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Original poster

9 out of 20 students in my class are apparently exempt from mask wearing

515 replies

Workyticket · 10/03/2021 00:05

Taught them in a small room with a slit of a window for 1.5 hours

6 of those 9 had chosen not to take a lateral flow test because their Mum said they didn't have to

Schools and colleges are safe though. Apparently

OP posts:
phlebasconsidered · 10/03/2021 06:29

Take up in my kids school is only 2/3.
I have 35 year 6's in a room all day. They are high as kites and think everything is normal again. Looking at the parents congregating maskless and chatting and arranging get togethers on fb you would think that too.

I am so sorry you are in that situation. My own 2 kids are happily taking tests and wearing masks because they see every day what stupidity their mum has to put up with.

Evvyjb · 10/03/2021 06:30

My school (while REALLY difficult on other things, especially teacher workload) has taken this line since September - every SINGLE person in the school wears a mask. Absolutely no exceptions. If you cant then we have a small isolation centre where you can be beamed into lessons remotely. One student did that for a week and then decided they could wear a mask.

We have a specialised ASD centre on site, numerous students with severe PD, and 1500 students. They ALL wear a mask, they are all temp checked every day and on monday they all did their LFT simultaneously at the beginning of the day.

We have had relatively few cases. And 0 positives in that mass test.

Chewingle · 10/03/2021 06:31

The party most wrong in this scenario is the college

SansaSnark · 10/03/2021 06:37

Yes, we have a lot of kids suddenly exempt from mask wearing. Spoke to one parent about it yesterday as we wanted to know if his child had developed a new medical condition so we could support her. Response was "I don't have to tell you why she's exempt".

No, you don't. But it is normal to tell the school about any health conditions your child may have so we can support them.

She was probably the most anxious of all the children returning to school in my tutor group yesterday too.

It just annoys me that people are clearly willing to use their children ideologically without thinking about their welfare.

SansaSnark · 10/03/2021 06:38

And yes, school are taking a very soft line which is unhelpful.

Sleepyblueocean · 10/03/2021 06:41

"There's NO valid excuse, medical or otherwise."

So how do you keep a mask on someone profoundly disabled functioning at baby or toddler level who doesn't understand why they should be worn and rips it off the second it is put on? And then tries to rip your face off if you keep trying.Do tell?

HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 10/03/2021 06:41

Schools are stuck between a rock and a hard place. DfE have made clear students cannot be denied an education if they aren't wearing a mask. So normal consequences of detention, exclusion cannot be used. Our school is taking the hardest line possible but it's still going to be difficult with some students/parents.

Ineedaweeee · 10/03/2021 06:46

This is what is worrying me so much, my dd is exempt from a mask (has very bad asthma and allergies) her allergies are very severe and she can go in to anaphylaxis very fast with her face lips tongue neck all swelling I worry this will happen and a teacher will be more concerned about her not wearing a mask than to help give her, her epi pen. I know most teachers are caring and will help but I'm just so worried

StepOutOfLine · 10/03/2021 06:48

@Sleepyblueocean

"There's NO valid excuse, medical or otherwise."

So how do you keep a mask on someone profoundly disabled functioning at baby or toddler level who doesn't understand why they should be worn and rips it off the second it is put on? And then tries to rip your face off if you keep trying.Do tell?

Is that person in a classroom with 25 other people?
Whatever9999 · 10/03/2021 06:50

@notrub

To be fair, the tests are arguably worse than useless.

But NOBODY should have an opt out on mask wearing. Even my aunt with half a lung missing wears a face shield. There's NO valid excuse, medical or otherwise.

No mask - sent home. Parents fined for non-attendance.

PleaS let's not start this again, there are plenty of reasons why someone might not be able to wear a mask. I'm an adult and can deal with the bigotry, but I'm terrified of how people are going to treat my son when he turns 11 next month. He'll love to wear a mask, thinks they're great, but is also a mother, which means He'll just end up with it in his mouth, which means the mask won't actually be doing anything to protect anyone
CyberdyneSystems · 10/03/2021 06:51

@Notthemessiah

Their mum was right - they don't have to take the tests (which are fairly useless by all accounts anyway).

It's not like the government couldn't have foreseen that loads of kids (and almost certainly the worst ones, with the worst parents) would not have any sense of social responsibility.

This

user1471530109 · 10/03/2021 06:51

School don't have a choice though. The government have made it clear that wearing a mask is not compulsory.

The older pupils in my school are mostly not wearing them. Thankfully it's one particular year group (it's like they've all decided before they came back). One delightful student laughed when a teacher asked her to wear it and reminded her that she was clinically vulnerable. I know this students parents would back her.

I know everyone's had enough. I get why they think they are right to be refusing. But I'm still shocked.

StepOutOfLine · 10/03/2021 06:51

@Ineedaweeee

This is what is worrying me so much, my dd is exempt from a mask (has very bad asthma and allergies) her allergies are very severe and she can go in to anaphylaxis very fast with her face lips tongue neck all swelling I worry this will happen and a teacher will be more concerned about her not wearing a mask than to help give her, her epi pen. I know most teachers are caring and will help but I'm just so worried
The teacher and school presumably know about your daughter's condition? Try not to worry, Flowers Unfortunately, the conspiracy theorists, mask refusers for no prurient reason other than "it's my right" are making life harder for people with genuine problems.
Ineedaweeee · 10/03/2021 06:54

@stepoutofline yes the school is fully aware there are termly email to remind her teacher as she is so server and it is something that is always around she carries 2 pens at all time I know I'm just worring a lot thank you

Layladylay234 · 10/03/2021 06:55

Maybe they don't want to wear a mask?
Maybe they have had an incidence in their life that makes them exempt?
Maybe they have conditions you don't know about?

Either way,it's really none of your or anyone elses business. Nothing is risk free in this life. I'd suggest you worry more about your job that you'd probably recover fine from if you got it then worrying if a student is going to give you a virus they probably don't have.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 10/03/2021 06:55

You can’t make masks compulsory for children when they haven’t been for adults this past yr.

Timbucktime · 10/03/2021 06:55

@Evvyjb

My school (while REALLY difficult on other things, especially teacher workload) has taken this line since September - every SINGLE person in the school wears a mask. Absolutely no exceptions. If you cant then we have a small isolation centre where you can be beamed into lessons remotely. One student did that for a week and then decided they could wear a mask.

We have a specialised ASD centre on site, numerous students with severe PD, and 1500 students. They ALL wear a mask, they are all temp checked every day and on monday they all did their LFT simultaneously at the beginning of the day.

We have had relatively few cases. And 0 positives in that mass test.

Well goody for those students with ASD for being able to wear masks. Do you think everybody with ASD is the same? Believe me they are not and there are many that have such huge sensitivity issues etc that they can’t.
Scottishskifun · 10/03/2021 06:55

I would be more annoyed at them refusing the testing if not wearing a mask.

I'm asthmatic and although I can and do wear a mask for short time periods in shops etc I struggle badly as the time increases so all supermarket shop is online now.

I hate that in society we seem to automatically judge those in a instance if they aren't wearing a mask.

Yes you get the occasional idiot but there are several reasons for not being able to wear one including it causing panic attacks in people who have suffered abuse.
Obviously all those who can wear one should but unless you know the personal reasons why someone isn't I don't think as a society we should automatically judge them.

Sleepyblueocean · 10/03/2021 06:57

"Is that person in a classroom with 25 other people?"

If they are younger they will be in school or college and could be in a class of 15 at secondary age.

The point is claims that NO- ONE can be exempt because someone without a learning disability can wear one is ridiculous

Sleepyblueocean · 10/03/2021 06:58

Someone they know without a learning disability.

Happytobejabbed · 10/03/2021 07:00

I’d be mentioning duty of care to SLT and at the very least pushing for a change of room.

Whilst a mask doesn't guarantee zero transmission its better than nothing. Are the 9 self diagnosed as to be unable to wear masks?

sonnysunshine · 10/03/2021 07:02

This is why I hate people that can wear a mask and take a test but won't because of some stupid conspiracy/brainwashing or they watched a bollocks video.
They ruin it for the people that have genuine reasons to not wear one and make those people feel anxious that they are being lumped in with the dickheads.

Morph2lcfc · 10/03/2021 07:03

@user1471530109

School don't have a choice though. The government have made it clear that wearing a mask is not compulsory. The older pupils in my school are mostly not wearing them. Thankfully it's one particular year group (it's like they've all decided before they came back). One delightful student laughed when a teacher asked her to wear it and reminded her that she was clinically vulnerable. I know this students parents would back her.

I know everyone's had enough. I get why they think they are right to be refusing. But I'm still shocked.

I guess the problem is the more that don’t wear them the more peer pressure there is not to wear and kids that would be ok to wear a mask feel that they can’t without being made fun of by others
peak2021 · 10/03/2021 07:08

A scarf can be a face covering
A snood can be used as a face covering
A bandana can be used as a face covering
Face shields are an alternative
Transparent face coverings are available

Strange how no-one had all these conditions preventing face covering wearing reported in this thread when I was in Germany?

Lateral flow tests should have been opt out by parents, not opt in.

Andromache77 · 10/03/2021 07:08

In Spain schools have been open since September and throughout the last two waves. Everyone over 6 yo wears a mask (many children under 6 do, especially the 5 yos, but it's not mandatory). It works and no one has suffocated so far. I'm guessing that SEN children don't but since we are no longer allowed inside the premises I can't see them, they are only a few in my DD's mainstream school and they must enter through another door instead of waiting outside in a large courtyard like the rest of children. Windows open, staggered entrance and pick-up times and absolutely no exceptions to mask wearing other than those legally allowed. Secondary education children are one week in one week out (remote learning) to reduce numbers in the classrooms. No teachers infected in our very large school that I know of, and very few groups sent home to quarantine. I dress my DD in extra layers due to the open windows but other than that it's normal school. It can be done, seriously.