Secondary schools are totally stuffed, WELL-RESPECTED SCIENTISTS ADMIT

[noblegiraffe]

I don't normally get asked for an encore, more usually 'urgh, not another bloody thread', but per a request we have a follow-up to the resoundingly popular:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4078722-Secondary-schools-are-fucked-BOFFINS-ADMIT

Feedback has been received and acted upon re the title so hopefully that will temper the urge to complain.

Quick round-up of where we were at:

1. the infection rate is now highest in secondary school pupils in Y7-11, higher than uni students and sixth formers. They're not catching it at the pub...

2. The government/ONS put out misleading figures to suggest that teachers weren't at higher risk than NHS frontline workers, where actually looking at the data, they may well be. They fudged this by calling the largest group of teachers, who are at higher risk than frontline NHS staff 'teachers of an unknown type' and pretended they were irrelevant.

3. The DfE have changed the format of their attendance statistics report to remove the reference to how many hundreds of thousands of kids are currently isolating due to exposure to covid at school.

4. Boffins are cool

New info: The Guardian reports that teachers are being instructed to ignore app notifications to self-isolate by the school helpline and this might be a bad thing. They can't help themselves though, and have a lovely photo of a socially distanced classroom of lies at the top of the story.

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/16/union-says-teachers-in-england-being-told-to-pause-covid-app-in-school

That’s totally at odds with the Scottish data this week.

Schools will stay open

@WouldBeGood is it panto season yet?

Oh no they won't!

The data is clear 🤷🏻‍♀️

They are already closing

Rubbish

@iVampire how could you isolate from your child?!

Some cheering data

Took 2 seconds to find

www.google.com/amp/s/www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-county-council-issues-statement-4718214.amp

www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18863705.dartford-science-technology-college-closes-covid-19/

Mm...I sense an agenda on this thread... are you all teachers?

@SophieB100 ours has always been lovely and as such it's hard to be too critical. Most of the pressure to come in comes from a sense of loyalty and not letting the side down.

The schisms opening up in schools at the minute frighten me almost as much as the virus. We seem to be falling into two camps; those who are still organising the Christmas party and those who are on the verge of a breakdown. It's awful when you discuss your concerns with SLT and they treat you like a small child who needs reassurance that the monsters aren't real. I think they are genuinely trying to be kind but you can't help coming away feeling you've now been labelled as being hysterical.

I'm trying really hard to understand where people are coming from and what motivates their thinking but it's mentally draining. The simple fact of the matter is we all have different situations that effect our attitude to the virus. Some people are living with/caring for vulnerable relatives, some have strong religious faith that seems to free them of all fear, some are young and physically fit, some are struggling with finances, some worry their weight or ethnicity puts them more at risk .... There are literally so many factors that it's impossible to reach a consensus on how to approach things. At the moment the rearranging the deck chairs brigade are winning but a hospitalisation or death could soon tip the balance.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/essex-covid-schools-hit-covid-4717073.amp

I'm a parent and secondly a teacher.

Hmm I sense denial.

@WouldBeGood if you read the full thread you will see lots of evidence and teachers wanting consistent education for all students during the pandemic.

Mm.. I see a lot of teachers clamouring for school closures, which is not in line with the science

@WouldBeGood

Mm.. I see a lot of teachers clamouring for school closures, which is not in line with the science

That's really not what you see. It might be what you're choosing to see, but it's not what's being said.

Mm.. I see a poster who doesn't read threads and look at the extensive evidence provided and also ignores posts from a minute or two earlier which contradict said poster's points. Getting tiring now.

You know full well teachers want schools open but SAFELY.

Schools are closing.

But there ha just not massive shreds in schools

There’s a massive amount of needless anxiety on this thread.

Are you not happy that schools are staying open?

*spread

I am not happy with the unsafe way they are staying open. Unsafe for everyone not just in school but for the wider community.

I would LOVE schools to be open as in normal times when we are in normal times!

.....don't feed the troll.....

So, do you think they should close? In your opinion?

I’m not a troll.. I just don’t get it

@WouldBeGood

I’m not a troll.. I just don’t get it

Not a troll just hasn’t followed the thread and decided to jump in hundreds of posts in knowing nothing about the debate.

"Needless anxiety"

Gaslighting and minimising much? Shall we just tell that to the families of education staff (2 of which I knew) who have died...