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Original poster

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

999 replies

noblegiraffe · 28/08/2020 08:58

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

OP posts:
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Uhoh2020 · 30/08/2020 11:56

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bumblingalonghappily · 30/08/2020 11:58

@steakhousesally sadly not- we aren't allowed to touch their books for 2 days afterwards. Meaning marking isn't realistic either in most cases I'm afraid.

Uhoh2020 · 30/08/2020 11:59

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SaltyAndFresh · 30/08/2020 12:00

But at the same time I don't liken school classrooms to the gas Chambers in Auschwitz like they are portrayed on here.

What an appalling analogy. No-one is suggesting any such thing; I'm astonished you would think to to do so.

steakhousesally · 30/08/2020 12:01

[quote bumblingalonghappily]@steakhousesally sadly not- we aren't allowed to touch their books for 2 days afterwards. Meaning marking isn't realistic either in most cases I'm afraid. [/quote]
So what benefit is there in teenagers actually being in school instead of taught remotely? The teachers are what they need but they can get that from home anyway.

SaltyAndFresh · 30/08/2020 12:03

[quote Uhoh2020]@salty its like a little obsession you've got going on with classrooms I wonder how you filled your time pre covid and god forbid what you will obsess over when all this is over. You love the drama of it all dont you[/quote]
Think what you like. All I want is some consideration for my health and safety and not to be treated like scum on Mumsnet by someone who wants to liken my concerns to the Holocaust.

MrsHamlet · 30/08/2020 12:04

@steakhousesally the issue is that the media is portraying social distancing as being the norm in schools as part of the "back to school and back to work as normal" rhetoric and many many people are buying into it. Maybe because they believe it, and maybe because they want to believe it, but it's being bought into.
The reality is going to be very different and really not like school as we've known it. I've never not been able to shift kids around in a lesson to have a group come and work through something with me, or help a teen who is stuck but absolutely won't put up his hand and say so in front of everyone. In normal times, I would mark every book of every child between their first and second lessons in week one because that sets out very clearly my expectations for the year and allows me to know a bit about them. But I can't.
I want to be back in school but I am concerned that many parents don't know what it's going to be like.

Xenia · 30/08/2020 12:06

I thinkn we should just let schools return entirely as normal and that we all then just take the health risk for the greater good. I was not in favour of lock down from day 1 and support the Swedish solution.

MrsHamlet · 30/08/2020 12:06

So what benefit is there in teenagers actually being in school instead of taught remotely? The teachers are what they need but they can get that from home anyway.
Lack of access to tech aside, not much. I could see every students' work as they were doing it because we used OneNote. I don't have a telescope to see the back of the room.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 30/08/2020 12:07

The Swedish solution wasn’t schools as normal, Xenia

OP posts:
Original poster
noblegiraffe · 30/08/2020 12:09

So what benefit is there in teenagers actually being in school instead of taught remotely?

Teenager has the work presented to them and can’t leave the room. Unlike at home, no Snapchat or FIFA to distract.

No idea about sanctions for non-completion of work though.

OP posts:
SaltyAndFresh · 30/08/2020 12:11

@Xenia

I thinkn we should just let schools return entirely as normal and that we all then just take the health risk for the greater good. I was not in favour of lock down from day 1 and support the Swedish solution.
Well no, you think that school staff should take by far the greatest risk. Obviously that will have knock-on effects for wider society.
Original poster
noblegiraffe · 30/08/2020 12:12

Xenia are your kids in private school or have they all left school?

OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 30/08/2020 12:16

@MrsHamlet when my DS had ‘live’ lessons last term he was able to do group work with some of his friends and then present to the rest of the class. Another thing they won’t be able to do this term

SmileEachDay · 30/08/2020 12:16

www.tes.com/news/have-swedish-schools-really-carried-normal

Swedish schools did NOT carry on as normal!!

SmileEachDay · 30/08/2020 12:20

I would mark every book of every child between their first and second lessons in week one because that sets out very clearly my expectations for the year and allows me to know a bit about them. But I can't

Me too. I’m getting round this by having them do a specific task during lesson 1 on paper (I have fancy paper) that I can collect in and mark, leaving them with their book for the next lesson. Only with my new KS4 class and year 7 - most of the rest I know a bit anyway!
They can then stick that piece of work in their book when I return it.

steakhousesally · 30/08/2020 12:21

@noblegiraffe

So what benefit is there in teenagers actually being in school instead of taught remotely?

Teenager has the work presented to them and can’t leave the room. Unlike at home, no Snapchat or FIFA to distract.

No idea about sanctions for non-completion of work though.

My teen might as well be at home then as he did each and every piece of work set last term and has done all the summer holiday work.
mumsneedwine · 30/08/2020 12:21

All homework to be done via Teams for me. No paper involved.

Appuskidu · 30/08/2020 12:22

@Xenia

I thinkn we should just let schools return entirely as normal and that we all then just take the health risk for the greater good. I was not in favour of lock down from day 1 and support the Swedish solution.
How kind of you to decide for school staff to take the risk for you.
FrippEnos · 30/08/2020 12:22

steakhousesally

So what benefit is there in teenagers actually being in school instead of taught remotely?

Teachers will try and make the pupils do the work.

MrsHamlet · 30/08/2020 12:23

Summer holiday work? Shudder!

Appuskidu · 30/08/2020 12:25

@Uhoh2020

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.
Thank you for deleting this post, MN-it was vile.
Shinycarabina · 30/08/2020 12:51

On the government website there is a document called 'Coronavirus outbreak: what you can and can't do' that was updated on 26 August. This states: "Protective measures to reduce transmission include regular hand cleaning, hygiene and cleaning measures, and small consistent group and class sizes of no more than 15 pupils. We have asked schools to consider staggering drop-off and arrival times, break times and assemblies, and make use of outdoor space." My son's class will have 36 kids in it. I completely agree with the OP - the whole notion of social distancing in schools is a farce.

borntohula · 30/08/2020 12:58

@Uhoh2020

*Why are the government lying? Why are the press going along with it?*

Funny how people think the government are lying about how safe schools are and disgusted the press are publicising it, but believe everything else the government and media have scaremongered us with for the past 6 months Hmm

This
steakhousesally · 30/08/2020 12:59

@MrsHamlet

Summer holiday work? Shudder!
Such is life when you are in year 11. @FrippEnos thankfully mine will do the work anyway.
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