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Original poster

To think schools should be shut during lockdown.

814 replies

Ilovegreentomatoes · 31/10/2020 19:53

So shutting down everything but keeping schools open.AIBU to think that a lockdown should involve schools closing as well.Have been about six cases in my dds secondary zero social distancing and is just defeating the object of a lockdown as it has now been proven that schools,colleges etc can easily spread the virus.

OP posts:
TheKeatingFive · 31/10/2020 20:50

YANBU. Lockdown is pointless if they remain open. Might as well not have one.

This isn’t true.

I’m in ROI. We’re now in strict lockdown after about 4 weeks of harsher measures. Schools stayed open (aside from regular mid term).

Cases are dropping very significantly.

What seems to have made the most difference is a blanket ban on visiting other households (and bars/restaurants outside service only).

We’re now in harsher measures, but the data would suggest they aren’t necessary. And closing schools certainly isn’t.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 31/10/2020 20:50

@BurningMam do you have any stats on these swathes of children that are apparently dying and being permanently disabled by Covid?

Weloveoptimus · 31/10/2020 20:50

I work in a large secondary school and do not feel safe, but I do get that it's a major priority to look after the pupils education and mental health.
There is very little social distancing going on in those corridors, playgrounds and dining halls. Honestly it's impossible.

PaxMalmKallax · 31/10/2020 20:51

@BurningMam in my school we have sanitiser at every classroom door - they use it on the way in and out. We spray the desks at the end of every lesson with anti virus spray. The rule is we must ALL wear masks unless seated at a desk.

And we STILL had loads of cases. So the measures suggested really are possible (even though they massively reduce teaching time) but they don’t actually work the way @Imakemistakeseveryday suggests.

BurningMam · 31/10/2020 20:51

I love that "work from home for two weeks" (assuming there are two parents) has become "give up my career". People are beyond dramatic on here sometimes. No one gets blacklisted in their industry for taking two weeks off or working from home - especially not people who are claiming to be key workers....

Bollss · 31/10/2020 20:52

[quote Fortherosesjoni70]@ShandlersWig

Both DH and I have to work outside the home. What would we do with them for 4 weeks!

If you cant look after your children for 4wks it begs the question, why did you have them?
FFS!
Total and utter disbelief![/quote]
What a load of old shite. Childminders, school, nursery all open in normal times. Allows you to plan childcare, you know??

I'm sick and fucking tired of this disgusting vitriol against families with 2 working parents.

Nicknacky · 31/10/2020 20:53

BurningMan Where has it been said they should shut for two weeks? I’m most definitely a key worker but I could swing that at work but no one has mentioned two weeks.

Bollss · 31/10/2020 20:53

@BurningMam

I love that "work from home for two weeks" (assuming there are two parents) has become "give up my career". People are beyond dramatic on here sometimes. No one gets blacklisted in their industry for taking two weeks off or working from home - especially not people who are claiming to be key workers....
Ahahahhahahahahahaha. You don't live in the real world do you? A lot of people cannot just take two weeks off just like that!!
TheKeatingFive · 31/10/2020 20:53

If you cant look after your children for 4wks it begs the question, why did you have them?

It’s not about looking after your children, but doing your job too.

Could teachers provide a timetable of live lessons remotely and look after their children at the same time?

Notthemessiah · 31/10/2020 20:53

At least most are being honest here and admitting that it's not for the children's sake that schools should be kept open but because their jobs depend on it - far more sympathy for them than those who try and pretend their kids are suffering horribly if schools are closed (usually the ones who could do it but just can't handle their kids being at home - probably the same ones that sneer at stay at home mums).

Some schools asked kids about the effect of the last lockdown - a sizeable number reported how less stressed they were and that they thought their mental health was better rather than worse without the bullying, social competition, etc, etc.

Let's not pretend secondary schools or universities are safe for the people working in them either - mostly safe for the students themselves though. Guess we can always train more teachers to replace the ones that drop.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 31/10/2020 20:54

Well I can't work from home in my job and I'm a single parent so for me it would be a month of no pay, then probably extended as we all know 4 weeks won't achieve much. I don't think my boss or my colleagues would be happy having to do all my work while I was off for weeks.

LynetteScavo · 31/10/2020 20:54

Schools should have closed for two weeks over half term, with a national lockdown. Two schools local to me were fully closed the week before half term anyway, and I am (was) in a tier one area.
But as that didn't happen I'm wondering if schools could have a liger holiday over Christmas. My DD is Y11 and I desperately want her to continue going to school, but I also think it makes a mockery of shops etc closing. There's just no point in closing shops but keeping schools open, IMO.

Bollss · 31/10/2020 20:54

far more sympathy for them than those who try and pretend their kids are suffering horribly if schools are closed (usually the ones who could do it but just can't handle their kids being at home - probably the same ones that sneer at stay at home mums)

Pretending?? Oh yes because nobodies kids suffered did they Hmm

OhTheRoses · 31/10/2020 20:55

Many universities have minimal cases. They don't all have hundreds as conveyed in the deeply honest and factual press.

PheasantPlucker1 · 31/10/2020 20:55

I absolutely did provide a timetable of live lessons, while home schooling all four of my own DC, as a single mum.

What I cant do is have another fucking mask thrown at me in school. I just cant.

justmewithmylifetoday · 31/10/2020 20:56

Just wondering if everyone saying schools shouldn't shut are people who don't work in the education sector/in a school?

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 31/10/2020 20:56

Let’s be realistic here is schools did close it wouldn’t just be for 2 weeks or a month I honestly don’t believe this England lockdown will be lifted on the 2nd of December either. Yes I could use AL or take unpaid leave for a coupe of weeks but there is no guarantee it would just be a couple of weeks

Waxonwaxoff0 · 31/10/2020 20:57

@Notthemessiah to be fair my DS did suffer while schools were closed, and we didn't get much work done. I was on furlough during that time. But his education can be caught up on. My immediate concern is being able to work, I'll admit that.

What2do2 · 31/10/2020 20:58

I honestly believe that it wouldn’t just be teachers (and I was one for years) but parents who will have had enough of closures etc. People can’t continue to pay taxes towards schools that aren’t open . There will be loads of online options in the future and being developed now (no this isn’t ideal) , highly qualified teachers in other countries that can teach for much less than teachers are paid in UK etc . Maybe allowing flexible times for students to learn and for parents to still keep their jobs.

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 31/10/2020 20:58

@Waxonwaxoff0 it’s not selfish to worry about that though because if you can’t work how long would
It be before you couldn’t afford to feed everyone or keep a roof over your head? Just as much a part of your children’s wellbeing as their education

commandatori · 31/10/2020 20:59

Schools need to stay open, but it sometimes feels hard to be at a high level of exposure without any protection. I, like lots of people in different jobs, sacrifice a lot of my personal life because I’m in a fairly high risk environment. I’m not really worried about Covid but I can’t risk passing it onto my parents. That’s just part of it though.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 31/10/2020 21:01

@AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii yes, and as a single parent my income is the only income and I don't have a partner to help juggle work/childcare like some people do. It is a big worry and I don't think the lockdown would just be for 4 weeks.

bookworm14 · 31/10/2020 21:01

My child absolutely did suffer when schools were shut.

TheKeatingFive · 31/10/2020 21:02

People can’t continue to pay taxes towards schools that aren’t open . There will be loads of online options in the future and being developed

Well quite.

If nothing else, this crisis has opened our eyes to the infinitely cheaper models for mass teaching available to us.

echt · 31/10/2020 21:02

Could teachers provide a timetable of live lessons remotely and look after their children at the same time

I don't think every lesson can be live, but it's perfectly possible to provide decent cover remotely with children. I know staff who did this and it's hard going but they managed it. Obviously it's anecdata and they were also secondary school teachers. How primary school teachers do this I don't know.