Non mask wearing parents being required to drop off later

[Morph2lcfc]

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.

Sounds like a great idea to keep everyone safer.

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

Completely agree with this. My dad is exempt but the reason he is exempt is what makes him very, very vulnerable. He wouldn't dream of going anywhere without a mask and he avoids crowds.

Why would people who are on the exemption list, mainly those who would be severely affected by covid, not want extra protective measures?

I cannot fathom people getting frothy about non-mask wearing OUTSIDE. The only purpose of this is to be seen to be doing something.

@ChameleonClara
The kids are getting later access to the school site not necessarily less access to teaching
This is a reasonable adjustment under the definition as it's allowing access to the same service which is 'education' just in a slightly different way - basically a staggered entry time.
Many kids with disabilities have had a different start time for years because it's easier and safer to access a site when it's quieter - it's not discriminatory, it allows them to access the service of education in a safe and accessible way which wouldn't be possible in normal circumstances.
Equality is about providing everybody with exactly the same experience, it's about giving them the same opportunities and rights.
The right and opportunity to education is not affected by staggered start times.
However staggered start times may actually provide a safer less crowded environment for those who cannot wear masks which allows them to access the service which they would otherwise find difficult so increasing the opportunity for parents to take their own kids to school rather than having to find somebody else to take them.

Sorry should read

• Equality isn't about providing everybody with exactly the same experience, it's about giving them the same opportunities and rights.

@Orchidflower1

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

This is my take on it. The people I know that are exempt actually wear a mask anyway because they are vulnerable. As usual too many people abuse something and the genuinely needy suffer.

It has been proven time and time again that the spread of this virus outdoors is negligible. Remember the crowded beaches everyone was crying and shaking about last summer? Not even a tiny hump in cases from it, let alone a spike.

Masks outdoors for a 2 minute school drop off are purely and absolutely "being seen to be doing something". I quietly refuse. There are enough restrictions on life that are genuinely helpful in stopping covid spread. Things like this just muddy the water.

This sounds like a good solution, surely. I'm so sick of people complaining about absolutely anything. Selfish.

@TimeForLunch

I cannot fathom people getting frothy about non-mask wearing OUTSIDE. The only purpose of this is to be seen to be doing something.

Completely agree.

'Reasonable adjustments' are often way more nuanced and subtle changes than most people understand. It quite often not about providing equipment but making a small adjustment than can make a big difference such as adjustments to timings, allowing breaks, using a different door, giving extra or different space.

Link to the actual article

www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/parents-fury-over-discriminatory-school-5075499

Our school don’t ask parent to wear masks, it’s outside one class going in a a time all different entrances used. Parents have to wait on the 2m line and leave straight away no hanging around to check as the next class cannot approach until you have gone. Siblings have to go in with whichever one of them stars latest to avoid parents hanging around.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable at all it’s the obvious conclusion.
Yes it will probably get the ones who are not really exempt to actually comply .
The genuine ones will be happy to comply on this rules everyone’s happy.
What’s the issue ?
My ds is exempt and apart from school he’s hardly been anywhere mainly because I don’t want someone being a dick about it when it’s obvious , and he never goes to any shops.
I’d support this rule !

@Angel2702

Our school don’t ask parent to wear masks, it’s outside one class going in a a time all different entrances used. Parents have to wait on the 2m line and leave straight away no hanging around to check as the next class cannot approach until you have gone. Siblings have to go in with whichever one of them stars latest to avoid parents hanging around.

It’s a county wide thing in Leicestershire that masks must be worn at drop off/ pick up not a decision in individual schools,

I meant to add though mask wearing is only needed when inside when social distancing is not always possible.
I can’t see a reason why outside you can’t social distancing.

ices?

I would have thought if there was a genuine reason for not wearing a mask they would be happier with a staggered time for them to lower the risk.

Sadly lots just don’t want to wear them rather than actually can’t.

@islockdownoveryet

I meant to add though mask wearing is only needed when inside when social distancing is not always possible. I can’t see a reason why outside you can’t social distancing.

Because unless the school is very small or in a very spacious area you end up with about several hundred parents waiting outside on the pavement which is usually not very wide so it’s virtually impossible to social distance.

@islockdownoveryet

I meant to add though mask wearing is only needed when inside when social distancing is not always possible. I can’t see a reason why outside you can’t social distancing.

Well you obviously lack imagination then.

We sometimes have to pick up our grandchildren from school and because of the layout it's impossible to social distance. It's a bit of a bottle neck at the entrance and then you wait for the children to leave their individual classrooms. That area is small and crowded. People have been wearing masks long before it was requested by the school because they aren't stupid and can see the situation for themselves. I doubt this school is alone in that.

I've just thought of a direct comparison of reasonable that has been accepted in life for years.
Disabled people often board airplanes at a different time to everyone else - sometimes before, sometimes afterwards, (I tend to find it depends on the airport rather than the airline)
We all get access to the same flight (the service) but when we get on the plane differs because we need more time/quiet/space /different equipment
I think the majority of people who kick up a fuss about these kind of adjustments for masks is because they just don't like masks, don't believe in their use or just don't like being told what to do rather than those who can't wear them.

@CarlaH

ices?

I think it was supposed to be ones

It is not a reasonable adjustment.

If a family were CEV and needing to avoid crowds and an arrangement was agreed for that purpose, that could be a reasonable adjustment.

To create a policy where children like mine have a blanket loss of 10 minutes at the start of the day because I can go into a panic attack within a minute of obstructing my airways/ putting on a visor is not a reasonable adjustment. It would also cause them considerable anxiety about having to walk into an already established class as DS1 has ASD and DS2's social confidence has been severely damaged in the past year with school closures.
Not a reasonable adjustment in any way, shape or form.

It protects us from nothing. A face covering provides no additional protection on an exposed, windy playground where the environment is vastly more effective than a scap of reused fabric in a coat pocket.
It is exceptionally rare for cases to tramsmit outside, and most that superficially do occur, happen because there was either prolonged close contact, or indoor contact such as transport or going in to use a toilet. Standing two or even one metres apart for a few minutes while dropping off is of close to negligible risk. The irony being that children are then in a crowded room for the next 6 hours.

Performance safety at its worst. Disgusting policy.

This can't conceivably be a reasonable adjustment, because it potentially prejudices the children concerned who miss the start of lessons or other activities.

I think it's a reasonable adjustment

it is an attempt to shame people into wearing masks

I guess shaming people is acceptable (to most other people) now.
Not just covid probably, probably everything is a good excuse to shame people now.