit the hysteria. Not giving a thought that maybe just possibly its been over exaggerated and hyped up all along.

So you don't believe schools are safe. I'm struggling to establish where you stand.

You'll be looking at the books after the lesson though? You could always have a system where a pupil with a query puts their hand up, takes their work to a table near the front and then you look at it when they have gone back to their seat? PITA but better than nothing?
I'm not allowed to touch their books for 72 hours. Once I've touched them, they can't have them back for 72 hours.
In normal times, we don't tend to let them move around much. I would normally go and stand or sit with a child if needs be, but I'm not allowed out of my "zone" at the front.
Every teacher instinct I have tells me this isn't teaching, but if I break what's set out in the RA, and someone is infected and traced back to me, that could well be my career ended.

@SaltyAndFresh

You could always have a system where a pupil with a query puts their hand up, takes their work to a table near the front and then you look at it when they have gone back to their seat?

Well no, because they have to seated in the classroom unless they have a medical need to go to the toilet. This could mean any number of them moving about multiple times.

Oh well. I am wondering whether to just tell my teens to stay at home, is there really any point in them going?