Surely they can’t keep schools open as normal if cases keep going up like today!

[Worriedmum999]

My daughter went back to school last Thursday. She really needed to go as lockdown played havoc with her mental health. She was fine doing her academic work but she is someone who needs the social side of school.

We are a vulnerable family and, with this shitshower of a government, I had no faith that cases wouldn’t rise and I wouldn’t be forced to take her out of school again. But I cannot believe that she has been back 2 days and the jump in cases has been so huge. I honestly expected us to be able to get to half term. Of course deaths are going to rise now. Why wouldn’t we follow the pattern of the other European countries. Add to that the fact that people can’t get tested now and we’re fucked. And I’m so fucking angry and upset about the damage that this is doing.

What are the government going to do? Surely it will be impossible to expect parents to keep sending their children to schools when the death toll is huge again and the ICUs are full.

monkeytennis97 is working in circumstances that would be illegal anywhere else - groups of more than 30 people from 30 different households in confined spaces with no mitigation.

It is absolutely not unreasonable to ask for some protection. A little empathy would not go amiss.

They're not though... Not many workplaces are mandating masks all day you know?

And that’s because SD can be maintained. In situations where SC can’t be maintained masks and indeed more substantial PPE is recommended.

I’m not sure why you’re being so willfully blind about this.

Can teachers not wear visors?
I work in a restaurant serving hundreds of people a day. I wear a visor.
I get that teachers are anxious but its the same thing again as if they are being asked to do anything millions of others haven't been doing or aren't doing now.
I very much doubt a primary school teacher is at any more risk than me or my colleagues.

Thank you @TheKeatingFive and @HipTightOnions

monkey

Lesson changeover, lunch and break are carnage in secondary schools

SD tricky to enforce. Staff out en mass encouraging masks in corridors, overseeing handwashing/hand gel.

Parents complaining it is not normal. Parents complaining that we are not doing enough in terms of covid prevention.

Not sure how much planning, teaching and assessment is going on. Blended learning is the way ahead.

Visors are pretty ineffective against an airborne virus though You need to wear them in conjunction with a mask.

www.thelocal.ch/20200715/only-those-with-plastic-visors-were-infected-swiss-government-warns-against-face-shields?_gl=11sskz4f_ga*Z1ZWN1paRmhJSHdMWHF3Z3NXRVNXSVRlRkRJTkhOU1pKNXl3bGlvMHM4cFpvaEt1Rk8tVHJVYjROdWUzY2htNg..

Every time I hear someone arguing against masks, I think of . (It's very funny, short and spot on).

If blended learning is the way ahead, have schools been preparing for this?

Not sure how much planning, teaching and assessment is going on. Blended learning is the way ahead.

Good point. I was able to give much more targeted input/feedback when teaching remotely. I can’t even look at their work now.

@Pomegranatepompom

If blended learning is the way ahead, have schools been preparing for this?

Yes. This was mandated in the latest government guidance. Not all schools will be able to provide the same quality, but of course that’s the case with “normal“ teaching.

Blended learning for both Primary and Secondary children?

I just can't see how it works at Primary school, especially with the youngest children.

www.itv.com/news/2020-09-07/exclusive-sage-scientist-tells-peston-coronavirus-cases-increasing-exponentially

The video on here where SAGE scientist expresses his concerns today on ITV news is a worry

I am sure there will be many community groups who would be happy to make/provide masks for families who can't afford them. I bet there are many people on MN who would offer to help to make some. That cannot be a reason why masks can't be worn in schools.

I am a school governor, if I visit a school I have to wear a mask and SD, what makes me so different to everyone else in the school?

My DH returned to his office today, for the first time since lockdown. There were 5 people in the office, compared to the usual 30. And that is what will continue, a limited number are allowed in, and they have to book a desk so numbers can be monitored. On other days DH will carry on WFH.

DH works in a well ventilated office. Most classrooms are not well ventilated, most classrooms will have at least 30 people crammed in them.

Well this is crap. Schools not even open a week in England and already their reopening has been jeopardised by hospitality and foreign travel. The cases that are closing now were not spread by teachers catching it from pupils, there hasn't been time.
Boris you promised schools would be prioritised. Chris Whitty advised other things would need to close for schools to reopen. So what does the government do about it. Nothing. Except continue to reopen the non-essential sectors of the economy and try to relax foreign travel restrictions.
Our government are liars and their advisors have been sidelined and silenced unheeded.

I don't have much confidence at what the school will produce. DD7 this morning, cried and said she wanted to go back into year 2 because she has missed so much. It's heartbreaking.

@HipTightOnions

Not sure how much planning, teaching and assessment is going on. Blended learning is the way ahead.

Good point. I was able to give much more targeted input/feedback when teaching remotely. I can’t even look at their work now.

Part time school with extra homework isn’t what I’d go for but we didn’t have input at primary level. And not much interaction at secondary although output was better.

@Hereinthesticks

Well this is crap. Schools not even open a week in England and already their reopening has been jeopardised by hospitality and foreign travel. The cases that are closing now were not spread by teachers catching it from pupils, there hasn't been time. Boris you promised schools would be prioritised. Chris Whitty advised other things would need to close for schools to reopen. So what does the government do about it. Nothing. Except continue to reopen the non-essential sectors of the economy and try to relax foreign travel restrictions. Our government are liars and their advisors have been sidelined and silenced unheeded.

Totally agree.

So if visors are ineffective, waiting staff are definitely as at much risk if not more than primary school teachers.
I agree i dont think a visor is doing much other than giving a false sense of security.
I work 10/11 hour shifts.
My customers stay for an average one hour.
Restaurant seats 60.
Thats 600 people a day im face to face with/ breathing the same air as.
I cant stay 1m away while I serve them.
Im not saying teachers cant be scared.
Im saying other people are working in the same conditions.
We're all back. I wasn't getting 100% or even 80% of pay since march so not much choice or point moaning about it.

We wouldn't be arguing about this now if the government had kept cases low and not wasted the low virus numbers gained by lockdown. We had low enough figures after lockdown for school to restart without constant closures and remote learning. That was wasted just so pubs and bars and restaurants and holidays could restart.

Ok so in which office today did someone have to take a 4yo off someone else while they were crying. Or hold another ones hand to balance them?
Where wi!l you have people bursting into song.
Not bothering to flush.
Throwing up in the room. Wee everywhere.
Sit close enough to share a book. While someone is reading.

I dont think schools would usually be dangerous for many teachers. I suspect usually a lot of coughing maybe some AB.
No the 1 in jun needing icu. - thats just in 1 month with hardly any kids in.

The other issue is not closing bubbles because only 1 positive or zero as some parent wont test.
The others continue infecting each other. With little ventilation. Ths last person infected has 30 people sending germs at them at once...

Some people have no ability to out in others shoes as they are young.

Employers have v a duty of care to employee and schools to the students. They are failing. Not safe but safer

@Hereinthesticks

We wouldn't be arguing about this now if the government had kept cases low and not wasted the low virus numbers gained by lockdown. We had low enough figures after lockdown for school to restart without constant closures and remote learning. That was wasted just so pubs and bars and restaurants and holidays could restart.

I do think that furlough had to end and for that these had to open. It’s a hard balance atm here.

@Pomegranatepompom

If blended learning is the way ahead, have schools been preparing for this?

yes we have

I am not talking about “part time with extra homework” though, MarshaBradyo. Surely that’s obvious from my post which you quoted.

I am talking about secondary though. I think the solutions for primary and secondary are probably different.