Keir Starmer backs unions in wanting schools to return safely ⚡⚡⚡

[DumplingsAndStew]

"We'll have to see where the data is, where the science is, but that's what we should be working towards. If that means more testing, if that means Nightingale classrooms, if it means other measures, let's do that because I want to get our kids back into school."

Isn't it great that he agrees with what school staff and unions have been saying for months. That he wants schools to put in place cautious safety measures to enhance safety, so that everyone can return.

news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-labour-calls-for-all-schools-in-england-to-reopen-on-8-march-and-for-a-debt-charter-12224393

@noblegiraffe Everyone I know or work with those conditions have been offered their vaccine. I imagine they are prioritising within that list too. And it's still two weeks until schools go back (fingers crossed)

bar about 10 weeks of actual school.

Why only 10 weeks?

Was their Sept-Dec school experience disrupted by repeated isolations due to inadequate covid mitigation measures in schools?

Yeah, that happened to quite a few kids. It would be better if we had mitigation measures in place that meant that fewer kids missed out on school while they're technically open.

You asked if I would accept my child being kept home and I said I have done, for the last year, bar about 10 weeks of actual school. This wasn't done to protect my own family, but to protect others. Or does it only count of you do it to protect yourself or your children?

You have had no choice but to keep your children home, as have the majority of us.

The rest of your post tells me exactly what I need to know about people like you. Fine as long as you and yours are OK. Sod the rest of us. That's disabled children you're writing off there. Well done.

Everyone I know or work with those conditions have been offered their vaccine. I imagine they are prioritising within that list too. And it's still two weeks until schools go back

But it takes three weeks for protection to kick in and we know that group 6 weren't done by a week ago (and still aren't done now).

I thought KS's wife was a lawyer?

@Lanzo

Keir’s children have been in school throughout the pandemic because they are KW children. He can’t really support anything that stands in the way of children returning without looking pretty hypocritical.

Schools are not going to be completely safe from covid. I think the majority of teachers (myself included) and children want to go back to school despite this. I can understand why this is worrying for some people though.

They could be safer though, as in adopting some of the safety features that everyone else has.

Masks used more widely for example.

Clear advice about isolating that makes scientific sense.

@Sofasouffle

I thought KS's wife was a lawyer?

A quick google indicates she was a solicitor but now works in NHS occupational health. (Starmer’s mum worked for the NHS too).

Are those lightning signs something to do with SS. Anyway, stupid idea, if it just means lockdown again in April.

God I am stupid. Mea culpa. Thought the was other Statement threads....unions are great!!

A quick google indicates she was a solicitor but now works in NHS occupational health. (Starmer’s mum worked for the NHS too)

Thanks! Who needs Google when you have MN.

I think it depends on the schools though and how they view covid. Our school is defo very relaxed about covid.
They didn’t want to close at all, the kids all day basically on each other’s laps on a small carpet when they had table and chairs.
Staff were offers PPE they didn’t accept.
They had a theatre groups come in for a school play plus a zoo 😅
I don’t think they will follow anything tbf !

@borntobequiet

What is a nightingale classroom?

A photo opportunity for ministers that won’t ever be used as there will be insufficient teachers and support staff to run it. HTH.

Yup!!

I'm actually more annoyed with KS for saying we need proper mitigation now (smaller groups), with two weeks to go, when it's impossible, when teachers have been saying so for 10 months, than I would be if he hadn;t said it at all. These measures are not possible with a return date of 8th March. What's the point in saying it?

The only option to mitigate now is staggered returns, with proper decision making which depends on the effects of those returns. Which is crap. But it's too late for anything else.

The answer my own question (What's the point in KS saying it?) is clearly so:

• If schools open normally and the rates skyrocket he can say "I told you you needed proper mitigation"
• If the Govt delay based on rates he can say "I told you schools needed to open".

Just bog standard, Politician 101 arse covering and weasel words.

@ineedaholidaynow

How many children and their parents have had the vaccination *@Tryingtryingandtrying*? Great news that the vaccination reduces transmission not so great when the majority of people involved with schools won’t have had the vaccination by 8th March

Are you talking about CEV parents and children? Or all parents and children?

Since it’s obviously the govt doesn’t have any intention of providing funds to make classrooms bigger etc, or mandate mask wearing in schools, at what point would you be ok with all children going back?

@SilverGlassHare I would hope masks and rotas would be allowed, otherwise we may end up in the same mess we were in last term with bubbles bursting all over the place and rates and hospital admissions going up. Slow and steady would be best, not throwing everyone back in one go

But if the govt doesn’t allow that, when would you want to fully open the schools? When would it feel safe to you?

Honestly, I have never spoken to a single teacher who thinks that schools are safe from Covid. Not a single one. This is because teachers are in the overcrowded classrooms and dining halls, witnessing the totally predictable lack of social distancing between students, the lack of mask compliance from some students who believe themselves to be immortal and seeing the numbers of staff and students affected. If you have not set foot in a school then you do not know this. You have not seen it and whilst I totally understand your desire to get your children back to school, you have to listen to those who have lived it daily and take their word for it when they tell you that a full return on 8th March will only mean one thing, and that is more closures and more disruption and, in all likelihood, more deaths.

Then you have an incredibly incompetent SLT

Or, we’re a small school who have been negatively impacted by changes to school funding for the past few years. Look it up.

There will be no safety measures.

Our local Secondary was advocating masks in classrooms if schools had gone back fully in January, I assume they will advocate the same if they go back in full on 8th March regardless of what Boris says, and I assume a fair few other schools will do the same.

@napody I'm actually more annoyed with KS for saying we need proper mitigation now (smaller groups), with two weeks to go, when it's impossible, when teachers have been saying so for 10 months, than I would be if he hadn;t said it at all. These measures are not possible with a return date of 8th March. What's the point in saying it?

In January Starmer called for teachers to be prioritised for vaccination this Feb half term - so he's suggested more to help make school returns safer than the sweet FA the Government have offered...

@Watchingbehindmyhands

You asked if I would accept my child being kept home and I said I have done, for the last year, bar about 10 weeks of actual school. This wasn't done to protect my own family, but to protect others. Or does it only count of you do it to protect yourself or your children?

You have had no choice but to keep your children home, as have the majority of us.

The rest of your post tells me exactly what I need to know about people like you. Fine as long as you and yours are OK. Sod the rest of us. That's disabled children you're writing off there. Well done.

Thank you for mentioning disabled children.

When a thread started on the Do Not Resuscitate NHS policy for mentally and physically handicapped kids, a poster suggested that there
wouldn't be a lot of interest in the thread by the vast majority of parents.
They weren't wrong.

at what point would you be ok with all children going back?

I would suggest, get numbers down between now & Easter and give schools time to plan for a return next term.

Then more staff and parents would have been vaccinated and if numbers get lower, there's less chance of children getting it.

There could be leeway to try some years going back in a distanced way or primary returning.

Everyone back at once seems unwise and may be against scientific advice it would seem.

@DumplingsAndStew

But the important part is that he wants safety measures in place so that the schools can operate safely.

Which is exactly what the unions want.

Yeah but it doesn't suit the teacher bashers to actually understand what the unions want.

The only difference in what KS said and what unions are saying seems to be unions are saying only open when measures in place and KS saying get measures in place to open by your proposed date.

It's pretty much semantics as unions haven't actually said don't open on the 8th!

@Mrsbrownsgargoyle Sadly I think you will be right, other than those schools have put in place last term. For example, the local primary school has separate entrances for different year groups.

The Scots and Welsh have had gradual re-opening by ages, which would be sensible, or schooling say only two days a week in class for all.