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.

who will stand in for the teachers who are off ill/isolating? because they seem to be dropping like flies

i dont want my kids in school with the last teacher standing trying to keep 3 classes under control.

how many pupils per teacher is allowed?

@Hailtomyteeth

Dd (former teacher) pointed out that having dead teachers, dead parents and dead grandparents also might be prejudicial to children's mental health.

Have any children really had their entire family wiped out?

Such emotive language to use.

I know three people that had it.

Aunty, uncle and 45 year old cousin. 45 year old cousin had bad headaches and terrible cough. Uncle ( recovering from heart attack had severe flu like symptoms. Aunty - late sixties - completely symptomless ( swears it was her Vit B tablets)

So in reality entire families are NOT being wiped out.

Covid IS NOT an automatic death sentence.

infection control standards can be escalated where needed

Absolutely - and I quote the average school reopening plans here - each class has two boxes of tissues, a set of PPE (Don't get excited - it's a disposable mask and some gloves), a thermometer and a first aid bag. That is about standard for a primary school reopening plan. Add to that thirty-two children sharing two toilets, due to bubble arrangements, and windows that open all of 2cm.

What other infection control standards did you have in mind? Wet paper towels? Our situation is about as safe as crossing no-man's land with an umbrella would have been.

And by our situation, I mean the collective situation of children and staff, since we're all capable of spreading the virus back at home.

@QueenoftheAir and @Iamsodonewith2020 - I'm with you.

Flapjak

I know of a few teachers who have died and a few with long covid. I also know there are 8 dead parents at my friend's school. Is 8 not enough, should we strive for more dead parents?

So sorry, maybe I missed it...

What should we do then?
Just let the infection run through schools?

Covid IS NOT an automatic death sentence.

Neither is cancer but if you can reduce the risk of people getting if you would - eg removing asbestos

Seasaltyhair

8 dead parents at my friend's school. Not entire families so maybe they just don't matter in your opinion?

For those saying about school staff getting the vaccination soon - I agree but isn’t the idea of closing schools more about not spreading it to the parents and so on. So wouldn’t schools still need to be closed?

I agree with all your points but my primary's are closing regardless and many of us from Monday are facing a very tough time. But as its not the whole country our kids will face see challenges and few will care. Govt, schools, unions and parents need to start working together to get them safely open as soon as possible.

yes you are BU, you don't represent us, so please don't say you represent "children and parents" thanks.

You represent YOURSELF.

bloody cheek.

@Awalkintime

Flapjak

I know of a few teachers who have died and a few with long covid. I also know there are 8 dead parents at my friend's school. Is 8 not enough, should we strive for more dead parents?

Plus all the people who months afterwards are still seriously ill.

How is education to recover if, say, one in 60 teachers who survivie covid are left with Long Covid and unable to work?

@Dudette87

Just vaccinating teachers is not the answer.

No, but it solves the contentious and raging issue of schools remaining open for on-site teaching, doesn't it?
If the staff aren't all off sick, the school can continue face to face teaching.

I don’t want to send my reception age child to school but I have to as I am a TA in a secondary school SEN dept so I am expected in school on Monday morning where the teachers are working from home mainly and TA’s are in full time looking after keyworker & vulnerable children whom for the most part it is impossible to social distance from with no PPE and 20 of them and 3 adults in 1 room. I see what schools are like first hand and covid secure they are not.

In my very humble opinion, I disagree a bit on the priority vaccine order. I think it should be NHS and social care, then essential service workers, including teachers, followed by the 15- 40s, and then the well aged. So we get most of society vaccinated, even with a single dose, and then we back fill. Anyone in a care home is insulated because carers have had the vaccine, schools can open because teachers have had it, and then we roll it into the most mobile and economically productive groups.

My DM had her first jab, and an appointment for her second, before Christmas. I'm not keen to lose her, but she lives alone so isn't likely to be a super-spreader. She is nearly 86 and can't be expected to live forever; DMIL is in a residential home with vascular dementia and is 91. Both were nurses, and I am certain that both would say that the important thing is to concentrate resources where they protect the population to keep life as normal as it can be under the circumstances.

Doh, I wrote no earlier, but I meant No, I disagree with you. I should have said Yes, you are being unteasonable.

@Awalkintime

Seasaltyhair

8 dead parents at my friend's school. Not entire families so maybe they just don't matter in your opinion?

And yet I don’t know a single person that has died from it and only three from one family who had it and recovered.

I think statistically your friends school is an anomaly, was it in the local press? I’d imagine so. I’d say 8 dead parents was quite extraordinary. My school has had 2 cases since September ( none during lock down with KW kids) and those two cases were in school holidays so still not actually in school. I’m in the NW.

I'm a parent. You DO NOT represent me!

I don't need you to stand up for me or my child.

As his parent I will advocate for him. I was also support school staff who should not have to work in an unsafe environment.

I hope the union action is successful and that all primary schools move online for a minimum of 2 weeks

@Bizawit

I agree with you OP. But the rabid mob are clamouring to close the schools.

Am surprised a “salivating” hasn’t been thrown in so far with these typical one liners. Mind you, still got 4 pages to go so it’s probably there somewhere.

know three people that had it.

Aunty, uncle and 45 year old cousin. 45 year old cousin had bad headaches and terrible cough. Uncle ( recovering from heart attack had severe flu like symptoms. Aunty - late sixties - completely symptomless ( swears it was her Vit B tablets)

I'm 47y and had covid 12 weeks ago. I am cv as I have arthritis and take medication for it. I also take vitamins daily and extra vitamin d tablets. However, due to covid, I ended up in hospital. Amongst other issues, my blood pressure rose so dangerously high I was at risk of heart attack or stroke. It's now 12 weeks on. I am always tired, I still have tightness over my chest and chest aches/pains, my arthritis has flared up massively so I can't walk properly, I am in ongoing full strength blood, pressure medication and still have high blood pressure, I'm just not right tbh.

So, no I didn't die and yes I do apparently have 'underlying health issues'. I had a moderate case of covid. But hey, I didn't die so what's the issue?!

Shut the schools but please at least have pre-recorded lessons by the child's class teacher unless they are unwell.

A suggested timetable and link to Oak Academy really doesn't cut it IMO. DC doesn't want to "engage" with an unknown despite my sitting and encouraging. Thank goodness I am not working for another few months.

My school has done the bare minimum online since March despite complaints.

And if they shut, let's not kid ourselves it's for 2 weeks. I would put money on them being closed until February half term .

Seasaltyhair

Why does the fact that you don't know anyone that has died have any relevance? Why mention it? To try and minimise what I am saying....that is why.

How do you know it is an anomaly? There could be others. If there are lots of deaths in one area it is likely their kids go to the same schools.

I don't know if it has, the school wouldn't publish any data as it is confidential.

YANBU. Maybe supermarkets should be closed too? We all could do online shop only. Also, warehouses could close too. Too dangerous. Why stop at teachers?

Stop everything. We can't live in fear forever.

Do you REALLY want your children in school?

twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1345459896335085572/photo/1

@DuckPancakesWithHoisinSauce

Shut the schools but please at least have pre-recorded lessons by the child's class teacher unless they are unwell.

A suggested timetable and link to Oak Academy really doesn't cut it IMO. DC doesn't want to "engage" with an unknown despite my sitting and encouraging. Thank goodness I am not working for another few months.

My school has done the bare minimum online since March despite complaints.

And if they shut, let's not kid ourselves it's for 2 weeks. I would put money on them being closed until February half term .

Ask school for their re one learning plan. As of the end of cover they must have one and this should show what the expectation is, for both school and pupils. It should replicate the type of work which would normally happen in school and be the equivalent of the 'teaching time' from school - so not necessarily the same amount of time as a normal school day.