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

@MilktheMilk

"Resign then, if you don't like your working conditions."

"Deregister and homeschool if you're so fearful of the virus."

I see flippant comments like these constantly on threads to do with schools and it's so frustrating because firstly it's a complete non-argument designed to shut down any discussion or acknowledge other people's concerns.

But secondly, I wonder if the people who think it's as simple as just resigning or just deregistering have ever extended their thinking beyond this basic argument and thought about how that will actually impact their OWN child. If teachers resign then who is going to replace them? The fact is that teachers in general are hard to replace as there is both a recruitment and retainment crisis. Add into the mix those who are maths specialists, for example, and it makes the chances of them being replaced even harder still. So "just resign" is utterly pointless if you actually care about your child getting a decent education. Less teachers means even bigger classes, non-specialists potentially teaching specialist subjects and limited subjects available for those in secondary.

If all the parents with concerns about the virus just deregister their children and homeschool then how do you think that is going to impact on the school budget? Do you think schools will be able to afford more staff? Nope. Can they afford to keep support staff? Nope. Will they be able to afford day to day resources, like pencils, paper, Pritt sticks etc? Nope. Will they be able to fund swimming lessons or experience days? Nope. Can they afford decent technology or to replace broken laptops or tablets? Nope. The list goes on.

If you can't put yourself into someone's else's shoes without giving a dismissive response in return then look at it from your own child's point of view and how teachers resigning and schools losing per pupil funding will impact your own child and then tell me losing teachers and children in schools is a good idea.

Great post milk and so true.

@CallmeAngelina Yes but they don't choose the contributors who make it to air. Governments have always made speakers avialble on various subjects but media companies don't necessarily use them. This is no different to normal.

@noblegiraffe

You start so many threads about this. What's your dog in this fight? Are you a teacher or a political activist or just really concerned about the government's position on schools?

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-fails-to-meet-target-of-delivering-230k-laptops-by-end-of-june/

Look like it wasn't just our local MAT that didn't get all the laptops requested either. And weren't they all meant to be delivered by the end of June, so they didn't meet that target either

This is no different to normal.

Branwen Jeffreys of the BBC suggests that it is different to normal, and that it shows that the government is particularly anxious to get their experts on and not other experts.

my daughter will be in a bubble of 500 16/17 year olds and my son a bubble of 250 kids in y10.
may daughter also needs to use the train to get there

You start so many threads about this. What's your dog in this fight? Are you a teacher or a political activist or just really concerned about the government's position on schools?

How can you have read my threads and yet not know I'm a teacher?

@Clavinova

itsgettingweird can you explain why our local MAT only received 20% of the laptops they requested under the Government scheme?

The laptop/devices scheme was very ambitious.
From the tables;

Devices (laptops and tablets) delivered or
dispatched to LAs or trusts (as of 30th June)
202,212

4G wireless routers delivered or dispatched to
LAs or trusts (as of 30th June)
47,416

A new low for you clav when your quoting from posters links!

And of 26/8 there was C220 dispatched.

So like I said - C18,000 pupils without laptops until end of summer holidays.

Who knows how many more are required?

@noblegiraffe I am in total agreement with you.

My last shred of faith in politicians died in the expenses scandal a few years ago. Since then the situation has deteriorated until we have reached a point where they can feed us any lie and demand we believe it. Our situation as a populace is desperate. Teachers and pupils are the guinea-pigs in a mass experiment that had a fair chance of leading to disaster.

The government are a lying bunch of charlatans, all they care about is the economy. They want the kids in school and everyone back in work for financial reasons only. It will result in spikes which the government will blame the schools for. Just like they did with the care homes. Today's slogan is that employees need to go back to offices or lose their jobs. This is propaganda, and being pushed because Tory party donors don't want to see the value of their commercial city centre property fall through the floor.

@noblegiraffe

This is no different to normal.

Branwen Jeffreys of the BBC suggests that it is different to normal, and that it shows that the government is particularly anxious to get their experts on and not other experts.

I think ^THIS is the important point.

They are changing tact. Why do that if it's business as normal?

media companies don't necessarily use them

Which is why I also asked in my OP why the media seem to be going along with the government and dutifully putting socially distanced photos alongside all their school puff pieces?

I mean, I know the Times and the Telegraph have been basically acting as government mouthpieces throughout this crisis, leaking whatever the government asks them to, but it's not just them that are at it.

@noblegiraffe Perhaps. I'm in Scotland where it might be different. Wesminster media may be run differently.

The government are a lying bunch of charlatans, all they care about is the economy. They want the kids in school and everyone back in work for financial reasons only.

The economy in deep depression helps no one, least if all the bottom tier. Huge unemployment will hit the those with the least most. If you are very wealthy there are ways to come out on top as always.

I’d have thought the penny would have dropped about the real effect of a bombing economy by now given the news.

@MarshaBradyo

The government are a lying bunch of charlatans, all they care about is the economy. They want the kids in school and everyone back in work for financial reasons only.

The economy in deep depression helps no one, least if all the bottom tier. Huge unemployment will hit the those with the least most. If you are very wealthy there are ways to come out on top as always.

I’d have thought the penny would have dropped about the real effect of a bombing economy by now given the news.

I have to agree, which is why I can’t get on board with the staggered starts and part time learning some are urging.

It might feel different if you are public sector but businesses collapsing will hit public funds too.

Children don't die of CV19 and teachers tend not to catch it from them either

Erm....yes, an albeit very small number have died and teachers can catch it from students. Fucking hell. How hard is it?

Here's a head of a private school (therefore able to speak more freely than a state school head)

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/leading-london-headteacher-attacks-dizzying-ministerial-advice-on-masks/ar-BB18sBAw?ocid=spartanntp_edu

"A headteacher at a top London secondary school has ordered students to wear masks in classrooms after losing confidence in the Government’s “dizzying” guidance.

Face coverings will be compulsory during lessons and in corridors and other communal areas at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith when pupils return on Thursday.

Headmaster David Goodhew said he had “taken matters into his own hands”, saying teachers were “world weary” because of how often the advice had changed.

He said new guidelines have been issued at anti-social hours on Sunday nights and on bank holidays, advice has been contradictory and some of it has not made sense.

“When it comes to this decision about safety, we had to take matters into our own hands. We have lost confidence in the quality of the guidance we are getting,” Mr Goodhew said.

“I would rather be too stringent and give people enhanced protection than be too libertarian and end up with the worst excess deaths in the world. I would rather be New Zealand than America,” he said.

Discussing government advice to schools, he added: “Who knows if it will have changed? How can you have confidence if you don’t know — it’s dizzying.”
....
"He added that there are “all these instances of stuff being pumped out that anyone in the profession knew wasn’t going to make sense. Later on the Department for Education would bow to the inevitable.”"

Its is amusing that so many posters on here talk about how this group of people promoted Brexit.

Yet they are blind to them pulling the same tactic again.

I suppose it must be because it re-enforces what they want.

@noblegiraffe because I tend to click on them, sigh at the repetitive nature, and click off again. That sounds a lot more rude than I mean it to - it's not you it's the subject.

@FrippEnos

Its is amusing that so many posters on here talk about how this group of people promoted Brexit.

Yet they are blind to them pulling the same tactic again.

I suppose it must be because it re-enforces what they want.

I don’t think anyone wants this, but again, what can we do? Close schools for years?

@MarshaBradyo

The government are a lying bunch of charlatans, all they care about is the economy. They want the kids in school and everyone back in work for financial reasons only.

The economy in deep depression helps no one, least if all the bottom tier. Huge unemployment will hit the those with the least most. If you are very wealthy there are ways to come out on top as always.

I’d have thought the penny would have dropped about the real effect of a bombing economy by now given the news.

I absolutely agree with this. We need the economy on track to pay for schools, teachers, the NHS, everything. Kids have to go back sometime. Things seem to be working out alright over the border. It's going to be a case of try it and make tweaks if the policy isn't working out.

Enough, I thought yesterday doctors announced the 6 children in the UK who died of it were seriously ill with other things ergo no child has really died of it. Obviously can choose to withdraw a child from school and start home education. our Queen never went to school even and unlike Germany it is not illegal in the UK to have home education.

However it is very important for children to get back to school where the parents are happy that they do.It is not some grand conspiracy to want them in school so they can become the politics of the state or their teachers. It is just better for the children and the nation if children are back in school.

In my view the government has been pushed around by scientists and taken wrong decisions because they are far too cautious and that has caused more harm than good.

Close schools for years?

Why is it that the government have presented this as a binary choice, schools re-opening with no mitigation measures or schools staying closed (the narrative from their supposed wars with the unions) and people are lapping it up?

our Queen never went to school even

Yes, and that means it's perfectly possible for Josh to not go to school with no ill effects.

They really are rolling out all the best arguments this morning aren't they?