Government denial over schools issues will cause deaths this Christmas

[noblegiraffe]

I just can't get my head around how utterly crazy the government Christmas policy is.

Secondary school kids are the most infected subset of the population with it now estimated that more than 1 in 50 of them are positive. As they are children, most of them will never be tested as they either are asymptomatic, or will display different symptoms to the main three that are required to trigger a test (councils are overruling this in some parts of England and asking parents to use a more sensible list of symptoms).

Schools mostly break up on 18th December, 5 days before the Christmas relaxation period begins and people start taking advantage of this to mix with other households indoors, in poorly ventilated small rooms, which as scientists warn, is a terrible idea. twitter.com/devisridhar/status/1331931594400149506?s=21

Closing schools a week earlier (or moving online) would give 2 weeks out of school before Christmas day, which would reduce the infection rate in school children significantly (we saw a dip in the infection rate just in one week over half term) and make it safer for them to mix with other households, particularly if people took advantage of those two weeks to significantly reduce their contacts and other risks.

Some schools took it upon themselves to protect their own communities by changing the term dates to close a week earlier. The DfE has overruled this and forced them to stay open.
schoolsweek.co.uk/overruled-dfes-sweeping-coronavirus-powers-force-trust-into-early-christmas-holiday-u-turn/

Because of the tier system, if families don't get together at Christmas during the relaxation period, when their children pose a much higher risk, they will not be able to see their families properly for Christmas at all. Essentially Christmas is being funnelled into a time period which is insanely risky due to it coming shortly after children mixing freely in unsafe schools with significant numbers of undiscovered infections.

I know the DfE have been reading this board. I understand why you want schools open, but lying to people about the risks as you have is dangerous and immoral. Transparency is needed so that people can make their own informed risk assessments, not propaganda about 'safe schools' and 'saving Christmas'.

No one will vote conservative for many years to come after this. My whole family and extended family have been tories all their lives. They have all been fucked over by ridiculous policies and seen the safety of their children and grandchildren put at risk so the tories could do deals with their mates. All of them state that they will never vote Tory again. So what’s it matter to them now. They’ve fucked it.

I don't think you can extrapolate your family's feelings to the rest of the population. I know a lot of Tory voters who are very against Brexit but they still voted for them. It seems it doesn't matter what the Tories do.

@Belladonna12

I think it would be better if the Christmas holiday was extended so children go back a week later. I'm not going to mix with family over Christmas because there are so many cases at DD;s school. Other families can choose to do this too. What isn't so easy to at the moment is the fact that when they goes back cases will be high due to mixing.

This is what is being proposed in Scotland, not going back until the 11th, it’s only 3 extra days off.

Im also worried avout the return to school after all the mixing has happened. Im offixially cv not ecv but so wish i could hold back for 2 weeks. The schools already been shut once and it feels like playing russian roulette with my life.

Noble I absolutely agree with you. Something needs to happen urgently. It's colder, pupils and their parents are objecting to ventilation, even discussing it with students puts both parties at risk.. It's impossible to carry out the ridiculous guidelines in the dofe reports.
They are clearly not written by people who work with students!

On line learning should kick in one week before Xmas and 2 weeks after.

I totally agree with the pp who said schools who didn't provide work nor go on line from March until July, shot themselves and their pupils and teachers in the foot.

I am CEV, and my DMum is both CEV and very elderly

My DD is just about to finish 2 weeks SI. The school has delivered very good remote learning, and I really wish she didn’t have to go back in in person and be in the school environment again just in time to have another contact with a positive case and have to SI for Xmas. Confirmed cases in the school have been rising in the past week and getting on for half the school is SI - even if DD is in, its likely that some of her teachers won’t be

It does all seem like a nonsense to me. And I cannot work out what is safe to do in terms of Christmas visits. I think it might have to be a tier appropriate day trip, not using the Christmas concession

It is all rather a mess

@noblegiraffe

The government have handled it badly, but that doesn’t mean mixing at Christmas is a sensible idea.

The government are the ones encouraging mixing at Christmas. Glad that you agree that is a stupid idea.

I totally agree it is a stupid idea. We won’t be doing it

“Do you want your child's headteacher ringing on the 21st and saying he/she has to isolate for 2 weeks just so they could avoid being taught online - or do nothing for a week if they don't/can't engage with online stuff?“

We aren’t doing anything much over Christmas holidays (not much is open and we aren’t seeing relatives) so while I’d rather the children were able to go for a walk, if they have to isolate at some point over the winter then over the holidays, not missing any school, would be ideal.

@noblegiraffe
He attends the type of school that has been said will stay open regardless
I could type a full ranty message about it, instead I'll say - it could have all been avoided and still could, if the government get their heads out of their arses.

@TheRubyRedshoes

There’s no such thing as online learning for DC who don’t have the equipment, facilities or support at home.

We need to be very clear that ‘blended’ learning is the same as school closure for millions of D.C.

That is why, despite the fact I would not be averse to a one week early closure, we cannot set a precedent that the unions will use to keep schools closed until April.

The damage to the futures of millions of DC is too important.

There’s no such thing as online learning for DC who don’t have the equipment, facilities or support at home.

Isn't it awful that after 8 months the government have still failed to sort laptops and dongles for disadvantaged kids and have actually cut the provision that was originally promised?

we cannot set a precedent that the unions will use to keep schools closed until April.

You keep saying that unions will 'keep schools closed', Starry

How exactly could a teaching union keep a school closed? There's been no ballot for strike action and it's not even on the cards.

More scaremongering anti-union propaganda.

"Spikey Why are you not angry at the government and how they have let covid run riot through schools putting your DS in that position?"

DS is in special school with tiny classes and large numbers of staff required for it to stay open. Close contact is envitable. That can't be avoided. Two of the weeks were waiting for test results so nothing to do with school.

"the unions will use to keep schools closed until April."

There you go again. Where is your evidence for this?

Two of the weeks were waiting for test results so nothing to do with school.

So the test and trace farce. I agree that has been massively disruptive for schools.

Teachers in special schools should be tested on the same schedule as care home workers, and should be on the priority list for vaccines.

Quality input as ever, Vivienne

I think that would be more support for schools closing if schools were a more consistent regarding online learning. I keep hearing about teachers working hard during the pandemic but didn't see much signs of that at DD's previous school last year or her current one. When children have been off self isolating, the majority of teachers don't bother to switch on teams so they can follow the lessons or provide power points etc. if the teachers themselves are self isolating, there is no teaching for two weeks. I know that's not the case in all schools but it is in others.

It would have been sensible to close a week.early with plenty of time to.plan.meaningful home learning. But it's too late now.

I dont think.im going to risk seeing my.mum this year so close to her getting the vaccine.

Nothing is ideal is it? I'm just just glad my eldest arent in critical years and the eldest did gcses last year as in hindsight it was a bolt from.the blue and not a year of uncertainty and stress

How kind.

Choice A - Close schools one week early to avoid community spread of covid.

Choice B - Keep schools open until right before Christmas --> community spread of covid --> then all back to school --> more spread within schools ----> LONGER time off for child due to infection or isolation period.

If you want your kids in school it is a no brainer.

The vast majority or parents are supportive of schools remaining open

Some are as they want the childcare or not have to home educate again but I’ve seen lots posted too about not wanting schools to be open if it means they aren’t safe.

I must add that two of my kids have EHCPs in independent schools and I am.very aware that indi is nothing like state and covid screams out the glaring differences. State most definitely can not provide what private can now more than ever

Since you mentioned that DFE read these boards...

There are BTECs in early January and there's no official policy on what happens if your bubble has burst or you have CV symptoms.
My ds won't be mixing but he obviously has no control over the rest of his bubble of 240.

Government have talked about risk at Christmas. Whitty certainly has.

People will obviously go with the guidelines of three above this. But it hasn’t been a go for it is fine message.

I support people hearing above message about risk and making own decision to remove child early if they want.

Keep schools open until right before Christmas --> community spread of covid > then all back to school > more spread within schools > LONGER time off for child due to infection or isolation period.

There is a third choice that they can keep the schools open until right before Christmas but not go back for at least two weeks after the 27th.