The government is encouraging covid spread in schools

[noblegiraffe]

Bear with me, because if they're not, you have to explain this:

1. Schools will stay fully open end of. Even when they're not.

1. No masks allowed in classrooms where teachers and pupils spend the most time. The expectation that they would be mandated in corridors is fudged at the last minute to lockdown areas only.

1. Pupils are not allowed to be tested for the symptoms that kids are most likely to get.

1. Teachers (who in secondary will teach all bubbles without masks) are not to self isolate if there is a case in a class they have taught.

1. Fudge any data that may show teachers getting ill at a higher rate than the general population and Chris Whitty lying about it

1. Fudge data that may show school pupils having a higher infection rate than the general population

1. Not permitting / trying / mass testing in schools where there have been cases in case they find out how bad the spread is.

1. Actually sending letter to parents to tell them to stop getting kids tested.

9 Fine parents who try and keep their kids off when in contact with a known positive case.

10. Launch a propaganda campaign to convince parents that schools are safe using data from schools in lockdown, which every news outlet dutifully publicises. Continuing that propaganda campaign by releasing a video of socially distanced school kids wearing masks in classrooms.

11. Hide Gavin Williamson in a cupboard so that no journalist can accidentally ask him how his aim to reopen schools safely is going.

12. Announce that one of the school safety measures will be children in bubbles which will burst when there are cases. Stop this midway through September and start sending home as few kids as possible. Remove the schools remit from PHE control and put DfE in charge to enforce this.

13. Produce a Tiered system of responses to infection levels (rotas, masks, closures) to reassure parents, and shut the unions up. Then never mention them again and in fact state that they are not to be used.

14. When Hull begs for rotas due to imminent collapse of system, send a letter to all local authorities re-iterating NO ROTAS

15. Have some strange control over the media so they don’t mention any issues, or if they do, it must be accompanied by a picture of a jumbo classroom containing max 5 kids.

16. Tell teachers to ignore the app when it tells them to isolate, or to turn off the app completely

17. No funding for schools to implement any covid safety measures

Any other explanations for this list?

It's almost as if everything those of us who actually work in schools say is happening gets proven to be true eventually when it can't be concealed any longer. Yet dfe still denies it even when the evidence is everywhere.

For my day off today I didn't actually work. I did some bits around the house and ensured ds was engaging with remote learning and then I dozed for nearly 4 hours making up for lost sleep recently.

Tomorrow I have just one face to face lesson due to school being closed to three year groups now. My remote lessons are already recorded and set so I'll be marking submitted work and chasing up/checking in with those who haven't engaged.

Sadly they're not back in next week either. But schools are open nothing to see here says dfe.

There is so much extra precautions in the hospitality industry they really do feel much safer than if they operated as normal. Spaced out tables, everything super clean, windows open or outdoor tables only. They have done so much to get risk down. Compare that with my kids school. Two stories I have had this week - they are running out of soap so my eldest tells we they are only to wash hands if muddy, otherwise just use sanitizer. And my youngest tells me how much he hates going to the toilet cos it’s so dirty. And he couldn’t go the other day cos there was pop all over the seat.

*poo

And staff are not at higher risk than those working in other sectors."

How on earth can they claim this, its just ridiculous nonsense, and quite insulting to teachers who are raising these issues also. What other sector has badly ventilated rooms, filled with 30-40 people all the workday, and with no PPE at all? Of course teachers are higher risk than others.

I received a response from my MP (sent @noblegiraffe email above):

*Thank you for contacting me about keeping schools and colleges safe.

It must be ensured that schools stay open, that parents and teachers are supported, and that pupils get all the help they need to catch up.

Furthermore, it is essential that children do not further lose out on time in the classroom because of a shortage of tests available. Parents should be guaranteed a test for their child within 24 hours and the result back 24 hours later.

I agree with you that there needs to be fairness for students on exams next year. I am concerned that the failure to effectively manage the exams and assessments processes for summer 2020 caused enormous anxiety for many children and young people, as well as their families and teachers.

As you may be aware, on 12 October 2020, the Government announced exams will go ahead next summer, “underpinned by contingencies for all possible scenarios.” It stated that most AS, A levels and GCSEs will be held three weeks later to help address the disruption caused by the pandemic.

I am pleased that the Government has listened to calls for exams to be delayed, but it could have done this weeks ago to give schools more time to prepare. A delay is necessary but not enough to make exams fair for all. The Government must ensure that every pupil gets the support they need to catch up, and that they look at other possibilities to make exams fairer.

The priority must always be saving lives, minimising harm and keeping our children in school. Until a vaccine is discovered and distributed, that depends on driving the R value to below 1 with containment measures, social distancing and an effective test, trace and isolate strategy led by local directors of public health.

You may be aware that I have recently been appointed as Labour’s Shadow Minister for Schools, so you can count on me to raise these issues relentlessly.

Thanks again for taking the time to email me on this issue, and please do not hesitate to get in touch again about this or any other matter.

Very best wishes*

It occurs to me they're terrified of what young people may turn into if not conditioned and worn down by state education and that it is deliberately underfunded and kept sub par so as not to raise young people's expectations or standards of what is acceptable.

My subject's exam is on exactly the same day..

Year 2 are doing the phonic screening this term

Anyone who supports schools closing early for Christmas, there's a petition here to sign.

My position on this is slightly more nuanced, in that I think this should apply to secondary schools and colleges, and they should be remote for the last week (not closed) apart from for vulnerable pupils. And I think primary parents should be given the option to take their kids out for the last week if term without risking a fine if they want to/are able to. I can see that totally closing primary schools will cause childcare issues for some working parents.

We won't be mixing with anyone inside regardless, however for those who do choose to mix it will make it safer if kids are out of school from 11 Dec.

I've still signed the petition though as it will get them to debate it. It's not far off the 100,000 it needs to get a debate, so feel free to sign if you agree with the general idea

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/549015

It occurs to me they're terrified of what young people may turn into if not conditioned and worn down by state education and that it is deliberately underfunded and kept sub par so as not to raise young people's expectations or standards of what is acceptable.

Am coming to that conclusion too. My DD's school did half class sizes and social distancing in the summer with extra money. It was much better educationally as well as in terms of disease transmission. I do wonder if they're not keen for people to see what smaller class sizes can do to an educational experience.

@IloveJKRowling I think you’re right. I would get loads done if my groups had 15 rather than 30 in them. They’d probably even get more done on a week on week off rota with tasks to complete at home than they currently do.

Feeling deflated. On another thread somebody is in disbelief that parents are sending in children who've tested positive.
Our school had to write out to plead with parents and was brave enough to be honest.
Yet a poster seems in complete doubt that anybody would be so cavalier and deliberately send them in

Ugh. All of this is very spot on, OP. Working is education is horrible right now and I never ever thought that I'd say I hate my job, but I do. I hate that I am being left so so damn vulnerable as a previously shielding teacher and that no one in the government seems to give a shit about our safety.

Yes that’s so true about what happened before the summer.
In my small primary we opened with bubbles of 15 per class. It was amazing. We got through so much work and it felt very safe as we could all socially distance. Not a single case in the whole of June / July.
We have had five in the last two weeks.

My son’s primary school has sent a letter telling parents that the week before school breaks for Xmas, they will have the option of keeping their children at home. There will be home learning but the extra will allow parents and children to self isolate if they wish to meet vulnerable family at Xmas.

It’s a lovely letter and explains that Xmas activities will be done before so children won’t miss the school celebrations. The children are either in all week or out. And parents have time to arrange their schedules.

Although we’re not seeing any family at Xmas, I’ve decided to keep my son home because we can. The week before Xmas break is manic in schools and teachers deserve a break.

I hope more schools offer this.

What a great idea Kingsley08 that would be great if more schools follow.

Wow Kingsley I wish our school would do that (they wont.)
I thought the other schools were told they couldn't close early.

@Kingsley08

My son’s primary school has sent a letter telling parents that the week before school breaks for Xmas, they will have the option of keeping their children at home. There will be home learning but the extra will allow parents and children to self isolate if they wish to meet vulnerable family at Xmas.

It’s a lovely letter and explains that Xmas activities will be done before so children won’t miss the school celebrations. The children are either in all week or out. And parents have time to arrange their schedules.

Although we’re not seeing any family at Xmas, I’ve decided to keep my son home because we can. The week before Xmas break is manic in schools and teachers deserve a break.

I hope more schools offer this.

That is brilliant to hear and a very good idea to give parents the choice. It will keep their own children safe at home and will give staff a chance to try more SD with the remaining pupils as there will be significantly fewer

Can I ask which LEA you are?

Thing with that though is all are given the chance to see family safely except for the teachers and their family. If everyone is out teachers can isolate too otherwise they can't

I’d love to upload the letter - it’s just such a sensible solution. The school is pretty much empty this week.

I’m waiting to hear from my own school and my secondary son’s school as they’re all the same council. However, the head says the decision was made with the governors, so not a council decision. Obviously, everyone will be talking about it tomorrow (I don’t work Thursdays and Fridays). I don’t want to say too much without outing us. We’re in Teesside.

@TheHoneyBadger I’m really hoping most will keep their children off, so teachers can have small classes and rotas - like over the summer. I know my son would rather be at school with his mates but honestly, there is no learning during the last week, just movies, word searches and drawing Xmas trees.

I’m keeping him off for the teachers. Fingers crossed others do the same.

@TheHoneyBadger

Thing with that though is all are given the chance to see family safely except for the teachers and their family. If everyone is out teachers can isolate too otherwise they can't

Exactly. What a nonsense. So teachers are left unable too. Well thats fine then🤬

I must admit part of me wanted blended learning to be implemented as I thought it would be better educationally for my kids !

Lots of discussion about this on the Independent Sage briefing this week.

@Ninbuscl me too! I don't think theyd be losing education at all. Mine worked so well in the summer and enjoyed it a lot more. I guess that's why private schools do it...