Government finally considering making schools safer - masks in secondary classrooms

[noblegiraffe]

Someone has apparently told the government that there are other options between schools open as normal and closed.

schoolsweek.co.uk/government-planning-to-make-face-masks-compulsory-in-secondary-school-classrooms-dfe-official-says/

"The Department for Education is considering plans to make face masks compulsory in the classroom for pupils in year 7 and above, as well as their teachers, a government official said during a briefing on Covid plans."

The rest of the world think that we're batshit for leaving it this long, but if true, would be a positive move.

Obviously exemptions would apply.

Maybe someone could also suggest funding for improved ventilation?

And to drop the stupid inaccurate testing instead of isolating close contacts plan.

Still, baby steps.

I'm a bit "whatever has to be, has to be." So I'm not full of joy, but neither am I "oh no, this is dreadful."

DS doesn't wear a mask, (with support of the school) dd1 would wear one, without fuss, in the classroom if she had to.

Finally.

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers

Watching the UK from Canada right now is just mind boggling. In my local area, schools re-opened both in person and online in September. Parents could decide whether their kids would do in person or virtual learning, and immediately ~30% of families elected to stay home. The school boards set up special virtual classrooms for those families so as not to be disruptive to teachers leading in-person classes. In schools, windows are open, and masks have been required for children 4 and up since Day 1. Social distancing is enforced.

People here are still losing their minds over our government’s incompetence but then I read a few threads on Mumsnet and I thank my lucky stars! 😂

Most of this was planned (apart from the extra virtual classrooms) but the UsForThem crew made sure that this never happened

I think levels of disease generally are lower in France (and most of Europe).

well they are right now but in the autumn France had it quite badly. Kids wore masks. No major issues in schools.

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@Itisasecret and what is your problem with the proposal?[/quote]
I’m astonished they are still only ‘considering it’. Would’ve been good if they had done this in September before the NHS was a mess. Also upper primary too. Still baby steps.

Another thing they could do to help would be easing off on the uniform requirements for a bit,

Uniform is decided by the school, not the government.

Four months too late.

If they close schools for a while then masks in class might just see us through until spring.

My ds high school has been doing this since September.

They still won't give one solitary fuck about primary kids/staff/parents I bet.

Good to hear

And primary and early years staff? What about us? I understand the importance of seeing mouths for language development etc, but:

• the govt could have see through/clear masks manufactured for teachers
• it’s better for a child to be taught in school by a teacher who wears a mask than to be stuck at home due to infection rates & not learning, IMO.

Also masks for kids over 6 - most other countries do it and they are fine. I worked in China for 3 years, my colleagues who are still there say the kids have no problem with it. They are far more adaptable than adults and can clearly understand the need to protect everyone.

The fact that they're prepared to say this worries me - it makes me think they've got no intention of opening the schools and can therefore recommend safety procedures they know they won't have to implement.

I have no issue with masks on classrooms. I wear one anyway. I suspect it doesn't do much but, on the off chance that it was useful, I chose to wear it. I just take it off and stand back when I need to address the whole class at once.

DS1 is in Y11 and has had to wear a mask full time in school since the first day back in September. I complained about it at the time but as far as I know the whole school have had no cases. We went into T4 on Boxing Day.

The thought of teaching and trying to project my voice all day with a mask on fills me with horror. We do all realise masks do almost nothing don't we. Just think about it for more than two seconds. Next time you are wearing your mask pay attention to the air being sucked in and blown out of the sides and top. Some of the students in my classroom have one designer mask they wear every day. It never gets washed. How is this actually helping?

@bigvig that is not true. Masks cut up to 85% of virus particles reaching your mouth and nose. So yes, not 100%, but enough to make a massive difference to viral load. They work. It's why medics have worn them for years.
It is hard to teach in one but I don't care. I'll buy a mike and shout. But at least it gives me a fighting chance of still being here to teach normally again one day.

@bigvig

The thought of teaching and trying to project my voice all day with a mask on fills me with horror. We do all realise masks do almost nothing don't we. Just think about it for more than two seconds. Next time you are wearing your mask pay attention to the air being sucked in and blown out of the sides and top. Some of the students in my classroom have one designer mask they wear every day. It never gets washed. How is this actually helping?

I teach in mine with no problem. I wear cotton, washable masks from a high street shop and have zero difficulty with voice projection. On the very, very rare occasion a kid hasn’t understood me, I unhook one side of the mask off my right ear, only touching the loop, say what needs to be said (from my position at the front of the room), then hook the mask back over my ear.

It really is a very minor issue.

You say ‘we’ all realise masks do nothing, but that isn’t true at all.

I totally understand the bitterness from primary colleagues, but like I said in my OP: baby steps

I know this is cold comfort(!) but secondary schools have been much worse hit than primary in terms of infection rates of kids, and absence. Despite that, up till the last week of term before Christmas, there were no proposals to change anything in secondary either.

Then we had the testing announcement, then the staggered start. Then the even further delayed start (they claim to do with testing but it is really the only sensible thing to do). Now there's discussion of masks.
That's all happened within 3 weeks. Primaries will be closed in hotspot areas so their impact isn't completely ignored, and now the cat is out of the bag that schools are an issue (after being successfully suppressed for so long), this won't be the last of it.

Hopefully boarding schools will be exempt unless governors think it will make a huge difference.

Another thing they could do to help would be easing off on the uniform requirements for a bit,
How in earth is this relevant, it’s the least of any issues in school at the moment.

Yet again, Primary staff being thrown under a bus again. 🤬🤬

@MrsMiaWallis
Hopefully boarding schools will be exempt unless governors think it will make a huge difference.
What a ridiculous statement. Do you think staff and children are protected just because you pay fees????

Fantastic news (if it happens). Hopefully, primary will do the same.

Finally! Must be in all schools though, not just secondary.

The thought of teaching and trying to project my voice all day with a mask on fills me with horror.

We’ve been doing this in universities, and in really huge rooms as well. You can use a lapel microphone.

MrsMia Some boarding schools have had masks in lessons requirements since September. Not in the boarding houses obviously as that's their term time home but, for lesson purposes, they are no different to other schools.

Frazzled they the teacher can Swap between masks and visors.

It will be a big difference I think to make it mandatory to wear them but will it help right now with numbers raging out of control?