"It is, alas, a fact of the disease that it is readily transmissible between children and adults"

[noblegiraffe]

Says our PM.

So can all those people who spent the entire summer telling teachers that their worries about returning to school without any mitigation measures that it was FINE because children didn't spread it please now start campaigning for mitigation measures in schools because it appears that people's lives are being put at risk.

twitter.com/mikercameron/status/1306246353379569665?s=21

It really upsets me how MN posters seem to be ignoring the women's rights disaster of not having full time at-school schooling

Teachers are majority female, particularly at primary. Do you think we’d be treated so badly if we were majority male?

@Piggywaspushed not an expectation of teachers to behave to a higher moral code, but to be sneering at perceived lack of ability to think - you really think that reasonable behaviour?

That wasn’t directed at you.

It’s a phrase that seems quite popular now,
MN is not that pleasant at the moment. It’s a shame.

Teachers are majority female, particularly at primary. Do you think we’d be treated so badly if we were majority male?

That's true, especially for primary. But my point is that making in-school schooling part time or no time is a catastrophe for feminism in this country. More women should be shouting this.

I've been saying all along I caught COVID from small child who coughed for half an hour in my office while we were waiting for parents to collect (way back in March, just the day before lockdown). Wonder why it's taken this long for them to realise that children transmit all sorts of viruses to adults....

I've been saying all along I caught COVID from small child who coughed for half an hour in my office while we were waiting for parents to collect (way back in March, just the day before lockdown). Wonder why it's taken this long for them to realise that children transmit all sorts of viruses to adults....

Did that child test positive?

No one says that children can't transmit covid. But they are much more likely to be asymptomatic and it seems that an asymptomatic child is much less likely to transmit this virus to an adult.

Oh @noblegiraffe. We have crossed paths over the weeks and months on these threads.

I ended up deregistering.

DC's school were in three days before three year groups were closed. Including DC's.

I feel vindicated.

I just hope no teachers or parents die.

Shame on this government 😠

notevenat20

As it was march and there was no testing will will probably never know.

The Government don’t know (don’t want to know?) what’s going in schools because they’re not collecting any meaningful data on the daily DFE returns all schools have to fill in. Basically - total number on roll/Total number in attendance today/number of teaching staff absent. At no point do they ask for a breakdown of reasons for absence. So, if a school has 50 absentees the DfE don’t know if it’s 49 self isolating and 1 with toothache or vice versa.
Surely, a daily update of useful information direct from schools would give them an immediate picture of how it’s looking. Oh wait, of course, no, that wouldn’t make good reading at all...

But my point is that making in-school schooling part time or no time is a catastrophe for feminism in this country. More women should be shouting this.

But they're not doing this, that's the point. Why are you arguing about something that isn't happening?

All schools are back full time supposedly.

Except that's not a lot of use if you have to keep your kid home - even when fully recovered - because you can't get a test. I have been trying for 3 days to get a test for my child who had half a day's fever. I have to stay off with her for 10 days if she can't get a negative test. And another 3 for her sibling that needs to isolate. So that's two weeks. Then she goes back for a few days, catches something else and I'm off for another 2 weeks because there are no tests.

Also, I think they could do full-time school socially distanced in small class sizes if they had enough money (my daughter's school could, they did in June/July - all they need is extra funds for more TAs).

The government needs to fund schools to stop them being the most efficient disease transmission environments - crowded, no SD, no masks, too many people in one small room.

They have given ZERO extra funds to state schools. ZERO.

This plus the failed test and trace = nothing like full time schooling.

It's a scandal.

@MarshaBradyo

The fact it can pass child to adult shows that one of the highest risk places for transmission will be school and households.

I think it does matter. Households have shown to have higher transmission rates than other places. We don’t know yet v schools.

But the difference is it makes it possible.

Which is a direct contradiction to what was originally said.

But maybe it only matters if the government SAYS it's full-time even if, in practical reality, it's not full time, it's chaotic, disorganised and involves keeping both children off in rolling 2 week windows because no tests are available.

While teachers have to somehow juggle the needs and levels of all the kids who've been off isolating and those who haven't.

But we all know teachers are superhumans who don't catch illnesses, don't live with vulnerable people, and who can be all things to all people even when not paid enough and with insufficient funds for soap.

To the teachers on this thread: I think you've been sent back to unsafe workplaces against all the best scientific advice for safe school reopening (class sizes no more than 15, socially distanced, with functioning test and trace) - I will support you 100% if you strike.

@notevenat20

It really upsets me how MN posters seem to be ignoring the women's rights disaster of not having full time at-school schooling. It's almost like everyone has forgotten the basic fights that feminism has won.

It really upsets me how some MNers don't give the tiniest shit about the health of school staff.

Covid is not women's problem. It's parents' problem. If you have decided in your family that it will be you who stays home with the children, that's up to you (and I include co-parents in that. I understand that some parents literally won't have anyone to share the burden, however).

[quote Pomegranatepompom]@Piggywaspushed not an expectation of teachers to behave to a higher moral code, but to be sneering at perceived lack of ability to think - you really think that reasonable behaviour?[/quote]
It was me who used the term hard of thinking, because yes, some people do seem to lack the ability to think rationally. You can be as offended as you like.

I’m sorry you were vindicated, @Oldbagface although I guess you are very relieved to be out of the mess.

I really hope that the only consequence of the government’s incompetence is chaotic disruption.

I hope so too. Such s mess

Covid is not women's problem. It's parents' problem.

Yep. I just said that somewhere else on here. This isn't a disaster for women/feminism, it's shown what a disaster we've been to ourselves as a collective. Why are all these women in situations where they are the one taking the brunt of all this? It shouldn't be the vast majority anymore, it will always be some, but come on... take control of this stuff.

@WanderingMilly

I've been saying all along I caught COVID from small child who coughed for half an hour in my office while we were waiting for parents to collect (way back in March, just the day before lockdown). Wonder why it's taken this long for them to realise that children transmit all sorts of viruses to adults....

I think I was the same in late Feb. Child in my class was very very ill and couldn't stop coughing. Parents (medical, FFS) kept sending him in. A week later I was so ill. Couldn't stop coughing, was almost delirious and felt like an elephant was stamping on my chest. I've honestly never felt so ill in all my life but as this was prior to testing, I'll never truly know for certain. I got told it was a 'strong viral illness' by A&E when I had a day where I had panic attacks as I couldn't properly breathe. It was horrible.

@noblegiraffe thank you. It's definitely a stressful time to be a teacher!

It’s only a woman’s problem if they have partnered with a twat unfit to be a parent or partner. Otherwise it’s a parental issue.

I’m single. If my sons father was in the picture I wouldn’t assume it was me responsible for childcare and going off work and I don’t go around encouraging the idea that children are a woman’s responsibility.

Also personally I’m talking about secondary schools. You’re not prevented from working because a teenager isn’t at school even if you did make the mistake of partnering with someone, and being complicit in creating a set up more fitting for the 1950’s.

And yes my private school teacher cliches were indeed irony.

However do bear in mind that a private school teacher in less crowded conditions with invested parents might very well feel safer than an overcrowded state school. And switching immediately to online live lessons is easier and non discriminatory when all of your students have computers and good wifi.

@notevenat20

Teachers are majority female, particularly at primary. Do you think we’d be treated so badly if we were majority male?

That's true, especially for primary. But my point is that making in-school schooling part time or no time is a catastrophe for feminism in this country. More women should be shouting this.

Is there another way?

I’m thinking off the top of my head so it might be an unworkable idea... but say we go for part time school to allow social distancing.

BUT... Let those who can do home days at home do it.

And get out of school care to take on the other children within their bubbles as a sort of homework/remote work club. Could be run by after school clubs/those who usually provide all kinds of sport/dance/language classes but aren’t earning a good living at the moment because of this pandemic.

It’s a loose idea I know but could it become a good one. Some kind of remote working club for kids whose parents have to be in work.

I don’t know.

I just feel there are solutions out there if we try.

“ Covid is not women's problem. It's parents' problem.”

Agreed

They have given ZERO extra funds to state schools. ZERO.

That’s not true is it? There was

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools

and even

www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19

I understand it wasn’t enough but that’s not the same as nothing.

Covid is not women's problem. It's parents' problem.

I am amazed you say that. I am sure there are some families where the impact is felt equally but mostly it will be women who will do the extra childcare and home schooling. It is us who will are transformed back to the 1950s.

@notevenat20 they haven’t given any funding for this academic year.

I think it’s become apparent that just blanket opening schools was a shit idea that doesn’t work. It is not the cure all for working parents that people convinced themselves it would be.

Can we all please get together now and demand a workable solution that provides both consistent childcare and sustainable, decent education for students?

There are many, many other options but they all require the government to stump up the cash. Let’s get the thumb screws on them!