Would the schools problem be solved by masks

[notevenat20]

If all secondary school children wore masks all day and we only then sent home people who sat next to them at lunch if they got covid, would that solve most of the covid schools problem?

It's exactly what they do in France.

I hope that wasn't going too far!!

But I really did read that post as sporty types being lesser beings. Which of course they're not. Neither are artists, musicians, thesps .... and they are all minus their usual activities this term.

Which is a pity for all, but we have to face up to curtailments this winter. And perhaps finding the good points on what they are learning wouid be a good thing - sense of community standing together through shared adversity, consideration for the vulnerable, that everyone matters, resourcefulness when activities not in usual form, behind the scenes stuff such as the science of transmission etc

Even France is very different to the UK in a lot of respects. The prime importance of solidarité, égalité here means that social and economic priorities outweigh the health priorities often. For example, the gouvernement acknowledges that it is unknown how contagious children are to each other and to adults, and that wearing masks is not a replacement for gestes barrières (distancing, washing hands etc). But in practice keeping schools open is the top priority- so they have said “distance where you can, and where you can’t wear a mask” which, in order to let schools function almost normally, Is interpreted as “wear a mask at all times In secondary because Social distancing is not possible With big classes in small classrooms” and “young children probably aren’t as contagious - Adults wear a mask at all timesBin primary ”. No bubbles: in primary only the infected child is sent home and 3+ positive cases are required to close a class.

The gouv has taken other pragmatic decisions, purely to increase compliance rather than because there is scientific support for them ie reducing isolation from 14 to 7 days (better to have more people complying with a shorter period than vice versa) and reducing distancing from 2m to 1m.

This is driven by the aim to keep schools open at all costs.

Moggy - Not at all!
You are right.
I really did read that post as sporty types being lesser beings. Which of course they're not. Neither are artists, musicians, thesps .... and they are all minus their usual activities this term.
It came across the same way to me.

@MoggyP - more fool you for reading it that way! It was pointing out that whether or not your children miss something has nothing to do with its importance. It’s a shame you clearly did not read the entire post!!!...

Or, for those of you who have difficulty reading entire posts in context:

“In all honesty, @notevenat20, I think you are confusing a little bit being philosophical about something with genuinely not missing it, and risking confusing not missing something with it being unimportant.” I thiught it was self-evident that would apply as much to sport as anything ellse - that it really didn’t make a difference to its importance whether or not my children missed it. Still, if you don’t bother to read what I’m responding to, or all of what I have written...

And, @MoggyP, what sense of community standing together are you talking about?! I don’t see that at all in this country at the moment. And I am certainly not arguing for school productions and sporting fixtures being put back on (I work in a school, and don’t particularly want to throw myself and my elderly parents to the wolves). I object to people pretending some things are unimportant, however, and pretending that everything is normal in schools.

And none of what is being done is about protecting the vulnerable. I’m fed up with that bollocks, too - it’s working out how to protect society best as a whole.

Saying it is about protecting the vulnerable is counterproductive.

Unless we admit we are all vulnerable one way or another.

Protect the vulnerable is a bit of a useless slogan, unless you be 'vulnerable' in this context and say what protection you envisage. Otherwise it's just a pipe dream

Or, for those of you who have difficulty reading entire posts in context:

“In all honesty, @notevenat20, I think you are confusing a little bit being philosophical about something with genuinely not missing it, and risking confusing not missing something with it being unimportant.” I thiught it was self-evident that would apply as much to sport as anything ellse - that it really didn’t make a difference to its importance whether or not my children missed it. Still, if you don’t bother to read what I’m responding to, or all of what I have written...

Clear as mud.

They're in bubbles for a reason. There's NO SD in a normal classroom. Why should drama be any different?

Actually Drama is different (and Music). I'm a Drama teacher. The final schools guidance that came out on the last Bank Holiday weekend stated that, due to the added risks in Drama and Music, the subjects could only take place with both bubbles AND distancing.

Queue much last minute panic.

I wasn't able to do new schemes of work in time so spent the first 4 weeks of term teaching normally but outside. Not sure if that was officially ok or not but given that PE was allowed to be as normal outside, I assumed it would be.

Now it's too cold for that so I am limping on till Half Term, adapting lesson by lesson. They can do seated acting without distancing because that's just like talking in any other lesson. But it's the close face to face stuff, physical contact, shared props etc that isn't allowed. I'll be writing much less interactive stuff over Half Term and it won't be as interesting I don't teach exam years though.

Having said that, there are ways round things. We are still having all our school productions this year. It works by:

• Different shows for different bubbles (or, in the case of the main school musical, different scenes for different bubbles with distancing for the main characters who need to cross over).
• Livestreaming and recording productions rather than having parents in and using bubbles of children for audiences where possible.
• Rewriting musicals so that the singing is solo, duet or small groups that can be distanced on stage.
• Removing physical contact from scripts (hand holding, hugging, fighting etc)
• No sharing of costumes or microphones.
• Minimal props that are frequently sanitised.

@Lolaloveslemonade - try reading notevenat20’s posts and it might make more sense to you - unless you are just being rude for no reason, of course.

@manicinsomniac - I’m impressed with the amount of work you are putting in to keep things going and create positive learning experiences. I hope it all goes well and the restrictions do no impact too much in the long term on numbers of people choosing subjects like PE, drama, music and DT.

walkaround
try reading notevenat20’s posts and it might make more sense to you - unless you are just being rude for no reason, of course.

Try quoting the poster you are responding to and your posts might make more sense.
(Example above)
Unless of course you think we’re all mind readers.

@Lolaloveslemonade - try reading the thread. It’s not as if addressing a specific poster in my post didn’t give you a massive clue that I was responding to things they had written (over more than one of their posts).

reducing isolation from 14 to 7 days (better to have more people complying with a shorter period than vice versa)
Is it just me or does that seem insane?

Not what the PP said but the fact that a scientific fact is ignored by the French Government

walkaround
Your final sentence was addressed a specific poster but I’m sure you’ll continue to argue the toss anyway.

@StarCat2020

reducing isolation from 14 to 7 days (better to have more people complying with a shorter period than vice versa) Is it just me or does that seem insane?

No it is not just you, that is an insane suggestion.

We know why people are not isolating.

The government just don't want to fix it for ideological reasons of being opposed to the welfare state. UK sick pay is very low compared to other European nations.

manic
That sounds like hard work. In theory it would work but people are naturally interactive & spontaneous and I guess it wI’ll be hard to manage.

Practicing

We know why people are not isolating.
The government just don't want to fix it for ideological reasons of being opposed to the welfare state. UK sick pay is very low compared to other European nations.

This. Without a doubt.

@Lolaloveslemonade - yes, when I know I am right and know what I meant, and that you are patently wrong and being rude, I will continue to argue the toss. I have apologised many times on mumsnet before when I have misunderstood someone else and had this pointed out to me. What is your excuse for continued arguing of the toss?

walkaround
when I know I am right and know what I meant, and that you are patently wrong

Jesus, It’s like talking to a child.
Crack on.

@Lolaloveslemonade - so:

You can’t be bothered to read the thread, then claim I expect you to be able to mind read when I tell you to read the posts of the person I was writing to. I was not asking you to mind read, I was telling you not to be rude to people if you are too lazy to read posts in the context in which they are set.

You also argue I should quote the post I am referring to in my posts, when that is not possible if more than one post is relevant.

And you prove time and time again that selectively quoting bits of other people’s posts is usually done by people who have no interest whatsoever in constructive discussion, but just want to be provocative and troll - see your post of 08.05 for an example...