Govt attempting to force schools to remain open with court order, against advice of PHE

[Bluegreen70]

Just that.

I've never hated any politicians so much

I’m with crownofthorns - how the hell are parents supposed to work with schools closing at a days notice. Are we all supposed to just go on benefits.

It’s not surprising cases spread when the staggered drop off means parents are standing around for 30-60 mins doing staggered drop offs. Some schools have not handled this well at all.

Funny, someone was just saying that staggered drop-offs prevented cases at their school and all schools should do it.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot I work in a school and my children will be doing the exact same thing. I also deserve a break after working my arse off since Feb so this week will be full of Christmas cheer

If your school is overrun with cases of course it should close. I don't believe a school with no cases should necessarily have to follow suit.

I don't advocate mass school closure. I DO advocate mass testing - none of which is happening it seems this week despite us being told it would be.

@newusername2009

I’m with crownofthorns - how the hell are parents supposed to work with schools closing at a days notice. Are we all supposed to just go on benefits.

It’s not surprising cases spread when the staggered drop off means parents are standing around for 30-60 mins doing staggered drop offs. Some schools have not handled this well at all.

Parents should social distance while waiting. I don't think you can blame the schools for that.

@BertNErnie

I'd absolutely love to see the government take the boroughs that have closed to court to ensure schools remain open in boroughs where there are ridiculously higher levels of infection.

It would really show how little the safety of school children - particularly those in secondaries matters.

There is absolutely strength in numbers and it's high time local councils get together to take on the DFE. At every turn they have tried to manipulate data to minimise concerns and bury the news of the virus spreading in older school children and its high time the wider population were as outraged as some of us in here have been.

Parents and carers have been vilified for wanting to keep their children off school when rates are rising exponentially in their local area and therefore in schools.

It's an absolute disgrace.

I really really hope Greenwich, Islington and Waltham Forest in London dig their heels in and see this through.

So do I!! I really really hope so.

@newusername2009

I’m with crownofthorns - how the hell are parents supposed to work with schools closing at a days notice. Are we all supposed to just go on benefits.

It’s not surprising cases spread when the staggered drop off means parents are standing around for 30-60 mins doing staggered drop offs. Some schools have not handled this well at all.

This is the most ridiculous argument when students could be told to self isolate from tomorrow anyway.

It also doesn't really apply to parents of secondary age kids.

Is going to work worth someone dying?

Also, those talking about shielding the vulnerable - vulnerable people have to work in schools and send their kids to school. That is the opposite of shielding.

My kids are at primary school in one of the affected boroughs and frankly I’m delighted that I have a good reason for them to stay home now. I still have to work but at least I can explain to my boss why I might be less productive this week, whereas I couldn’t have done that had I decided to pull them out (which I was close to doing). Even if they were exposed today they will be clear by Christmas Eve (though of course I realise one of them could get sick and then infect the rest of us, that is still a risk). Cases in their school have exploded in the last week and it’s gone crazy. They are better off at home. It’s only a few more days. My friends who are key workers can still send their kids in.

I hope the council stand firm against the government. I won’t be sending them in even if the school is forced to reopen now. My only regret is that i didn’t have a chance to send in Christmas chocolates/champagne for the teachers who have worked their butts off all term and whose efforts I hugely appreciate.

In fact, surely this makes childcare easier for a lot of families as children can be cared for outside the home? Whereas if they are told to isolate, they can't? And that will last for longer than 4 days.

Oh wow, look at this. If this is true then it’s outrageous.

And another.

What’s going on?

I’m a teacher and there is no way I’d be sending my children into school this week. My son is year 11.
Many of my teaching colleagues withdrew their children from school in South Wales last week, before the government directed schools to go to online learning. It’s not safe, it hasn’t been safe for weeks, but at the moment it is really concerning.

In West Yorkshire an academy trust planned to close its schools
a week early for Christmas(making the days up later in the year) due to the virus and were told they weren’t allowed due to the Coronavirus Act.

This was back in November.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-55059135

@noblegiraffe if this is correct, this is outrageous and it needs to be made public knowledge.

Islington is a Labour borough @noblegiraffe and so far unchallenged in the decision to close primaries, secondaries and nurseries from 15th Dec - 11th January.

Greenwich closed before Islington so maybe they’re taking a while to get to it?

Or maybe it’s only vital for kids in Greenwich to go to school this week?

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

quite frankly, this year has been shit and they deserve some Christmas cheer

Yep, it's been shit for school staff too. What they really want is to babysit exhausted and over excited children.

Err, it's their job. If they choose to do "fun" things in the last week of term, that doesn't turn it into "babysitting" and somehow beneath them.

@Crownofthorns you come across as totally self centred and entitled. So because your DD has SEN and fares better at school you blatantly keep harping on as to how it serves you personally that schools stay open.

Does massive infection rates and people dying, children being left orphans not matter even a little to you? You are a selfish idiot.

Sorry - when did PHE advise closing schools? Did I miss something?

What an absolute dangerous shambles of a government we have.

It's just mindblowingly clear that the schools should be closed. Highest level of cases and authorised mixing just days away now. Secondary school teens can manage perfectly well without supervision and without their last few days of this term. They don't need to be in school. This is bullshit from a bullshit government that deals in lies and slogans.

I think they’ve finally lost the plot.

I hope they go to court & that the process flushes out the FOI requests about child & staff infection levels & fatalities which so far the DFE are ignoring. Every parent in the land should be up in arms about what’s happening in British schools. I am so angry about what’s happening in our country.

@HalfPastThree they haven't

@newusername2009
Nice unnecessary benefit shaming there. What was the point? I sympathise with all working parents (as I am one) but find your attitude crass.
And try distancing whilst waiting. It’s not hard.

This government have gone a step too far even for them. I hope some parents start to realise they’ve been lied to now.

Instead of parroting why schools being closed, the government needs to finally focus on how to keep them open SAFELY