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Covid

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Original poster

To ask if you have changed your view on school closures

41 replies

Chasingkevin67 · 03/01/2021 21:53

Just that really prior to late December anyone suggesting school closures would be flames where as now it seems those who want schools to remain open are in the minority. It may just be different posters posting but have you changed your view on schools and why?

OP posts:

Original poster

Chasingkevin67 · 03/01/2021 21:54

This is sort of an Aibu as well

OP posts:

mellongoose · 03/01/2021 21:57

I expect I am going against the grain on here but I want schools to be open. Schools in my area are safe, rates are low yet rising. However, teachers are now en mass sending in their template letters created by the union saying they won't be in.

Barbie222 · 03/01/2021 21:57

Like many times on MN there was a loud noise from a few, now we're hearing from more of the people you actually come across in real life and I think the view now is broadly the same as has been identified in recent polls.

lljkk · 03/01/2021 21:58

I perceived most MNers to be wildly in favour of school closures since February 2020, tbh. Maybe I log onto a different MN most days from OP.

I have changed my mind, sort of. I accept widespread closures are probably necessary and maybe for months. Depressing as hell & will cause untold long-term damage, but at least govt tried hard to get & keep them open, this time. I would have allowed higher death counts than others can stomach. I accept that most people have priorities which are not mine.

MistyMinge2 · 03/01/2021 21:58

Yes, I have changed my mind. Whilst it would be hard to work from home and have the DC home again, I feel that it needs to happen. It's clear this tier system doesn't work. People move between areas and of course children catch and spread the virus. Hopefully, with the vaccine the end is in sight, so why royally fuck things up now? I think a national full lockdown is needed to save lives and help the NHS. Short term pain for longer term gain.

year5teacher · 03/01/2021 22:00

Yes, I was very adamant that schools needed to stay open and wanted them to open fully earlier last time.
I still want them to be able to stay open, but I don’t feel it’s possible now.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/01/2021 22:00

Ive altered my views only slightly. I’m Not against studying from home but would like for example, a year group in for 1 week a month on rotation (because this won’t be a 2 wk thing). I fear we learnt nothing from last time and it’s just going to fuck up another yr of education for children.

rookiemere · 03/01/2021 22:01

I have changed my mind. It was the right thing for the schools to open in September when numbers were relatively low, and now sadly with the new strain and the numbers doubling overnight, it makes sense for them to close, but I hope so much that they are the first thing to open when possible.

BewareTheBeardedDragon · 03/01/2021 22:04

I have changed my mind, because the numbers have risen like crazy since the schools closed in mid December. My dc will suffer from not going in, there is no way they will get a proper standard of education working at home, and their mental health will suffer. But I just can't see that things can carry on as they were, looking at the numbers. The new strain has changed the game, sadly for the worse. I really want the government to actually make some proactive decisions, and work out a way to make it actually safe for kids and teachers to go into school, rather than doing nothing and bleating it's safe - because they wash their hands more or whatever. It's no enough. I wish it were, but it just isn't.

Adirondack · 03/01/2021 22:04

I now think schools should close. Why? 1. Cases over 50k a day 2. New variant seems to be affecting and spreading in kids 3. It’s not fair on teachers to have to work in an enclosed environment without PPE given points 1 and 2.

Imiss2019 · 03/01/2021 22:06

I mostly object to partial closures from my point of view it’s either safe for all or safe for none.

I visit lots of schools through my job. There really is nothing tangible in place keeping people safe in schools. Everyone I know who has had COVID can trace it back to contact with someone at school who tested positive.

Campervan69 · 03/01/2021 22:08

I still think schools should stay open. Teachers should have been vaccinated over the Christmas break.

ChristmasinJune · 03/01/2021 22:09

I'm not sure if I've changed my mind exactly but I'm a teacher and also a parent. Before the first lockdown I was desperate to stay open and glad to get back when we opened in June. I was happy we worked through the second lockdown and felt it was right for everybody. Now, however, I'm in two minds. On the one hand all my reasons for wanting Schools to stay open still stand but then I also feel like with the vaccines ready and waiting we have a real chance to make this our last mountain to climb.
Lockdown as hard as we can, push through as many vaccines as we possibly can (and yes I'd volunteer to go on furlough and help give out vaccines if that's what it took) and when we do reopen, there's a real possibility that this time we will have seen our last lockdown.
Closing schools is shit for so many people though and I do understand that

TillysMum02 · 03/01/2021 22:09

how many teachers does a school need in to keep running?

if so many are off then there comes a point where it would have to close anyway if the teacher:child ratio becomes an issue

notevenat20 · 03/01/2021 22:10

I have changed my mind in a sense. I think that whatever we do cases are going to go through the roof and the only thing we can do is vaccinate as fast as humanly possible. Closing schools won't help but it's probably going to happen soon anyway. But if we close schools, they are not going to reopen until the population is vaccinated which is months away and this is a disaster for children whose lives and development can't be put on hold.

Thislittlefinger123 · 03/01/2021 22:11

Nope. I think they should stay open.

Whyarewehardofthinking · 03/01/2021 22:11

I've never wanted schools to close, just be safer. Sadly as this has been so badly managed it isn't safe for them to be open to all students now.

I want us to be on a rota system as soon as it is safe. This balls up now means we have students with exams for the next 3 weeks now not in school for revision (students sitting exams they missed in yea 12 to try and improve their CAG on their external BTEC exams). We have spent so long on a comprehensive plan for rotas, including extra time for exam years and decent space for vulnerable and key workers. Instead, we have had over 100 student cases (with obvious school spread from seating plans) and now 17 staff cases, and some year 11, 12 and 13 students isolating for 5 and 6 weeks. This is a fucking mess and we could have avoided it if we acted sooner. Now all we can do is close for the majority and offer remote education.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 03/01/2021 22:13

I want schools open. I think it's best for children. But if teachers really feel it's unsafe (and it's not a social media frenzy) it needs looking at.

Schools can't exist without teachers. Their welfare is important... And I believe they have their pupils welfare at heart as well.

SquirtleSquad · 03/01/2021 22:19

I'm a trainee teacher on placement in EYFS at a small village primary. I'm also a mother to 2 primary aged kids and 1 nursery aged and I was adamant schools should stay open.
I still really really really want them to stay open but only if it's safe for staff and students and unfortunately at the moment, it just isn't so I think they really do need to close.

TingTastic · 03/01/2021 22:19

I think we’re now at the point of needing school closures, so have changed my mind since Xmas

However, that is contingent on getting some semblance of home schooling this time. Last time was a couple of work sheets and plenty of complication videos of the teachers showing off their baking etc!!! Yes, I know that remote teaching is more difficult than in person teaching but I can’t be that sympathetic when I’m working 6am - midnight every day to try and balance childcare for 3 small children whilst working full time from home

AnyFucker · 03/01/2021 22:22

Yes. Because I don't know what the fuck else we can do.

Daisy829 · 03/01/2021 22:22

Lockdown, vaccinate & hopefully this will be over quicker.

FreiasBathtub · 03/01/2021 22:34

Yes, I have changed my mind. Before Christmas was very anti closure but looking at the data now we cannot justify keeping them open (I'm in a London borough that tried to close before Christmas).

I am fucking furious it's come to this, mind you. And particularly angry - although no longer surprised - that this absolute shower of a Government evidently have no plan to get us out of this situation except wringing their hands and bleating occasionally about 2 million vaccines a week (will believe that when their numbers have been independently analysed, haven't forgotten about the fudged testing numbers from the spring).

My DD's primary school have worked their socks off to implement what looks like a workable home ed programme, though still requires me and DH to take a couple of hours each off work every day to support it. As far as I can see, the Govt have learned fuck all from the last lockdown and seem to be relying on the magic vaccine and sunshine to get our kids back into education and us back to sanity.

ceeveebee · 03/01/2021 22:38

I have changed my view, I want schools to close for a few weeks but then I also want teachers to be prioritised in vaccinations. Would be a massive pain in the ass as we both work full time in non-key worker roles but with the rising rates I just don’t think it’s safe for the teachers or any clinically vulnerable pupils

MrsMomoa · 03/01/2021 22:42

No. They should have stayed open.

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