Schools staying open during lockdown

[JulieGS]

Is anyone else worried about sending our children to school during lockdown?

The NEU has launched a petition calling for schools to be closed - you can find it here:

actionnetwork.org/forms/close-schools-and-colleges-now

Goodness. I was not comparing swimming lessons with ‘an education’, I was comparing the safety and distancing they’ve been given. Although since you’ve started I will assert that for some the swimming lessons will go on to be of equal, and for a very few, more significance than school. In my circumstances, I can teach my kids, in fact I’m watching at the moment to see if one of mine (mild sen) does indeed make more progress out of school than in it, which I will need to prove to my dh. So I don’t equate school and education.

@NaughtipussMaximus

It's almost as though some want teachers to suffer. The hatred for teachers on Mumsnet is very strange.

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer
So you deny implying we’re horrible human beings who don’t care about teachers THEN IN THE SAME POST say we want teachers to suffer and hate them! Couldn’t make this up! 😂😂😂

I think people who don't care about teachers' health are horrible human beings. Doesn't everyone?

You seem to be pretending I said something I didn't. That's happened a lot on this thread.

I'll say it again,

I want schools to be safer for staff and for children. If they cannot be made more covid safe then those that can't should close until they are.

Not sure why so many people have a problem with making schools safer.

The problem is that 'making schools safer' usually distils to someone advocating for distance learning or part time learning, which in reality equates to the vast majority of kids melting their brains on minecraft/youtube/fortnite.

So saying you want schools to close 'until their safer' is essentially saying 'no education until there is no covid'

Do you really think thats ok? Is the risk to teachers really that bad that it justifies no education/schools until covid is gone forever?

Part time schools still seems to be the needed compromise to me.

It’s 4 weeks! They can/will catch up

I’m sick of this ‘it’s only ...’

If the NEU had their way, there would be children who only had 8 weeks of schooling between March and December of this year. In what universe is that good enough?

And after the fiasco with the exams in the summer.

@Juststopswimming

The problem is that 'making schools safer' usually distils to someone advocating for distance learning or part time learning, which in reality equates to the vast majority of kids melting their brains on minecraft/youtube/fortnite.

So saying you want schools to close 'until their safer' is essentially saying 'no education until there is no covid'

Do you really think thats ok? Is the risk to teachers really that bad that it justifies no education/schools until covid is gone forever?

I didn't say all schools should close. I said those that cannot comply with the recommendations should close until they do. Ventilation is vital yet classes are being held in rooms where the windows cannot be opened.

Some rooms are too small for social distancing. That isn't acceptable.

Some schools do not have adequate toilet and hand washing facilities.

The government's refusal to put in extra money so that schools can comply with these vary basic measures is a disgrace.

Children and staff deserve better. The very least that should be done is for masks to be worn.

My school has had very few cases so far. Not “COVID secure” by any means, just lucky. We are very well set up for remote teaching when necessary.

My Year 13s are very keen for exams to go ahead as normal, because they know they are at an advantage. The kinder ones are concerned for their friends at other schools, some of whom have had only 2 weeks’ teaching so far this year.

Schools are not universally “open” now, and they all need to be made safer.

*I didn't say all schools should close. I said those that cannot comply with the recommendations should close until they do. Ventilation is vital yet classes are being held in rooms where the windows cannot be opened.

Some rooms are too small for social distancing. That isn't acceptable.

Some schools do not have adequate toilet and hand washing facilities.

The government's refusal to put in extra money so that schools can comply with these vary basic measures is a disgrace.

Children and staff deserve better. The very least that should be done is for masks to be worn.*

I agree it's a disgrace and this utter shower of a government will go down as the worst in history.

The problem is that you've described probably 95% of the countrys schools, so you are advocating for mass school closures. I agree all of these things would help (aside from masks, because frankly, masks on 4 year olds who can barely wipe their arses is pointless imo) but in reality these things are just not achievable. The government are not going to throw any money at schools to fix all of the things you list above. Just like they havent thrown any extra money/resource at the NHS to help handle any rise in hospital admissions.

ROI are getting their numbers under control very well now (daily case numbers a third of what they were a few weeks ago, R number now under 1).

They’re under full lockdown but with schools open.

The only significant difference to U.K. is that secondary schools are wearing masks.

So that should be the focus for NEU.

@TheKeatingFive

It’s 4 weeks! They can/will catch up

I’m sick of this ‘it’s only ...’

If the NEU had their way, there would be children who only had 8 weeks of schooling between March and December of this year. In what universe is that good enough?

And after the fiasco with the exams in the summer.

exactly..... it'll be "oh it's only been 2 years they'll catch up" soon.

@TheKeatingFive

It’s 4 weeks! They can/will catch up

I’m sick of this ‘it’s only ...’

If the NEU had their way, there would be children who only had 8 weeks of schooling between March and December of this year. In what universe is that good enough?

And after the fiasco with the exams in the summer.

but i didnt say 'its only' so using that sentence to say you are sick of people saying 'its only' was somewhat pointless!!

they won't be getting much schooling when teachers are off sick or with stress.....and god forbid parents step up and ensure schoolwork is done online, at home or home school their kids themselves!

they won't be getting much schooling when teachers are off sick or with stress.....and god forbid parents step up and ensure schoolwork is done online, at home or home school their kids themselves!

with stress? sounds a bit like a threat.

It's funny, because until this year, home schooling was a thing only for a very small minority. It was not something most parents ever experienced.

And now, oh well we should all step up and be experts.

We might as well sack all teachers immediately if we can just as good a job at home with a couple of sodding worksheets - eh?

(and no, i dont think this but the amount of teachers who clearly do is astounding)

and god forbid parents step up and ensure schoolwork is done online, at home or home school their kids themselves!

I can't homeschool my DD. I am not a teacher.

DenimDrift Folk like you just can’t be bothered to even think that it’s not about parents needing to “step up”.

Such lazy, sanctimonious crap. I did my best during lockdown with schooling, my dad was trying to do it whilst H and I were at work (h went back to work a few weeks into lockdown).

Our iPad wasn’t compatible with much of the school work either, so that didn’t get done.

but i didnt say 'its only' so using that sentence to say you are sick of people saying 'its only' was somewhat pointless

You’re pissing around with semantics to avoid addressing the actual point. We all know what that means.

We might as well sack all teachers immediately if we can just as good a job at home with a couple of sodding worksheets - eh?

Exactly. Teachers need to be pretty careful when making out homeschooling with Twinkl worksheets is piece of piss.

What’s all the training of and funding for classroom teachers about if we should all be able to pick it up in 5 minutes, with nothing more than internet resource?

Anyone with young primary age kids plus toddlers plus babies at home is going to find homeschooling difficult. It just doesn’t compare to a proper days education at school. Same can be said of people trying to work from home and homeschool simultaneously. Homeschool is just not a viable option for lots of people for many reasons. I definitely think as adults we should be giving up more to keep schools open if it comes to it.

and God forbid parents step up and ensure schoolwork is done online, at home or home school their kids themselves

And people wonder why there's so much so called "teacher bashing" how about God forbid you step up and do the job your qualified and paid for. Not quite as acceptable when it comes back at you is it.
Its like a dentist saying God forbid you couldn't take your tooth out yourself, or a fireman saying God forbid you couldn't put your own fire out!

Yes I think they should close for 4 weeks. I'm a parent (so not a middle class retiree...which is apparently akin to being a serial killer looking at the responses on here!)

Schools should stay open. Not fair to deprive kids of education and Year 10 and 11 it would impact their future life chances as impact on exam grades.

Iremember How would you manage to homeschool if they close?

Yawn....they need to stay open. End of

Schools need to stay open. Some children would be fine with home schooling but a lot aren't and they matter too

@3littlewords

and God forbid parents step up and ensure schoolwork is done online, at home or home school their kids themselves

And people wonder why there's so much so called "teacher bashing" how about God forbid you step up and do the job your qualified and paid for. Not quite as acceptable when it comes back at you is it.
Its like a dentist saying God forbid you couldn't take your tooth out yourself, or a fireman saying God forbid you couldn't put your own fire out!

Agree with this so much!!!

“Ensure schoolwork is done” is not the same as “be a teacher yourself”.

It’s more like “remember to floss” or “put the candles out before you go to bed”.