Neil Ferguson saying schools may close

[Orangeblossom7777]

On the BBC - older ones he says. Will they listen to him though now he got kicked off Sage? I thought the plan for for part time in secondary not closing if cases rose very high? Hoping this doesn't happen DC mid GCSEs and already missed loads.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54673558

@Summerfreeze

Schools will close. Don't be mad just because someone said something you don't like.

It didn't have to be this way. If people hadn't fucked about holidaying and eating in restaurants (government backed) all summer we'd have been in a much better position for schools to go back and it wouldn't have got so bad so quickly. If the government had invested any (ANY) money into making schools safer, it wouldn't have got so bad so quickly.

But they didn't. And schools will close.

Not true. Numbers in Scotland were absolutely tiny before schools went back.

@JacobReesMogadishu

If all those infections resulted in death you may have a point but seen as they arent you don't. Children on mass could/have missed out on valuable education for an illness that for the most is mild wheres the logic.

But deaths are rising, 174 yesterday I believe? That figure is going to increase. When the number is 100s a day dying the govt are going to have to do something to cut transmission.

Keeping millions of children from school to save hundreds from dying can't be the answer surely

Isn't he the guy who had an extra marital affair and broke lockdown rules in March?

So, he's a pompous and hypocrite git with zero authority or credibility.

A vaccine is around the corner, there are many false positives adding to the alleged daily numbers and the public is missing out on healthcare as the NHS has shut shop in many places.

This is a really worrying report form a GP and shows how callously Matt Hancock is treating the public's health.

twitter.com/Dr_Ellie/status/1320101792978522114

False positive
www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600%2820%2930453-7/fulltext

Keeping millions of children from school to save hundreds from dying can't be the answer surely

Deaths are almost intro hundreds a day. And we are just at the start of the second wave. Winter is going to be awful.

I think it’s going to be a choice of how schools are closed. Some year groups (I’m taking secondary) can be sent home calmly with plans for homeschooling. Or they can be shut due to teachers falling ill and being unable to teach, either face to face or online.

He won’t back down as too much pressure was put on by parent groups who wanted their children back in school regardless of the staff and vulnerable families and children. Even now many still want them open despite of case numbers and communities on lock down.

the audacity of parents and children wanting an education.

The virus is upon us, we have to manage as best as we can. Shutting down schools has impacted the most vulnerable children and families the worst. Children need an education, no matter how some posters moan about children being at school. They have already lost out on 6 months of school. Many young children developed anxiety and depression during lockdown and many more have fallen behind in their learning and won't ever be able to catch up with children who have had a capable and educated SAHP supporting their home learning.

Schools cannot and must not close ever again.

@WhenSheWasBad

Keeping millions of children from school to save hundreds from dying can't be the answer surely

Deaths are almost intro hundreds a day. And we are just at the start of the second wave. Winter is going to be awful.

I think it’s going to be a choice of how schools are closed. Some year groups (I’m taking secondary) can be sent home calmly with plans for homeschooling. Or they can be shut due to teachers falling ill and being unable to teach, either face to face or online.

They will send home the older children to learn online purely for childcare purposes, but for educational needs it's the older ones who need to be in school more as they prepare exams that shape their future . Its a shambles.

Angelina
Schools cannot and must not close ever again

That’s a great sentiment, but what if too many members of staff catch Covid and are unable to come into work?
I know of schools where this has happened and Year groups have had to be sent home.

@Angelinasbicycle

He won’t back down as too much pressure was put on by parent groups who wanted their children back in school regardless of the staff and vulnerable families and children. Even now many still want them open despite of case numbers and communities on lock down.

the audacity of parents and children wanting an education.

The virus is upon us, we have to manage as best as we can. Shutting down schools has impacted the most vulnerable children and families the worst. Children need an education, no matter how some posters moan about children being at school. They have already lost out on 6 months of school. Many young children developed anxiety and depression during lockdown and many more have fallen behind in their learning and won't ever be able to catch up with children who have had a capable and educated SAHP supporting their home learning.

Schools cannot and must not close ever again.

Firstly, it was 4 months of school they missed, not 6.

Secondly, if there are enough cases amongst school staff then schools may be closing for times all over the place over the winter. Just saying they mustn't close ever again isn't going to stop it from happening.

(And I'm not for school closures personally.)

@WhenSheWasBad

Angelina Schools cannot and must not close ever again

That’s a great sentiment, but what if too many members of staff catch Covid and are unable to come into work?
I know of schools where this has happened and Year groups have had to be sent home.

Many don’t seem to care sadly as long as it suits them to have them open. At the end of the day, parents not teachers are responsible for the children. If the staff can do their job remotely and it means protection for them and others, then they should.

I read him as saying that once you have shut all non-essential shops and services and stopped people from socialising completely, there is not much left.

That’s a great sentiment, but what if too many members of staff catch Covid and are unable to come into work? Hasn't happened yet and if it happens the school will have to manage either with supply teaching or short-term home learning. No need for national school closures.

There are a handful of posters on Mn who relentlessly campaign for school closure it really is very odd. I deal with 3 different school for my dc and have never come across this attitude in real life. All the teaching staff I have dealings with are grateful to be at school rather than teaching remotely from home. They are passionate about teaching the dc and feel terrible about school closure during lockdown

Closing schools is subversive to our way of life. So, no it won't happen and should not happen.

There are a handful of posters on Mn who relentlessly campaign for school closure it really is very odd. I deal with 3 different school for my dc and have never come across this attitude in real life. All the teaching staff I have dealings with are grateful to be at school rather than teaching remotely from home. They are passionate about teaching the dc and feel terrible about school closure during lockdown

I completely agree. The small number of very active and angry teachers on MN are the worst advert for teachers you can imagine. I wonder if they are fake accounts by a Tory PR company :)

DCs school is exactly as you describe. Fully committed to providing the best education they can in person.

There are a handful of posters on Mn who relentlessly campaign for school closure

I have not seen this, and I read these boards a lot. Can you link?

(I have however seen posters describing the situation in schools, and calling for more safety measures to keep schools open.)

Hasn't happened yet and if it happens the school will have to manage either with supply teaching or short-term home learning. No need for national school closures

It might not have happened locally to you but I know schools where teachers are sick and staffing the school has been an issue (year groups sent home).

I’m a teacher and would much rather teach kids in front of me instead of remotely at home. I want my school to remain open. But wanting something to happen (schools remaining 100% open) doesn’t guarantee it will happen.

Schools must remain open is a wonderful sentiment. But it’s really just wishful thinking.

The small number of very active and angry teachers on MN are the worst advert for teachers you can imagine. I wonder if they are fake accounts by a Tory PR company smile

Goodness, that’s not my experience at all!

I think there are a handful of people on here who see teachers speaking out for risk mitigations and additional funding to be put in place in schools and mistake that for teachers wanting them closed!

@ohthegoats

It's the hill BJ will die on, I reckon.

Yep, that.

Fingers crossed

Is this the guy who regularly churns out catastrophic figures which never come to pass?

He's a bit of an arse, isn't he.

I completely agree. The small number of very active and angry teachers on MN are the worst advert for teachers you can imagine

There’s some scared teachers. I’m one of them. In an ideal world I don’t want to teach kids remotely. But my husband should be shielding. This week I found out a child whose desk is 1.5 metres away from me has tested positive for Covid.
I’m now waiting to see if I catch it (so far it’s looking ok). I’m scared of passing Covid onto my husband who could become extremely sick.

I’m not angry I’m frightened. If any teachers are angry it’s because we are being told schools are “Covid safe” when they blatantly are not.

NO year at school should close.

A PP said yr 7-9 could as they can look after themselves at home. WTAF? Yr 7? Some will not turn 12 until next summer. There's no way I'd leave yr 7 home alone for days at a time. How cruel.

This whole covid thing continues to put children last ffs

Oh and Neil Ferguson can get himself to fuck

@notevenat20

I read him as saying that once you have shut all non-essential shops and services and stopped people from socialising completely, there is not much left.

And surely there has to come a point where we just have to accept we can’t get numbers down any further. We can’t keep closing schools and depriving children of education.

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully

NO year at school should close.

A PP said yr 7-9 could as they can look after themselves at home. WTAF? Yr 7? Some will not turn 12 until next summer. There's no way I'd leave yr 7 home alone for days at a time. How cruel.

This whole covid thing continues to put children last ffs

Agreed. My son is in high school but only 11 and autistic. I wfh so it’s OK (beside the fact I can’t provide specialist autism provision and wfh full time) but in no way could he be left on his own for a full working week.

i would rather listen to him than all the very clever posters saying he can get to fuck

they need nightingale for schools, provide social distancing. open the windows and provide ventilation

There have been many posters on here over the last six months suggesting 11/12 year olds be left by themselves for a full working week. I find that an appalling thought myself.