Full time mask wearing in schools

[JS87]

Would you be prepared for your child to wear a mask in lessons etc (even in primary school in say KS2 upwards) if it meant they caught less colds/coughs/temps and didn't have to keep isolating to get a cold? I would definitely be happy for DS 9 to wear one if it meant he got to spend more time in school

Depends purely if DC mind - I don't think they would.

places like singapore are struggling to get schools open even though their pupils wear face covers full time while indoors.

So I don't care if they do wear or don't wear; it's not going to help much. though

hinder development? a few months wearing a mask for a few hours over 5 day week?

I don't understand why they don't all wear visors/face shields. I've seen photos of small kids wearing them in other countries fitted onto what look like lense-less plastic sunglasses.

Of course it will hinder development. It’s so important for children to see facial expressions and they learn visually not just through sound. My daughters come home and tell me stories that made them laugh at school, the idea of them not being able to see everybody smiling for hours throughout the day is unbelievably depressing! Are we really ok if with this virus impacting our children’s mental health in this way? Plus most of the scientists have said that the masks won’t make a difference because children will not wear them properly, in fact it will probably make matters worse!

@notevenat20

No. I just want DC to have a normal happy free childhood.

... I presume your DC are in primary school?

All secondary pupils should be wearing them.

@ClimbDad

It’s going to either be masks or school closures, so choose what’s most important, education, or clinging to this ridiculous anti-mask nonsense.

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and many other countries insist on masks in schools at all times because they work.

I agree. Schools are not safe for the teachers/support staff in them and vulnerable kids and their families. Masks (for secondary) should be brought it now.

Why because 11 year olds shouldn’t be happy and care free?

Being a teacher in secondary school I am now much more on the fence with masks now that they’re here. The hygiene is awful. I am socially distancing where I can, sanitising the hell out of everything, in and out quickly when helping kids at their desks. I only wear a mask in the corridor. I hate them so much.

Ps and no I wouldn’t want my own teenage kids to have to wear them in class. I honestly think if I had a sea of masked kids in front of me I would cry.

Masks won't work. After a few hours, if they have covid there is more on the outside than the inside - so touching the masks (which adults do all the time and children will do endlessly) will spread them all over. Ill fitting masks, or ones that are damp after a few hours of use, are highly ineffective. Physical play and interaction, which are hugely important for children, will be greatly hindered.

Masks have a place and I fully support their use on buses, in shops etc, because even though the evidence in support of them is not huge, every little bit can help. However I'd keep my child off school before making them go with one.

Yes. I would be very happy to see mask wearing in schools. DS is 13 and wants to wear one.

I think at the very least schools should be encouraging those pupils that are happy to wear them, to do so.

I do think there are different considerations for primary/secondary and think the arguments for it are stronger in secondary - due to teenagers spreading it in the same way as adults, and the settings being much bigger. Plus the children are older in terms of how they deal with things/can understand better not to keep touching it/keep it clean etc (I know that might not happen in all cases!).

I get that a lot of people are anti-mask and it would lead to lots of battles if they are made mandatory, I don't know how teachers would feel about having to enforce that, is it another stress for them?

So to answer your question I would welcome them being made mandatory in secondary schools, but think a reasonable compromise would be to encourage them in all schools and see how things go from there.

I would like to see teachers wearing either a mask or a visor too (I know visors aren't as protective as masks but think they are better than nothing, and they don't hide facial expressions/muffle speaking in the way that a mask can, so again as a compromise I think they would be a good idea).

Well then they'll all be off school soon enough.
Look it's clear the measures haven't worked to prevent colds going round class.
Why would they prevent covid?
I would prefer it on the outside of my kid's mask than in their lungs.
There will be no tests so bubbles continue except the teachers will be off ill.
I would prefer my kid in school than sat home waiting 14/10 days.

Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan are all struggling to get or keep schools open, in spite of near universal face cover wearing inside and outside of schools in these places.

www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/08/28/national/schools-japan-coronavirus/

www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3101957/hundreds-hong-kong-schools-report-student-withdrawals

www.msn.com/en-sg/news/singapore/singapore-considers-school-closures-to-fight-virus/ar-BB110Ev5?li=AAaGkVj

uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea-idUKKBN25L073

HK parents have little faith in the current situation. Does Taiwan have any circulating c19 virus??

@Olivia333

Why because 11 year olds shouldn’t be happy and care free?

No of course not Oh my.. it's just on these threads as a secondary teacher I always answer as a secondary teacher and some DPs always answer as if schooling only ever means primary level. I totally understand that masks at primary level may not work but at secondary they should be able to wear them.

I'm both a teacher and parent at the same school and feel much better going back knowing that masks will be worn. I suppose we're used to it though, after being in them more or less since March.

No, because masks actually cause coughing and unless schools take that into account and don't send home for every tickle in the throat, there will be even more demand for testing. I am not sure it would actually help the isolation/testing thing.

And I think asking a minor to wear one for 6 hours is too much. Communal areas and public transport are fine; and I think the idea that it hinders social development nonsense, but having something in front of your face for that length of time isn't fun.

Yes to keep them in education I would!

Oddly I am less keen in secondary since they have started part time proper live remote teaching I actually think that may work (very unfavourite With Mumsnet teachers I know but dd’s school more keen! And it does work!)

But that wouldn’t work at primary so yes anything to keep my youngest there really!

I would be happy for my secondary age children to wear them. Not my primary children though.

DS1 is in Y11 and his school have insisted on full time mask wearing all day, including lessons. They can remove to eat/drink but must be put straight on again. Not entirely sure how helpful it is as all they do is fiddle with them all day as I’m sure anyone would while wearing a mask. The teachers are wearing them as well and trying to do gcse Spanish whilst wearing a mask is impossible.

once schools start closing due to covid i think public option will be calling for all kids to wear masks...its clear they spread covid same as the rest of us.

Since we have been back, I have had one child wear a mask which was for the first day back at school.

He seemed to spend the WHOLE day constantly touching it and adjusting it. I asked him to wash his hands each time that I saw him touching it at the front and explained to him that he needed to touch it using the elastics only and why this was important. Countless times.

The theory of mask wearing, and the reality of mask wearing couldn't be further apart. And whilst we are shown pictures of other lovely docile children supposedly managing perfectly well in other countries, they are by and large 'still' photographs, I very much suspect the same goes on worldwide.

no adult i know is wearing the mask correctly either......same for the public i work with

touch, fiddle,no hand washing and stuffing it back into pockets and bags when removed

My son wants to wear one and everyone else around him too as well.

Masks are mandated for all grades where I live. kids have multiple masks so they can replace them throughout the day. We even had the option to buy some one the school logo. Even for kids they are just a part of life now.

Teachers take the little ones outside for mask breaks.

That doesn’t change that masks are uncomfortable, especially when worn all day, but they are a necessary evil.

No cases at the non mask wearing primary near my house but four in one bubble that I know of at the mask wearing secondary down the road 🤔