London being prioritised for schools reopening as usual...widening the education divide

[CaughtInTheCovid]

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/english-schools-may-reopen-regionally-medical-chief-suggests-covid?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Why is it more important to open schools in London than anywhere else? We are in the NW and have had the most severe lockdowns for the longest. I will be raging if our schools are kept closed when our numbers are half that of London.

As a result, schools could reopen at different times, with areas such as London – which was one of the first to be severely affected by the new variant, resulting in soaring rates of hospital admissions – among the first to get children back in classrooms.

I’m not anti London. I live in London and live it here.

But it’s really odd that they’d open schools here soon.

I'm willing to bet Cornish schools open first as a sort of spreading experiment.

@Elephant4

The article says London - I read it earlier today. It does say London.

The article's mention of London is this: "There could be a phased reopening of schools in England based on regional infection rates after a lifting of the national lockdown, MPs have been told. The deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said that as England came out of lockdown, it was highly likely there would be inconsistent patterns of infection across communities in different parts of the country. As a result, schools could reopen at different times, with areas such as London – which was one of the first to be severely affected by the new variant, resulting in soaring rates of hospital admissions – among the first to get children back in classrooms."

Where exactly does it say London is being prioritised?

@Elephant4

As a result, schools could reopen at different times, with areas such as London – which was one of the first to be severely affected by the new variant, resulting in soaring rates of hospital admissions – among the first to get children back in classrooms.

We've crossed posted. You've shot down your own argument. It doesn't say London is being prioritised at all.

Stop moaning! It’s to do with areas with smaller rates, if London happens to be in that bracket do be it. Whether you like London or not, and you’re clearly very bitter so not- with just 13% of the national population, London is responsible for 23% of the UK economy. London’s surplus is particularly high: in 2016/17, the capital contributed £32.6bn more to the national purse than it took out. So yes, it’s pretty important to the rest of the UK London gets itself back on its feet or we all are truly fucked.

But the idea that London could open schools first is purely conjecture on behalf of the journalists reporting what JH said.

among the first to get children back in classrooms

Why does this not mean prioritised?

Well said, Sundowners. I tend to shy away from using the financial contribution London makes to the rest of the country in arguments, but fuck it, I'm sick of the London bashing on this thread. The rest of the country needs London to reopen and prosper, fact.

Why poor North England?? There's alot more than London down South😂

@Elephant4

among the first to get children back in classrooms

Why does this not mean prioritised?

Are you serious?? Of course it doesn't. Read the para again:

As a result, schools could reopen at different times, with areas such as London – which was one of the first to be severely affected by the new variant, resulting in soaring rates of hospital admissions – among the first to get children back in classrooms.

Such as. Not definitely, such as. London is being used as an example here as a place where infections are falling. They could just as easily had said Cornwall or Worcester or Norwich, but they didn't.

Thanks ThelmaNotLouise.

You're wrong about cases rising across the north, they're actually coming down and the only region with a rise is Yorkshire and the rise there is very slight and so will probably follow the rest of the north shortly

London, Kent etc has a pretty tough time of it recently. Give them a break

(I'm from the north too BTW)

I can’t keep track of what we’re “ raging” about London now. When Tiers were in people raged about that. Funnily enough no one raged about London being in Tier 4 over Christmas while other regions were still able to mix. When London schools closed people raged about that because “ why are London childrens lives valued more than my child”. Here we now have someone moaning about the thought of London schools opening because “ Doesn’t my child’s education matter?” Make your mind up. Let me tell you that supplies of vaccine have been very poorly disseminated throughout London In comparison to some other areas of the country which I know will cheer you up

Different people want different things, which is why this is so difficult.

Some people desperately want schools open, some people desperately want them open, but safely and some people don't want them open till the pandemic is completely over.

And whichever area opens first, some people in that area will feel it's unfair, because that's not what they want, and other people elsewhere will feel it's unfair because that is what they would have liked.

Nightmare for the politicians,I can see.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-vaccine-more-supplies-tougher-lockdown-sadiq-khan-b864148.html%3famp

If they open early we will be privileged.... if they open two weeks later here they will say we’re privileged. Cant win

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-vaccine-more-supplies-tougher-lockdown-sadiq-khan-b864148.html%3famp
London not getting vaccine at the same rate as the rest of the country - I take it in the interest of fairness non Londoners will turn down the vaccine until it’s evenly given across the country? No? Thought not.

Jbh333 Exactly! If they open first, they'll moan our kids are being kept safe over theirs. If we open first, they'll moan our kids' education is being prioritised. I just don't understand how any decent human being – and mums, seeing as this is MN – would begrudge any kid going safely back to school where they can be taught more easily and be amongst their friends, which is crucial for their mental health. But no, sod London kids, they haven't suffered enough.

@Jbh333

If they open early we will be privileged.... if they open two weeks later here they will say we’re privileged. Cant win

Pretty much

When we were closing lots of outcry

I disagree @ThelmaNotLouise.
Its the fact that covid is widening the gap betwene the south and the north again and again.
we have economic and socila issue in the first place but the north has been disporportionately affected by covid (in deaths and economically).
Adding another layer where children will be even more disadvantaged than their counterparts is crap imo.

In Middlesbrough, half of the children already live under the poverty libe. Do they really need to have their education even more screwed up so that they will also be behind children in the south too??

So yay, lets prioritize London again, lets open the schools (when theye werent closed at a time when schools in the north would have been). But then what will the government do to close the gap for those children in the north? It's not acceptable to just let them to it because you only look at what's happening in london and those are 'fine'

Of course no child lives under the poverty line in London or the south.

@nancy75, on the other side London has much less health issues and les poverty than less say the North. That's why they have a lower death rate. Which actually also explain why they shouldn't be first or at the same level than other areas (lets say Bradford which a high BAME community and higher level of poverty).

Afterall its baout protecting the most vulnerable first isn't it? As an area London isnt as vulnerable than Braford/Leeds etc...

50% @nancy75?

Middlesbrough is the most deprived area in england!! Its not that there isnt deprivation somehwre else. Just that its that tiny little bit more pronouced....

Let's not dumpe ourself in thinking that all areas are in the same in the UK and all have the level of poverty, economic hardship or health issues

More children in poverty (number & %) in London than any other area of the country according to child poverty action group cpag.org.uk/policy-and-campaigns/campaigns/child-poverty-london
London also has a high level of BAME residents.