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Original poster

Non mask wearing parents being required to drop off later

114 replies

Morph2lcfc · 07/03/2021 05:47

An article in our local paper was about a local school that’s said that non mask wearing parents and required to drop off and pick up at different times. The drop off is later I’m not sure if pick up is later or earlier. One man was complaining it was discriminatory to his wife but lots of people were in favour. The man said it was an attempt to shame people into wearing masks. Is it fair on people that are genuinely exempt? Will their children feel singled out or is it actually beneficial to them as they will be safer as they are dropping off/ picking up at a quieter time. My child has asd and we often had late drop off/ early pick ups when he was in mainstream and this was viewed as a reasonable adjustment rather than being discrimination.

OP posts:
VashtaNerada · 07/03/2021 05:51

I think parents who are medically exempt should be allowed as it’s a tiny minority of people. It’s not acceptable for parents to be on school property without a mask without a genuine exemption though.

Orchidflower1 · 07/03/2021 05:53

Perhaps it will stop the ices who just don’t fancy wearying a mask.

PTW1234 · 07/03/2021 06:58

I would say it was a reasonable adjustment. It’s probably more of a headache for the school to accommodate children coming in later than others (potentially also letting them stay later too).

If people are medically exempt from wearing masks then they are much more likely to be more vulnerable from the virus, so dropping off when less people and it’s easier to distance makes sense

Insertfunnyname · 07/03/2021 07:00

Good idea.

Flamingolingo · 07/03/2021 07:01

Our school has a strict mask policy. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone without one. So either they have a separate arrangement I’m not aware of or there are no exemptions (that the school recognise).

I would argue that school drop off is so swift that almost everyone can wear a mask. At our school drop off is under 2 minutes, walk in, leave child, walk out the other gate and done. Pick up a little longer but can be mitigated by arrival time.

ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:04

If you are medically exempt this should not apply certainly. I would be surprised if it is enforceable.

I don't like this kind of unofficial policing, despite the fact I think people who won't wear masks without good reason are prats.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 07/03/2021 07:11

I don't agree with this. I don't think masks are necessary outdoors anyway.

HairyChin · 07/03/2021 07:18

Parents are the problem.

Huddled together, lack of masks...

Realllly pisses me off .

wonkylegs · 07/03/2021 07:20

Most people with genuine exemptions would understand the term reasonable adjustment under equality legislation - making a service accessible for all in disability terms doesn't necessarily mean providing it exactly the same way for everyone.
Most people with medical exemptions want to be as safe as other people and if this is a way to do that (and relatively easily) I'm sure that they would prefer that.
Mask refusers for political/personal freedom however don't like this for other reasons but I tend to think that that's because their argument is all about them and thinks very little about society as a whole.

ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:21

The idea you don't ever need a mask outside is false. You need a mask if you're waiting or chatting. Parents do both these.

Mintjulia · 07/03/2021 07:24

It sounds like a reasonable adjustment. It protects the children and parents who are wearing masks while still enables the children of those who don't, to go to school.

It isn't about judging why anyone is not wearing a mask. It's about safety.

Chimoia · 07/03/2021 07:27

It's a reasonable adjustment protecting the non mask wearers and the people they might risk infecting, through no fault of their own, and reduces potential conflict. Inconveniences the fewest number of parents.

PinkDaffodil2 · 07/03/2021 07:29

That seems reasonable, parents who can’t wear a mask for medical reasons are likely to be medically vulnerable so this should protect them a bit as it will be less busy for them.

PTW1234 · 07/03/2021 07:32

You certainly need a mask outdoors at our school. Rural school on a country lane, narrow path on just one side of the road.

Impossible to social distance really, you can try but would mean everyone being late. We have staggered start times (upper and lower schools) to minimise risk already, but most families have siblings in school so hasn’t worked in practise.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 07/03/2021 07:33

I don't wait or chat, I don't have time as I have to get to work.

ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:33

People are stating 'reasonable adjustment', that's not what this is at all.

This is an unreasonable adjustment.

ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:34

@Waxonwaxoff0

I don't wait or chat, I don't have time as I have to get to work.
Many other parents do, they would be wise the wear masks.

People lead different lives, we can't extrapolate from our own experience.

AlecTrevelyan006 · 07/03/2021 07:36

No one should have to wear a mask in any outdoors setting

wonkylegs · 07/03/2021 07:39

@ChameleonClara
*
People are stating 'reasonable adjustment', that's not what this is at all.

This is an unreasonable adjustment.*
Why do you think it's an unreasonable adjustment?
I am disabled and work with accessibility legislation a lot so understand the term well in context to my life so I'm curious as to why you think it's so 'unreasonable'

TriciaMcMillan · 07/03/2021 07:43

@AlecTrevelyan006

No one should have to wear a mask in any outdoors setting
Why's that then?
ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:52

@wonkylegs

A reasonable adjustment is something you do to try to make it possible for a person with a disability to access services etc. So you put in a ramp to allow access for users of wheelchairs.

This is a change that reduces access to services as the children of those not wearing masks get later school access.

It is unreasonable to reduce access for people with disabilities IMO. I think it is discrimatory.

Not improving the status quo is one thing. Making changes that detrimentally affect protected groups is another.

ChameleonClara · 07/03/2021 07:52

@AlecTrevelyan006

No one should have to wear a mask in any outdoors setting
Pfft
tonystarksrighthand · 07/03/2021 07:59

Why do you have to wear a mask outdoors?

Weird

MessAllOver · 07/03/2021 08:00

Doesn't seem unreasonable. There are two ways to protect others - wear a mask or stay away from them. If you can't do the first, you should be trying as much as you can to do the second (though actually we should all be trying to do both, mask or no mask) and should be actively avoiding busy spaces. Though it might have been better to make it earlier drop-off to ensure access to services was not reduced.

ShrewYou · 07/03/2021 08:01

Presumably they are collecting them later too. So you can manage the day so that the children are doing a task when they first come in such as handwriting that can be finished at the end of the day.

Our school has had staggered drop offs and pick ups all of the way through and those with siblings in other classes have been coming and going up to half an hour before and after our classes actual start and finish time so the way we manage the day has had to adjust accordingly. The children aren't going to miss an actual lesson. No school is going to want that.