If so many people wanted schools closed then why are some schools seeing up to 75% of children in?

[Waxonwaxoff0]

I have never wanted schools closed although I do recognise why they need to and that they need to be made safer.

Yet it seemed like I was in the minority, all over the internet people wanted schools closed and their children safely at home.

So why are so many trying to send their children in? Is it a case of "schools should be closed except for my child?"

@whittystitties

Just picked mine up and the head was outside giving every parent the evils... stony faced and generally unwelcoming, there weren't many kids in, but I get the impression there's a real sentiment in the profession whereby they don't give one anymore

Ours are the polar opposite, overly enthusiastic, animated and smiley. I get the impression they didn't want to close.

That's good Manteo, a rarity

I never said we were not in a bad situation. The situation is worse than in the first lockdown.

I am saying that the risk assessment is different this time around, which it is, because we know more about who is at greater and lesser risk.

But she's been saying "Well everyone will know it was 2021 so no one will really believe I really got those grades."

I didn’t think of that, that’s a bit unfair really, although nothing she can do, but I understand what she is saying.

Reassure her that she will be able to show them her As and A*s at A-level to prove their validity (if she's the kind of kid who would like that, and not then feel stressed over having to do it all again).

The internet isn't representative of real life as only those who have a strong opinion are likely to post - it's unlikely people posting on MN represent the population as a whole.

[quote duffeldaisy]@Carlislemumof4

You missed the point. Union members are made up of teachers. If you say 'The Unions' want schools to close, you may as well say 'the vast majority of teachers' want schools to close because it's the same thing.

There is an answer to your problem, if you feel it's unfair on teachers getting their children's places as key workers. There are lots of vacancies in teaching, and as you feel it's such a safe environment, you'll be fine and you'll get keyworker status.[/quote]
And if I took that professional salary I'd expect to teach all the children in my class in person, not just a percentage, yes.

With three kids in three different primary bubbles, going from zero close contacts to 80+, positive cases in school, high numbers in Carlisle all along really, we're happy to take the risk so their lives aren't put on hold. We received our education, have many life experiences to draw on to help us through this. They need socialisation to cope through life.

I was prepared to keep them at home for 6 whole months last year. 3 months back in, off again already and we're to accept that it's for the longer term!? Just no.

You are right Nellodee. I'm stepping away.

@khara . I reported that vile post on your behalf. I'm sorry and I agree with you about coming to a point where we need to put our family and ourselves first. I have my y11 dd here too refusing to talk about it all.

Stripes I don't think the majority of people know how to make a proper risk assessment

Thats why so many people socialised at Christmas. Yes, some stayed within the guidelines, but it was never the sensible thing to do.

@HeyBaby2020

They got what they wished for ! They created this mess! Schools need to be open fully

No they need to be closed to reduce the transmission of COVID which is currently out of control and overwhelming the NHS as per SAGE recommendations. The absolute minimum number of children need to be in school.

The majority of people may not make a proper risk assessment but they are more likely to when they have more accurate information.

In the first lockdown, I started out in a more vulnerable group due to the severity of my asthma. The guidance on this has now changed because we know more about who is at greater risk, so I have been ‘downgraded’ to the clinically vulnerable group and so am in work during this lockdown.

Parents making decisions about whether their individual child should be in school will also have access to this information and can make better informed decisions about whether to send their child in or not than they did in March when we didn’t know who was most at risk.

@whittystitties

I'm not after a fight, but it seems if you have a differing opinion to Covid fearmongerers you are simply an antagonist - which is really unfair and quite the bullying attitude

It's the way you phrase your opinion - belittling those with other opinions as "hysterical", "fearmomgerers", etc. That actually comes across as bullying as much as anything else.

@Stripesnomore

The majority of people may not make a proper risk assessment but they are more likely to when they have more accurate information.

In the first lockdown, I started out in a more vulnerable group due to the severity of my asthma. The guidance on this has now changed because we know more about who is at greater risk, so I have been ‘downgraded’ to the clinically vulnerable group and so am in work during this lockdown.

Parents making decisions about whether their individual child should be in school will also have access to this information and can make better informed decisions about whether to send their child in or not than they did in March when we didn’t know who was most at risk.

I'm not worried about my kids being in school.

I happily sent my youngest back in June without a 2nd thought as I knew it was the best thing to do for him.

I am not necessarily worried about catching the virus, but I do worry about passing it on. Thats what has determined my actions throughout and why I have on the whole stuck to the guidelines.

I will probably want schools fully reopened again a lot sooner than many people.

But it doesn't change the fact, that how, schools need to have as few children in them as possible, and the government do need to firm up the guidelines on who can access school at the moment.

If I believe in the future that cases are under control and they should reopen, and they don't, then I may try and access a KW place for my children, but not at this time.

‘I'm not worried about my kids being in school.’

I never said you were worried. My post about risk was a response to a poster who asked why some parents didn’t send their kids in due to safety concerns in lockdown 1 but now were doing. I explained it was probably because the information on personal risk is different. If you have no specific worries about your kids then my points don’t apply to you.

You then jumped on me and claimed I shouldn’t go and get medical treatment when I was crushing a profession (not sure which profession). Which seems rather harsh and unfair as it is not my fault the government has deemed my asthmatic arse should be in the workplace.

I can't believe secondary schools have >50% of pupils in. Personally I think KS1 should be at school. Incidence is highest in secondary and to some extent yr6. There is very little evidence under 7s spread it much.

In our local Primary schools, the nurseries have been impacted as much as Y6, and that is the children not staff testing positive

@duffeldaisy

I don't think we should fall into the trap of blaming parents - or teachers - for the current situation. Something this big isn't something anyone can control from an individual standpoint (or rather, not if they are key workers or aren't being paid if they stay off). Too many people have too little choice. The people to blame for the chaos are the government, for not acting in a consistent and fair way.

I disagree and while we all know the government have been useless, it's up to us all now to do everything we can to stop the spread.

Many schools are desperately appealing to parents not to send their kids in unless absolutely necessary but many are and no, I'm not talking about people who work speak on the phone to vulnerable people etc I mean sahps who have a partner with 'a big' job in finance or telecomms and have somehow shoe horned themselves into the key worker category for their own convenience.

Wow lots of hate for SAHP on their thread, with absolutely no evidence.

I'm a SAHM, devastated that my oldest is missing out on school and I really didn't want them closed.

I can't think of any way you can possibly know if a poster is SAHP or not unless they happen to mention it. So this is pure assumption.

Parents didn't want schools to close, they were just posturing and virtue signalling over them being unsafe, pretending to care about teachers (and never the other school staff, who never get a mention) and going on about fines.

If you were truly worried about safety, either your own or your child's you wouldn't care about a potential and non-existent £60 fine, you'd put your child's safety first. The whole argument was a straw man. And then it came back to bite them and they had to find a loophole to send their children in after all.

@annevonkleve

Parents didn't want schools to close, they were just posturing and virtue signalling over them being unsafe, pretending to care about teachers (and never the other school staff, who never get a mention) and going on about fines.

If you were truly worried about safety, either your own or your child's you wouldn't care about a potential and non-existent £60 fine, you'd put your child's safety first. The whole argument was a straw man. And then it came back to bite them and they had to find a loophole to send their children in after all.

Yep

But according to a delightful teacher on another post I only wanted free child care.

God, it's so sad that this has become so polarised. It's ridiculous that parents wishing their children to have an education are labeled as just lazy and wanting childcare.

I do full well understand how serious the situation is and understand why schools have been closed, but I also really would have liked to see clear evidence as to all of the different risk factors. My DS was supposed to be starting pre school the other day. He's 3 and apart from a couple of short occasions he hasn't been able to play with other children at all since march. This is a huge, huge stage of his development that he's missing out on. It's something that I can't replicate at the moment, obviously. He needs to be with other children soon or I'm really worried this will have lasting effects. He was due to join a class of 6 in his intake. I cannot believe that this would have had any impact on rates around here (quite low, certainly below average.) Of course it's difficult to do things on a case by case basis but my god, it really is awful for children.

Vocal minority strikes again whereas actually no, the majority didn't want schools closed. But here we are

But according to a delightful teacher on another post I only wanted free child care.

There’s one poster that repeats this on nearly every thread. Ridiculous.

Could have written this post myself. I wonder how many people have slagged off the government for not shutting schools are sending their child in.
And yes that includes teachers and nhs admin staff who are wfh. If you are wfh why does your child need to go to school. They are quite safe with you at home. Yes you will have to do their work after you finish your work in the evenings and weekends, but that is what the rest of us have to do!
If you are at home. Your children should be going to school.

" If you are wfh why does your child need to go to school. "

I'm an Early Years childminder with up to 6 toddlers and babies (work with DH).
DD has online lessons. Not only could she not work here, but it would disrupt the lessons for the other children.
The class she's in at the moment has 3 children, all socially distancing, all masked. She's safer there than here during the day.