Request made by LA/school

[Focusanddetermination]

Interested in MN view on something.

For my county, the council have communicated to schools (I haven't seen the communication) that parents should be asked to wear masks outside school gates when queueing (2 metres distance already in the queue).

Schools in turn have communicated to parents, by saying the LA has 'made a decision to request' masks are worn. And, put signs up along the road saying please wear masks.

I asked the school whether this decision had any power, legal or otherwise, and was informed it does not. The word decision sounds like it does (to me) but no, it is a request and despite the signs, entirely down to individual choice.

Most parents are wearing a mask. A few are not. A few are looking at those who do not in a less than positive way (my perception perhaps).

I suppose this isn't an AIBU so much as a question, about where the parameters should be for bodies that do not make laws, to put out messages and signs that sound like rules / laws. Whether those messages / signs seem to be for the public good or not.

And how that is likely to impact citizen behaviour. For example, hostility of those who believe everyone should comply with the message, towards those who do not comply but are breaking no rules / law by taking that approach.

Perhaps I am over thinking this, but.. well, over to MN

DD at kindergarten, parents have been asked to wear a mask at drop off and pick up and maintain 1m+ from other parents. If it makes the staff feel comfortable then I'll do that.

Once we're off the premises we (the mums) all take our masks of and chit chat for a few minutes 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's the right thing to do if school have asked parents to do it. It's not fun and I felt really sad when I got the email about it- I don't know why really but it made me feel quite down even though I have no issue with wearing masks and wear them all the time at work .
Our school is big and a real bottle neck despite many attempts to keep parents apart so probably needed more than some other schools

We haven't been asked to wear masks, but a few do. There are non school people walking past at pick up/drop off times (the whole process takes nearly an hour now in total from first clas to last class).

I had to go into the school office today and did wear a mask, as I wasn't sure if it would be required.

Our school is monitoring drop off/collection with a one way system and staggered entry/collection times (primary). It's working well with social distancing, so school have said parents don't need masks (unless parents need to go inside). But if they asked parents to wear masks I'd have no issues (I am happy to wear one).

However I have seen people commenting about how terrible it is (different schools) that they are the only ones wearing a mask. Can only assume that's when distancing isn't possible.

It's a small nudge to I presume give the school a slightly higher chance to stay open.

Or be an example to the kids.

Who knows?

The school could maybe communicate that whilst they are requesting masks it is important to set a good example to children of support for people with disabilities, not all disabilities are obvious and masks are not always required, so please be tolerant.

Our school has made no attempt social distancing other than us queing up outside gates at drop of and pick up and requesting one parent per family only. Its a one way system in school which means everyone has to walk around the whole school. They refuse staggered starts. Its a double in take primary school with 30 per class. They open school gates at 8.45 and want all children in class by 9 they open school gates at 3.10. The site around school and outside school gates isn't big enough for 1m apart it is impossible with all the 400+ children starting and finishing at the same time.

also no one wears masks and the school haven't mentioned or requested it.

To me in this situation “LA has made a decision to request” is the school’s way of saying that the LA have requested it, rather than the school specifically. It does not imply to me in any way that this is a rule/law, but equally, I don’t see why the vast majority people wouldn’t already be wearing masks in this situation out of respect to others (mask exempt minority excluded).

If people can't (or won't) maintain social distancing, they should be wearing masks - that's what the 1m+ means: 1 metre distance plus other steps to reduce the risk i.e. a mask. Basically, the more that people follow the rules and guidance, the longer on average schools will be open. Maybe the glaring parents have understood that.

The Local Authority will have the detailed figures of the infection rate in the area, so if its guidance has changed then the infection rate must be increasing, possibly significantly.

Our LA Director of Education gives schools a letter from him which they can use to covey messages like this so it is clear to parents that it is not the school choosing to inconvenience them but they are acting on LA instruction, even where what they are asking for is plain common sense.

Believe it or not, some parents will question any guidance, even that which is clearly designed to keep their own children safe, if they think it is the school telling them what to do...

DDs primary school have advised that anyone who wants to go into the grounds of the school needs to wear a mask. They've asked anyone with an exemption reason to make the office aware they are exempt (not why, just that they are) to prevent being questioned by staff at drop off and pick up.

They are in control of the school grounds and have the right to make any reasonable request of people who are entering those grounds, and it isn't a big deal to wear a mask, so why wouldn't you?

The LA have decided schools should make this request, so the school has.

I’m not sure what your issue is?

For clarity, the message is not about the school grounds. It is a request to wear masks outside on the path / road, which given the queue would include some distance from the school gates.

The equivalent for adults might be the LA asking shops to communicate to customers, the request they wear masks outside shop premises, and at the same distance.

Whether people wear a mask, or do not, they are entirely law abiding. They are no less virtuous, morally correct in making this choice...

... or, do you disagree?

Masks aren't about being virtuous, it's just an attempt to minimise infection spread

Stop overthinking it and just wear a mask.

Just wear a bloody mask, if you are able to.

If the LA or the school can forward you a copy of ‘the science’ that supports wearing at the school gates then you should do so. In the absence of that I’d simply continue doing whatever it is you normally do.

Seriously, you may as well wear fancy dress for all the difference it will make. It’s just another example of nonsensical mission creep imposed by people with a never ending desire to show that they are ‘doing something’.

our school asks this
it's literally about 90secs for me. no biggie. As no-one else has done so, I will take the bait and freely admit to inwardly judging those who choose not (as opposed to can't). However I am perfectly capable of keeping that thought to myself and having a pleasant interaction with that person.

People can be both law abiding and thoughtless/inconsiderate as well.