AIBU to stand up for children and parents...

[alwaysraining123]

... and say that closing schools is not an option. Some observations.

(1) millions of children will suffer poorer mental health, educational deficits and be at risk of physical harm.
(2) if schools close now the government will struggle to get them back open.
(3) the unions are playing a highly political game preying shamelessly on people’s fears.
(4) online learning is of no use for most of the primary school years. Parents basically need to be available all day to support children.
(5) more parents are going to find themselves unable to work causing more financial hardship. This won’t affect your middle class sahps or people who can work from home as much- there are people who actually have to go out of their house to earn a living.
(6) if you’re parent and you’re worried you can keep your child at home.
(7) educational transmission of the virus is low and infection control standards can be escalated where needed.

Whatever is done we need to place maintaining educational provision for children at the heart of it. We need to make it work...there’s no other option.

I’m a parent and I want to keep my child at home. I’m also a teacher. Okay if I take unpaid leave then, thanks?

I'm totally with you OP but I imagine we are in the minority here and will get flamed.

Yabu to believe you speak for all parents.

I am annoyed no money has been made available to support the schools.

Many oarents don't want their children in school.

And lastly this isn't just about children.

YANBU

Couldn't agree more. Schools need to stay open and children need the education they have a right to receive.

Have you seen the latest numbers ? I firmly believe going back in the Autumn term was the right thing to do, but right now I don't think there are a lot of options except online learning for a period. I agree it's rubbish and dreadful for parents, pupils and teachers alike, but you can't seriously think schools should be open when 50,000+ people per day are getting infected.

YABU. Teachers can’t be expected to sacrifice their own rights and safety for you and your children.

I agree with all your points.

So why are the goverment not funding schools to help them open in a safe way?

Why is this the teachers fault?

You can ask 2 people and get 2 different answer there pro's and con's for both .
Shuttting them doesn't work
Keeping them open doesn't work
mix of online and school doesn't work
Online doesn't work

There needs to be an urgent movement to put teachers higher up the vaccination list. I’m surprised to not see this covered more in the media.

There also needs to be proper fines for parents who have been failing to isolate their kids.

In December a teacher in my dh's school died (50's, no health conditions)

Apparently you can't come back from death but you can from online learning

It is clearly a balancing act without any easy answers. Anyone confident that opening all schools is the best thing for all children, or anyone confident that closing all schools is the best thing for all children, is wrong.

I agree OP with caveat.
Vaccinate all teachers and then open the schools.

Thank you @alwaysraining123

Yabu.
The government refused to plan ahead since august and now the shit is hitting the fan. Teachers aren't properly protected. I don't want to see more school staff friends getting ill, and they are the only people I have known with covid. If teachers can work in a safe school then schools can be open in some way.

Point 6. You can keep your child home, yes but to do so you risk being fined, prosecuted, imprisoned and losing your child's school place.

How do you propose infection control standards could be escalated?

Yes YABU. It’s probably a couple of weeks at a time when new infections are off the scale and the effects of the new variant aren’t known. Also you’re not correct that parents can keep their kids off if they want to. Unless the school is closed or they are classed as extremely vulnerable this will be classed as truanting.

OP, public opinion HAS changed. My local town Facebook group is all in agreement schools should close and I live in a middle class Tory area. You are not speaking for all parents or children. Many of those kids you are talking for can read and watch the news for themselves and clearly see that sending them back will potentially bring the NHS to its knees. It's already overwhelmed!

I don't understand where all these covidiots are coming from on here this afternoon? When you read the news in normal pre-pandemic times, did you disagree and not believe it then either?

YANBU

YANBU. Agree 100%

In December the released infection figures for children were between 2000 and 3000 per 100000. Eat higher than the community infection rate. In areas with the new strain of covid the infections numbers rose during the November lockdown. Where do you think children are catching the infection, on what evidence do you think transmission in schools is low?

*much higher

Yabu. I think you’re believing what you want to believe OP. Maybe do some reading about the new strain.

Where are you getting your evidence for point 7?

All the more recent updates indicate that infection and transmission rates in all educational settings are higher than previously thought.