Why aren't the government being given more credit for prioritising education?

[annabel85]

The government have risked a lot by putting schools first, selflessly knowing that a second wave would reflect badly on them. This is how it's turning out, but they're still even now fully committed to keeping schools open.

They could have just had blended learning or even carried on demanding tutoring from home for the the winter term, but they've stuck their necks out by getting every child back to school.

Basically, just a reality check for people who are criticising the government at the moment. They've made big mistakes but the kids are their priority and they deserve credit for that.

Our only interactions are the schools actually. We were shielding and then very very careful. I am currently even on a pause from work because of risks, I'm semi retired. And my older DC's school can't socially distance as no space.

So he's at home at the moment with symptoms and we're all isolating, which scary.It is so so dangerous and unfair. The management of the pandemic in schools under this Government has been appalling.

@annabel85 Basically, just a reality check for people who are criticising the government at the moment.

A ‘reality check’, oh the irony!

The government aren't being given credit for prioritising education for the same reason I'm not being given credit for being an Olympic swimming champion.

@OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer
So you can't swim and have a phobia of water?

Haha! I can do a length... maybe that wasn't the best analogy then. Olympic shooting champion maybe? Marathon? I'm defo fucking petrified of running 26 miles!

You clearly are not a teacher , no extra funding has been put into schools for covid measures (bearing in mind we can't even afford board markers let alone Sanitizer) they are offering no support and giving impractical guidelines which basically means that children and staff are not safe.

1. They haven't prioritised education. If they had, they would have closed other aspects of the community eg. pubs to protect children.
2. ALL guidance focuses on Test and Trace being the reason schools are able to safely open. Every letter I've received back from MPs have heavily mentioned T&T. Test and Trace is useless and severely underperforming, so they are literally telling us to rely on something that doesn't work well enough.
3. Children are NOT Conservative priority. The Tories made important benefits hard to get, aided in wrecking mental health care, SS/Local Authorities are still horrifically underfunded (which also affects children in SGO and Adoptive Placements, who's families cannot get them the help they need to heal), the Gov have underfunded schools and the NHS whilst claiming 'child poverty has dropped' - which was an utter lie. Schools are NOT reopening as priority to children. They are reopening as Tories focus on the ECONOMY. With no schools open, the economy is more affected as parents cannot go back to work.

As someone with a higher risk (but not shielding) child, I would have rather had safer schools and a GOOD Test and Trace system in place beforehand. Right now, I am not reassured and will NOT thank the government for their part in this. I would much rather have supported my children with blended learning and safe, small bubbles at Primary school. Equally, if some parents get ill and need hospital due to poor handling of reopening schools, the trauma of that for children is a real worry. Obviously, we can't stop that happening, but the more we can avoid that, the better.

Sorry, but the reality check is that this is an awful government who doesn't care for the majority. I don't feel I have much at all to thank this government for, especially as I certainly didn't vote them in and never would. If you want to thank them, go ahead, but don't expect everyone to feel the same.

@MagpieSong agree...and I say that as someone who has even voted conservative at some point in the distant past.

Great post Magpie agree entirely.

Agree entirely @magpie

I'd like a member of the government to spend a day with me at work. And then tell me how they are prioritising education. School have tried but there is no SD, masks now only finally in corridors (which are as packed as always) and kids forgetting and coming right up to me at my desk to ask a question. I have caught the cold that has been going round my tutor group so safety measures obviously not working. I'm hoping it's a cold as 7 of them had tests and all negative.
In other countries teachers being tested weekly. This would help. But this virus passes through human contact. It doesn't care about age. Schools are the only place where people are being crammed together indoors. It is a tragedy waiting to happen.

The cases have been impacted by schools because
ISAgE said r would go up 0.5
Children all caught colds with similar symptoms so neither they nor anyone else could get tests
Some people will have ignored quarantine and gone back to school.
Others would have had covid symptoms in august but still sent kids in when school opened.
After the first week of kids in class getting it now the parents will.
1000 cases in schools since they opened in scotland in August.
Over a hundred outbreaks (at least 2 cases) in england last week.
So at least 200 cases out of maybe 28k. Which maybe isnt a lot but with many unable to test.
Some schools with 8 infected already. Bear in mind they wont then test their contacts unless they get symptoms.
Which other countries have gone back with just handwshing.
Which clearly does NOT stop the spread at minimum of other colds. As my dc now have one from school. After only 8 days.
People with covid are contagious presumably 10d thats why they have set that as the time to stay home but they do know that people continue to shed in poop etc and if their immune system is not good. Now imagine all the 1000s who had covid last week that equates to many still shedding after that time frame and who are now stuck in a small room with 30 others. Using the same toilets.
Not to mention all the asymptomatic people.

@mumsneedwine

I'd like a member of the government to spend a day with me at work. And then tell me how they are prioritising education. School have tried but there is no SD, masks now only finally in corridors (which are as packed as always) and kids forgetting and coming right up to me at my desk to ask a question. I have caught the cold that has been going round my tutor group so safety measures obviously not working. I'm hoping it's a cold as 7 of them had tests and all negative. In other countries teachers being tested weekly. This would help. But this virus passes through human contact. It doesn't care about age. Schools are the only place where people are being crammed together indoors. It is a tragedy waiting to happen.

I'm with you right here. They have clearly got no idea what it's like in schools. I also have a cold as I've been sneezed on all week. Despite meagre ppe

Bump.

Why are you bumping your ridiculous post annabel85?

It is funny, I grant you that, but not in a funny, peculiar way but a funny, ghoulish, 'this is the maddest thing I've ever read' way.

@annabel85 I hope the ‘protective ring’ they are forming round schools is a damn sight better than the one they gave care homes!

I thank the teachers who continue to do their jobs teaching our children. I thank the SLT who are trying to keep schools running without additional support.

The Government know that they are saying schools are open but the reality is so many bubbles have already burst and will continue to do so they are not actually fully open.

I’m glad I won’t be wfh and homeschooling all the time though once my DCs self isolation ends (I hope!) I think the Government recognised that for people to work at least primary schools need to have children in school.

Keeping the school open as it is the most ridiculous decision this government made, imo. It just results in dragging this chaos on for unnecessarily longer period of time.