Why do my children not deserve an education?

[noitsachicken]

Just because we are not key workers?
My children don’t qualify for a school place, that means they won’t be educated in a classroom, by a teacher, with their peers, they won’t have time to socialise with their friends or play in a group.
They will be sat around the kitchen table, sharing a space with siblings of different ages, all with different needs, with a non-teacher parent trying to do the best they can.
Last lockdown school provision was ‘childcare’ the curriculum was suspended and there was no expectation. That is not the case this time, children who are not allowed in school are at a huge disadvantage.
I realise we are ‘lucky’ compared to others, we have access to technology and I can be home with the children, but I worry for my children, for their mental health and their education.
Why do they not deserve an education and others are prioritised for an education based on their parents job?
How long will those of us with children who are not allowed in school accept this?
I understand the reasons for closing schools, but children are not being treated fairly, if childcare is needed for those with critical jobs then it should be no more than that.

It’s crap for all parents, most children are finding it very difficult . Yet so many people think they are unique and have this right to send kids into school and drag the lockdown on for longer . Do your bit and don’t be selfish!
I am frankly sick of this “oh but we are all in this together” stuff.
You most definitely aren’t like my key worker friend who is under huge pressure at work. The logistics of work for a lot of key workers have changed and not in a good way at all! Without this provision and hope that at least her child is getting something, she will probably have a breakdown due to the amount of work and the level of pressure she is facing. It will most certainly affect her health in the long term.
Stop bickering and focus on your work and kids.

It’s crap for all parents, most children are finding it very difficult . Yet so many people think they are unique and have this right to send kids into school and drag the lockdown on for longer . Do your bit and don’t be selfish!

Yes it IS crap for all parents @Nerdygirl, not just the OP. It's especially crap for critical workers who have to send their children into school when they are scared to do so, but have no choice. It's not exactly fun for the children either.

The provision is different at each school. My DD is at home and completing worksheets set online on Google classroom. Some of her friends are in school and they are being taught the same work as she is, but not online, they are face to face with a proper teacher like they would be in “normal” term but with a few less kids in the room with them . So at our school it is a bit better for the children in school, if you are looking at this from a purely educational POV. However from a covid POV it’s better to be at home, if the school bubble bursts then I feel bad for those kids and for the teaching staff.

I do think there are too many kids in school this time but then the key worker job list has been extended so it’s not surprising. Employers are also not being flexible which pushes parents to send their kids in if they can.

It’s definitely becoming a then vs us mentality but we all probably need to see this as something all of us are stuck in together.

@MacDuffsMuff

It’s crap for all parents, most children are finding it very difficult . Yet so many people think they are unique and have this right to send kids into school and drag the lockdown on for longer . Do your bit and don’t be selfish!

Yes it IS crap for all parents @Nerdygirl, not just the OP. It's especially crap for critical workers who have to send their children into school when they are scared to do so, but have no choice. It's not exactly fun for the children either.

No-one has an issue with the critical workers and I think that’s clear on so many of these threads. I would like the critical workers children and teachers to be safe in an environment which means everyone else who doesn’t need it not taking it

@Thewithesarehere

It’s crap for all parents, most children are finding it very difficult . Yet so many people think they are unique and have this right to send kids into school and drag the lockdown on for longer . Do your bit and don’t be selfish! I am frankly sick of this “oh but we are all in this together” stuff. You most definitely aren’t like my key worker friend who is under huge pressure at work. The logistics of work for a lot of key workers have changed and not in a good way at all! Without this provision and hope that at least her child is getting something, she will probably have a breakdown due to the amount of work and the level of pressure she is facing. It will most certainly affect her health in the long term. Stop bickering and focus on your work and kids.

How do you know what pressure I am under ? My job is extremely high pressured but I have to accept to make it safer for al requires a lot of sacrifice

@TK1930

The ones in school follow the same as those at home. Laptop, headphones & off you go! Often supervised by non qualified teachers as they are busy online

Agreed. I have got keyworker places for my kids and the only difference educationally is they will be in either a classroom or computer suite rather than their house but will be doing the same stuff as their classmates. Not being taught face to face. The keyworker places isn't about education, but childcare.

Must say though I'm (so far) impressed at the work planned (am in Scotland so teaching starts on Monday) lots of online lessons planned this time around rather than worksheets. My eldest will be doing his full timetable albeit sitting at a computer

@oakleaffy
But NOT just the NHS! {Food/meds distribution is vital Key Work}

I never said it wasn’t. But the nhs that is short staffed. And it’s riskier than supplying food. So harder to recruit to.

So your statement is irrelevant to my suggestion.

Jesus op really take a look at what is going on around you. Unless your child normal struggles at school or is falling behind dont worry about it for now. Concentrate on covid and keeping people safe from it.

@Nerdygirl
Yes but you can do your jobs from home and my friend has to face the viral load, logistic nightmares at work (all coworkers are key workers and very exposed) and commute.
Sorry but I am happy for all key workers to be able to use this option if they can. I am exhausted to my bones, have dropped balls and feel on the edge of a breakdown myself. But I don’t begrudge anyone who can use that space. Good for them!

You keep saying you get it OP, but then in the next sentence you show that you clearly don't get it. My son has been in lockdown his entire life, he's met his grandparents once and most of his family not at all. All he gets to do is hang out with his parents and go outdoors once a day. Nothing is happening for him. Does he deserve this? Of course he doesn't. Are we still going to stick to the rules and do the absolute best we can for him, as well as trying to protect others and not put any more strain on key workers? Absolutely yes. I'm not even British but even I know this is a "take it on the chin" type situation. Moan if you need to but then knuckle down and just get through this.

I agree completely with your op @noitsachicken.

This creation of a two tier state education system isn't acceptable. And it won't be accepted for long, I feel sure of that. I personally think it will become socially and politically impossible for schools not to reopen their classrooms to all over the summer term.

I've read most of this thread, but didn't always remember to bookmark so might have missed some posts. But @noitsachicken, what do you actually want to happen? There are only two alternatives to what's happening now.
a) That all children are allowed back into school, with the downside that the virus will spread faster and fro longer, and there will constantly be bubbles breaking and vital workers such as doctors and nurses left unable to work, or..
b) Schools close to all pupils so that you don't have to feel jealous that other kids are (arguably) having more than your children are.
That, of course, leaves you no better off than you are now, but will be hugely difficult for every KW single parent and those working in hospitals etc who have nowhere else their children can be, so can't work.

You, as a SAHP have the best of both worlds. You can keep your children safe at home, and give them your attention, rather than having to fit a full WFH day around them. Can you imagine how envious many many parents must be of your circumstances?

Very well put saraclara.

A two tier education system isn't acceptable no. But at the moment we have little choice. Catching up with education later is preferable to more people dying is it not. We need to solve the covid problem now. And deal with the consequences of it afterwards. People really don't seem to get what the priority needs to be right now. Putting your kids in school when they don't need to be there is extending the problem, and putting the keyworker kids, (whose parents are working hard to respond to the pandemic), at risk. That level of selfishness is unacceptable to me.

[quote Thewithesarehere]@Nerdygirl
Yes but you can do your jobs from home and my friend has to face the viral load, logistic nightmares at work (all coworkers are key workers and very exposed) and commute.
Sorry but I am happy for all key workers to be able to use this option if they can. I am exhausted to my bones, have dropped balls and feel on the edge of a breakdown myself. But I don’t begrudge anyone who can use that space. Good for them![/quote]
And people like this should get a place. Where have I said different ? But it’s clear from the huge increase this time round and the numbers being reported in schools as well as people I am actually speaking to that there are plenty of people who can wfh . So if you can then you should do that and leave the school places for the people that can’t

@Orlania

A two tier education system isn't acceptable no. But at the moment we have little choice. Catching up with education later is preferable to more people dying is it not. We need to solve the covid problem now. And deal with the consequences of it afterwards. People really don't seem to get what the priority needs to be right now. Putting your kids in school when they don't need to be there is extending the problem, and putting the keyworker kids, (whose parents are working hard to respond to the pandemic), at risk. That level of selfishness is unacceptable to me.

Well said

Key worker children will just be doing the same set work as everyone else. HTH

The critical workers list is too extensive to be used when we are meant to be in a lockdown. The use of a school place relies on parents only doing so if they really need to, not just because they can.

Some schools are 50% full already. I should think most will be very similar or more by half term if this continues and people who can have a place now but aren't, will decide to take it up. That will lead to everyone else saying what's the point and just open the schools. Quite clever of the government really seeing as they didnt want the schools closed in the first place.

These entitled posts sometimes almost make me want to cry with frustration. OP, many of us wish we had the luxury of being able to be a SAHM. I'm in school teaching keyworker children, and leaving my dd home alone - she is old enough. As a teacher myself, there's absolutely no way I would want her in a school. She had asymptomatic Covid before Christmas, along with many others in her year group. It is absolutely rife in schools. Many of these keyworker pupils have parents directly working with Covid patients, some work in supermarkets, and other true keyworker jobs. It is essential that these children are allowed to attend school so that their parents can do their bit to keep everything going. I notice that from next week we are getting more pupils in, some of whom I know really don't need to be in, as they have non keyworker parents at home, but I know their parents will have caused merry hell (like you) just to get them off their hands for a bit of peace. We're all just trying to do our bit. Do school staff lives mean absolutely nothing to you? OP, you are actually in a very privileged position. I would love to stay home and help my dd. I really would. If entitled parents continue to 'kick up a fuss' and bully senior leaders until their child gets a place, this awful situation will last a lot longer. It is not fun for any keyworker at the moment. Please please try to do your bit and we'll get out of this nightmare quicker. I really need to leave MN. Posts like this really upset me.

Trouble is there are fewer teachers available to teach the children. Some are ill, some have tested positive and have to isolate. And I hear that th usee classes are even bigger than normal.

@Orlania

A two tier education system isn't acceptable no. But at the moment we have little choice. Catching up with education later is preferable to more people dying is it not. We need to solve the covid problem now. And deal with the consequences of it afterwards. People really don't seem to get what the priority needs to be right now. Putting your kids in school when they don't need to be there is extending the problem, and putting the keyworker kids, (whose parents are working hard to respond to the pandemic), at risk. That level of selfishness is unacceptable to me.

Social development can't necessarily be caught up on, mental health problems or an eating disorder developed as a result of the social isolation could stay with a child in to adulthood.

I accepted my DCs not seeing a classroom for six months last year. I reconciled myself to the risk of them returning in September because I recognised how much they needed to be back in the classroom.

This narrative that closing schools is the answer to ending the pandemic will wane. In reality it's only one of the drivers of transmission.

There's nothing selfish about being willing to accept restrictions for yourself but realising how desperately important it is that your children, all children, can have some socialisation outside of their household and keep moving forward in their young lives.

In order for schools to be truly 'safe' from Covid they'd probably need to shut for a couple, or a few, years. Do you really see that being accepted?

Or a repeat of last summer where a percentage of children didn't get to return to the classroom to keep their school community 'safe'. While the general public including their teachers were out socialising, organising trips away, doing all sorts with their families while mine stayed at home for the greater good. Thankfully the government have indicated that won't be allowed to happen again.

@saraclara
Surely there is a third option whereby schools remain open to a very selective amount of absolutely critical workers as they did in the last lockdown. The amount of children we have in school at the moment is not going to stop the spread of the virus. Something needs to be done

Also I would say that if it is deemed to be safe for 50% of children to be in school then this needs to be organised on a rota basis, so that it is fair to all. What is happening at the moment is not fair. Some children are receiving an education due to their parents occupational, some children are stuck at home getting pretty much nothing.

Op, are you a critical worker? Are your children vulnerable? No? Well what are you complaining about? I can't believe people are so entitled.
I am one of the TA's putting myself in harms way so that critical workers can get on with their jobs and keep the country going.
It would be utterly impossible to have children of entitled people in school at the moment too as there would be no room to implement the Very specific safety measures we have to apply in a lockdown.