It feels like people on MN are willing schools to close

[Marcellemouse]

Lots of threads being really negative about schools reopening. These have been largely started by teachers, the latest one being about a gagging order on the BBC. My 2 and every other DC I know are thriving on schools opening again. DS actually stands a chance of doing well and getting back on track with GCSES. DC are happy and animated again. Their teachers have been fantastic, I'm massively impressed. Friends of mine who are secondary teachers are positive and happy to be back teaching in school instead of home learning. I just get a different vibe in RL than on MN about schools. What's the reality?

I also think there's a lot of people who hear people discussing issues in education and selectively choose to present that as 'everybody on here wants schools to close'.

Agree with this. Lot of people see this all very simplistically, so if you point out any problem they get very cross and start saying you want school to close.

I assure you I do not want school to close. I had a fine time with them at home and have no practical issue but no, I don't want them to (have to) close.

But honestly if I lived in Bolton or Blynau Gwent I wouldn't be sending mine in unless unavoidable and I think when you are at 300 new cases per 100,000, maybe half time school is wise.

Not RTFT, but DH teaches in primary and is enjoying being back. He found the first two weeks a bit tough - because of the sheer full on-ness of lunch in the classroom and not having his usual break in the middle of the day to get away from the kids But he and his TA have now worked out a system which seems to work well for them. They have not yet had any cases in school.

During lockdown he was more stressed, as he hated working from home and also found it very demoralising that only 30% of his class were engaging with the work. He was concerned that many of his pupils (Y6) would be going up to secondary lacking confidence, due to having had a long time off and little academic stimulation, and was frustrated that there was little he could do to encourage more engagement.

They haven't yet had any cases in school, although there was one kid who was off un his class last week and waiting for a test result, which turned out to be negative.

@ktp100 it's not teacher bashing in general. It's just certain posters on MN.

Well I for one do a daily mini prayer to thank whoever it is that has meant that DS 14 has been back in the classroom for almost 6 weeks (Scotland), apart from one day when we were awaiting the results of a covid test - thankfully negative.

Even if it all goes wrong after half term, I'm still ridiculously grateful that he has started off an important academic year in school receiving face to face teaching with his peers.

Of course I don't want any vulnerable people to fall ill as a result, but closing schools and locking up our DCs will create long term health problems of its own

If numbers do go up to levels deemed unacceptable I expect to see shops, pubs , cinemas and garden centres shut in preference to schools.

I think there is a lot of Health Anxiety on MN which is why you get the sense that some that post here might want the schools closed. It also gives them a voice due to the anonimity and they feel they are being listened to.

Anxiety probably leads them to shout loudest and more frequently, you can sense that in real life too in some cases - my boss has huge health anxiety and she is very vocal about it on work platforms when we attempted to return to the office, you got the sense that the entire company was quite content being holed up in their houses and that the virus was a global killer but when we did a survey it was overwhelming how much people wanted to get back.

I agree with @RepeatSwan I haven't seen people "wanting" schools to close. I have seen lots of people saying they can't see how schools will manage to stay open beyond half term. I've also seen parents with health conditions worried sick. Not helpful to make these simplistic generalisations.

Ours has closed. I wish ours would open. It's dreadful going back into this home-schooling intensiveness.

Please don't wish for this again people!

I don't think people want schools closed, most are willing them to stay open.
Wanting our dc to be safe is fair enough, surely.
Mine has started A levels and had a shit storm GCSE like all the others.
The last thing I want are schools to close.

I spoke to a member of SLT today and they just went when I discussed the fact it's impossible to see how we get to Christmas.

No one has a clue.

But am sure both he and I simply have health anxiety

@slipperywhensparticus

They wont close because im prepared this time! I have working printer ink AND paper no WAY are schools closing now

Sod’s law is very powerful

I most certainly do not want schools to close. OP mentioned my other thread. You have misunderstood my point. Schools are shutting to some children due to inadequate contingency plans put into place by the government. My childen who are in important exam years have already missed a week of school since the start of term. I am concerned that it is being hushed and ignored so that nothing has to be done to make the situation better. It would be dreadful to end up back where we were in March because no one was looking ahead. Schools need help now in order to stay open.

No, some of us don't WANT schools to close - but would rather schools close than close down wholesale sections of the economy

Funny that I cannot find a single thread started by a teacher saying they want schools closed.
Please feel free to link on here so we can all form an opinion ..........

@ACautionaryTale

No, some of us don't WANT schools to close - but would rather schools close than close down wholesale sections of the economy

Yes, this is something I have been pondering. This virus involves a lot of trade offs.

I think that it's the general vibe/theme of the threads the OP is referring to - they're very negative "here's evidence that schools are DEFINITELY spreading the virus" and there are lots of negative statements about how bad things are and why they will get worse, rather than framing things in a more productive or neutral questioning light. The conversations I've had IRL are much more along the "oh my god, the schools have to stay open, don't they" whereas on MN, they're "oh my god, they're going to have to shut schools, aren't they" which gives you a sense that MN wants them to shut.

For me, I want to see more debate framed as "what factors can we change to keep schools open?"

And more questions on whether the increases in positive cases in schools is related to increased testing. Or looking at the whether this is scientifically tested evidence that asymptomatic carriers are in spreading the disease (not being a virologist, I don't know whether this is the case or but I've seen it suggested that this is so).

[quote Marcellemouse]@ktp100 it's not teacher bashing in general. It's just certain posters on MN.[/quote]
But what else can it be when what you said just isn't true?

There are no teachers calling for school closures. None, nada, not one.

I guess any big decision is always going to have those in favour and those against. I certainly think it is wrong that children who are vulnerable or live with vulnerable family members don't have the option of online learning. However having watched my DC's mental health and that of their friends and contemporaries go down the pan and how improved they are after only a short period back at school I think that the greater good for that age group is to be back at school. I also feel that as that age group will no doubt be picking up the tab for the lengthy lockdown for years to come maybe it is time to put them first for a change.

@WhatWillSantaBring

But people discuss things that they are worried about in worried tones. I genuinely do not understand what the government intends to do when cases rise.

I don't want a theoretical debate or to frame it as an interesting question.

Because I'm just fucked off that the school situation is being bollocksed up by our government

I can't see how schools stay open safely. I can't. I can see how they shut, and I can see how they stay open unsafely.

[quote Marcellemouse]@ktp100 it's not teacher bashing in general. It's just certain posters on MN.[/quote]
Sorry, are you saying you are bashing those posters? Maybe you want to report your own post as that isn't in the spirit.
I don't want schools to close. I don't think they should ever have opened without social distancing though and that is what I would like to see going forward.

I don’t want schools to close. But not do I want them to be open unsafely so that the virus has a chance to circulate uncontrolled (and yes, I know that’s not happening currently, but I personally suspect it’s only a matter of time until it will) in a way that will affect both children and parents, which in turn has a massive impact on the workplace.

My eldest has ASD and for him being in and out of school is so much harder than the certainty of either being in or out, despite being out having its own difficulties. I think this term at least will be hugely disruptive (we have already had to self isolate twice until negative results came back) and although many kids are resilient and can take things as they come, a lot of kids will struggle with this uncertainty and sudden change.

I don’t want schools to close but I think the government have done a very poor job of actually trying to make them safe (as in they haven’t tried at all) and that’s the bit that I wish was different.

That is goady and not correct. I’ve not seen ONE teacher on here saying they WANT schools closed.

I’ve seen lots of very angry and upset ones as they don’t see how it can be avoided if this continues. Schools, teachers and children have been let down. They are now the biggest cause of COVID outbreaks, without any safety or mitigation measures.

People are angry, this could result and probably will result in closures. We may well be too far gone now. That doesn’t mean anyone wants them closed. You’ll find the opposite is true.

@Itisasecret

That is goady and not correct. I’ve not seen ONE teacher on here saying they WANT schools closed.

I’ve seen lots of very angry and upset ones as they don’t see how it can be avoided if this continues. Schools, teachers and children have been let down. They are now the biggest cause of COVID outbreaks, without any safety or mitigation measures.

People are angry, this could result and probably will result in closures. We may well be too far gone now. That doesn’t mean anyone wants them closed. You’ll find the opposite is true.

This is a much better way of saying what I meant!!

@Itisasecret

That is goady and not correct. I’ve not seen ONE teacher on here saying they WANT schools closed.

I’ve seen lots of very angry and upset ones as they don’t see how it can be avoided if this continues. Schools, teachers and children have been let down. They are now the biggest cause of COVID outbreaks, without any safety or mitigation measures.

People are angry, this could result and probably will result in closures. We may well be too far gone now. That doesn’t mean anyone wants them closed. You’ll find the opposite is true.

I agree. No teacher wants school to close.

@WhoWants2Know

At this stage, I think roughly half the threads on Mumsnet are bullshit started by trolls and bots.

Yep. This thread is so patent, it really needs to go.

[quote Marcellemouse]@ktp100 it's not teacher bashing in general. It's just certain posters on MN.[/quote]
Still waiting for a link