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.

@AccidentallyOnPurpose

I don't see the discrimination here. The children aren't missing out. They come 10 minutes late,but they also leave late. Is it discrimination when y4s drop at 9:15? Or that siblings can all go at the earliest time? And whatever other combo the staggered starts offer?

It protects those who can't wear a mask from being in a crowded area .

Also, no one can tell at the moment if this is a policy that the school have cooked up on their own, or something they decided to do after a consultation with parents, as a response to their worries and concerns.

It is treating the children differently to their cohort.

It's not an issue that mine have seperate times for their year groups, they are being treated the same as their peers, not walking in late/ staying behind to others in the room.

It is an issue if they have to walk into a full room and be kept behind at the end of the day compared to the rest of the cohort.

It seems very sensible and if I were a parent I’d be happy that the school was putting arrangements in place to protect all.
The more people who comply with procedures that help make us all safer, the sooner life will become more normal again. I look forward to the time I’ll be able to see my grandchildren properly again and pick them up from school sometimes, exact time of pick up regardless.

Seems a good idea to me.

I hadn't realised people didn't wear masks outdoors on the mainland- a part of the recent lockdown where I live has been an encouragement to wear masks when out walking in urban areas or if there are others nearby. I think this sounds reasonable on the part of the school and makes things safer for everyone involved as those exempt from wearing masks are most likely more vulnerable to COVID.

Doesn't this mean that all those who can't wear masks are together at the same time? Surely if the school believes there's a risk from unmasked people in the open air, having them all grouped together will increase that risk?

There won't be many of them and they will have to manage their own social distancing. You can't micro manage every aspect in a risk assessment.

@knittingaddict that’s fair enough then I said on my other post I’d support it .
I’ve worn a mask on school drop off when I’m outside as I’ve gone less than 2 metres to speak to a member of staff . I’ve worn a mask to collect cakes from a lady that makes them again I’m outside but she passes them to me and I pay .
I’m just saying if you are outside and social distancing there is no need . Masks are for when social distancing is not always possible. You commented on my add on comment please read my actual post that agreed . Not ever situation is the same for everyone.

I wish my school would put this into place. Every morning and afternoon gaggles of maskless parents gather just to send in and pick up the bubble kids. It will be even worse on Monday with them all in now everything is "normal".

Even when i've told them not to stand and wait in groups they have just moved to just outside the gates to continue to chat. It boils my piss.

@wonkylegs

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

I understand what equality means, I just don't think this proposal achieves it, myself.

Ultimately what matters is the people affected in this school, I'm entitled to an opinion but it's for those affected to decide really. They can always challenge if unhappy.

It seems the ideal solution.

It stops non-mask wearers infecting others, yet allows them to not wear masks. Don't know why they are making a fuss.

@Radio4Rocks

It seems the ideal solution.

It stops non-mask wearers infecting others, yet allows them to not wear masks. Don't know why they are making a fuss.

Because the children are facing the brunt of the consequence. Because it is needlessly singling out and isolating families because of the need not to wear a mask which is legally recognised.

There is no requirement to wear masks in other public access outdoor spaces in the UK. They are not required because the efficacy is so low in outdoor environments. The costs of this measure on the families affected massively outweighs the benefits.

Fantastic way for children to re-integrate back into society after 2.5 months stuck with only your own household, walking into a full classroom 10 minutes late and not knowing what's going on.

Because it is needlessly singling out and isolating families because of the need not to wear a mask which is legally recognised.

I could be exempt but even I can wear a mask for 10 minutes. I refuse to believe most so-called exempt people can't. For many it's a mardy choice, I know that for a fact. Better to single them out than let them pass on Covid to a vulnerable person.

If people don't like the school rules then they can change schools or net send the DCs.

@BogRollBOGOF children will be fine. They all come into class in dribs and drabs anyway. Kids from breakfast club and outside, from the cloakroom. Registration lasts from 8.40 to 9 anyway. All primary teachers are used to it and so are the kids. There is no way coming in 10 minutes late will mean they don't know what's going on or terrify them.

@BogRollBOGOF - ask to drop the kids off early and collect early if it's a struggle the other way around for you. The school are respecting the rights of those parents who can't wear a mask, those parents who don't wear masks need to also respect the rights of the other parents and teachers by making minor adjustments to work around the additional risks they are posing to others.

@Radio4Rocks

Because it is needlessly singling out and isolating families because of the need not to wear a mask which is legally recognised.

I could be exempt but even I can wear a mask for 10 minutes. I refuse to believe most so-called exempt people can't. For many it's a mardy choice, I know that for a fact. Better to single them out than let them pass on Covid to a vulnerable person.

If people don't like the school rules then they can change schools or net send the DCs.

How do you know that 'for a fact'? Have you spoken to every single mask exempt person?

Change schools because you have a medical condition or disability. Yep, totally reasonable.

Oh and by the way, there's no 'could be exempt'. If you can wear a mask, you're not exempt. So you're not exempt.

And no, it's not better to 'single out' those with medical conditions or disabilities. Particularly in front of children, who really don't need to hear that sort of message about discrimination.

Seems a reasonable adjustment to me. The genuinely exempt as opposed to those who can reasonably be expected to wear a face covering for under five minutes are small in number.

Oh and by the way, there's no 'could be exempt'. If you can wear a mask, you're not exempt. So you're not exempt.

I have a health condition that many claim makes them exempt. I have it worse than many. I'm a wheelchair user, these days. Hence, I could be exempt but for the greater safety of all choose not to be. As could many others in the same position. In most countries they'd have to.

As for those claiming exemption, maybe you should look in the local forums at the loony conspiracy theorists talking about muzzles and refusing to wear them. I know several people locally very well but they are pretending to be exempt because they don't like wearing masks. They readily admit it.

It isn't discrimination to try to protect the vuknerable from infection.

Some people don't understand what a reasonable adjustment is.
If a parent is able to take their child to school at the usual time then making them take them at a different time isn't a reasonable adjustment. Whether or not it is discriminatory is a different issue but it certainly isn't a reasonable adjustment.

I often see people claiming making someone disabled do something different in order to allow them to access the same facilities as others, described as a reasonable adjustment. It isn't.

[quote ChameleonClara]@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.[/quote]
If the school day is as long for everyone and the drop off are different times it's not reducing access to services.

So mask wearers arrive 8.45-9.
Non mask wearers 9am

Collection is mask wearers 3-3.15pm.
Non mask wearers 3.15pm.

Those without masks who are likely to be more vulnerable have same service but safer.

Can't see that's unreasonable in any way shape or form?

@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.

Just because that's the rules doesn't mean it's a sensible one!

You cannot go anywhere else in the U.K. inside without a mask even if you're just popping into a shop for 3 minutes.

So I fail to see how sd inside one room for 6-7 hours a day is perfectly safe with no mask.

The magic school walls don't exist just because it suits an agenda.

I feel there is a sense of entitlement from SOME non- mask wearers. They should understand that the current advice is that mask wearing supposedly reduces transmission. If I couldn't wear a mask, I would understand others might feel uncomfortable with me being near them. To be honest, not wearing a mask is not medically certified. I think loads of people are not wearing a mask for no good reason. In some countries, if you don't wear a mask, you can't get in to the supermarket. No it's, no buts. You get someone else to do your shopping or do it online. If we did that here, I bet we'd find loads of self-certified non-mask wearers would suddenly manage just fine. Maybe we should get medical letters to prove exemption? Even with this, I'd still say those supposedly more likely to spread infection by not being able to wear a mask should understand other people are at risk from that and understand the measures to protect others.

It is unreasonable to reduce access for people with disabilities IMO. I think it is discrimatory.
One of the groups needs to have the later drop off and later collection slot though. And it makes sense for the smallest group to make the change as otherwise loads of people would have to adjust their own working hours rather than a few people.

I was in Germany in September. Face coverings were worn on the trains, buses and enclosed spaces such as shops without exception. I accept that our air quality in some cities and towns and so asthma is more prevalent in the UK, but not that much more.

"One of the groups needs to have the later drop off and later collection slot though."

There are alternatives that do not require this. Child being collected at school gate by a member of staff with parent being socially distanced or access to school car park so child gets out of car and goes in.

Who is going to be with the other children whilst a member of staff goes to deliver one child to the gate at the same time as the other children are being dismissed?