No more masks in classrooms - hurray!

[TeddingtonTrashbag]

Hurray!
I am a secondary teacher and just hope it really happens.

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/05/06/exclusive-end-masks-classroom-boris-johnson-defies-unions/

Right, it’s me! Apologies to anyone who might have read that incorrectly - I swear there was no ill intent but I see it now!

@Toomanymuslins

I actually cannot believe I am having to defend starting maternity leave slightly early on Mumsnet

It’s a bit worrying, really.

You can start ML when you like.

I really don't care, but stop using this to derail the point that you missed having to deal with all the issues from when you left till lockdown.

Also if you are taking the full year you won't be back in school till after the summer break. almost November? and hopefully we would be back to some form of normality.

It isn’t derailing at all. I’ve given my experience of teaching in a mask. No, it isn’t as long as some because I had a baby

And I’m back in September. I think I have said this.

Babymeanswashing

I agree that you have experience of teaching in a mask, but you didn't experience what happened in the following months.

Apologies for getting the wrong month, but the point stands that we should have (hopefully) a normal situation in September.

Well - yes, so I’m not sure what the problem is, to be honest.

@Babymeanswashing

Well - yes, so I’m not sure what the problem is, to be honest.

You tell me, you are the that claimed that saying this was shouting at you.

I think I have told you! I’ve been made to justify starting maternity leave early and I’ve been shamed for the fact I haven’t been in school all year.

Considering how hard fought maternity laws are I think that’s pretty reprehensible on a site primarily for and about women, tbh.

I taught for the first half term in a mask, with sickness (no, mine didn’t go away at 12 weeks) hauling books and resources around the school, and not having my own classroom. And I hated it.

If I hadn’t been pregnant I’d have had to hate it for longer but since I was pregnant I started my maternity leave.

It’s pretty appalling that this is being used against me.

A lot of drama here! I’m a teacher in Scotland. We’re still having to all wear masks. I hate it and really struggle with every aspect. The teaching, seeing the kids in them (I’ll never get used to this). Can’t wait to get rid of them. Hopefully once the 40s are vaccinated up here we can do away with them. We seem a bit behind England in our vaccinations.

I don't agree that it has been "used against" you. You said you hated teaching in masks, and it was pointed out that the period of time you were referring to (pregnant or otherwise) was when masks were not actually required. They were voluntary, although actually, many teachers reported on here that their schools forbade their use.
Those of us who have taught throughout (Lockdown nothwithstanding) have had quite a long period of time to cope with them.
NONE of us likes them, and ALL of us will be glad to see them go. Just NOT YET (in my opinion).

@Babymeanswashing I don’t think it’s being used against, you just pointed out that you’ve not experienced it for as long as others. That’s true. You said yourself you went off early. I don’t blame you! I would have too.

They weren’t voluntary at my school callme

The fact I haven’t experienced it as long as others doesn’t really mean I can’t have a view that teaching in them is a bit rubbish, though! (And before anyone says anything just to me clear I mean for me personally. I have said throughout that anyone who wishes to wear a mask should be able to.)

In Scotland we’ve been teaching our older pupils in masks for what feels like forever. Someone will help me with a date here but it’s longer than England. Misery competition alert!

Sorry guys, I had no idea that those textile nappies we have in abundance with the babies are called this :) at least I learnt something new, thank you!
Yeah, I used to have so many that I don't even want to recall. :)

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-pupils-no-longer-need-24078406

And yet anyone under the age of 70 is it at very very low risk of getting ill with covid

People keep saying this: a small proportion of younger people and children ARE badly affected and a small proportion of a large number is still a large number in absolute terms and can cause strain on the NHS. It won't be as bad as before unless we get a vaccine evading variant, but staff are tired, worn down and leaving the service. The resources aren't there as they were before. And they were stretched before.

In Brazil it's been reported 1,300 babies have died from covid, because they've let the virus get out of control. This is a tragedy - these deaths were preventable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56696907

There is a lot of anecdotal data that the indian variant MAY not only be more transmissible but also more lethal (and to lower age groups). There are a lot of doctors in the thick of it in India saying it's younger people being affected now.

This is why we need to be precautionary. If we wait for full scientific evidence about this variant, it will be too late to do anything. We've already acted too late on preventing community transmission of it in this country.

I really don't see the down side to being precautionary - wearing a mask for a few extra months while we gather more data on the Indian variant and we get more adults vaccinated. The current data is concerning enough - you'd think we might learn that early action saves lives and also prevents more drastic measures being needed down the line.

I think vaccinating all adults in areas where there are outbreaks of the India variant would be good but they seem reluctant to deviate from the current strategy for logistical reasons. Which I think makes it even more important to be precautionary.

www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01274-7 - summary in nature about what is known about india variant.

"Evidence is growing that one variant first detected in India might be more transmissible and slightly better at evading immunity than existing variants. Animal models also hint that it might be able to cause more severe disease."

A DC came home yesterday and said they had been told no masks from this coming Monday in class. We have mixed feelings but on the whole think masks should continue to be worn in class for a while longer. Easing of many other restrictions at the same time and the variants are very concerning. We have had cases in school. It seems vastly more important to keep cases as low as possible and give us the best chance of keeping school open and everyone safe and well. For a start, I'd like to see all staff and sixth formers having had both vaccines and see what the situation is like 4 weeks after that. Removing masks too soon is causing unnecessary worry for many staff, pupils and families at home. I had hoped our school would take a stand against this premature decision, as I know other schools are doing.

@Xenia

Out of interest, and honestly, how many times have you been maskless in a small room with 30 others maskless people in the last 14 months for 6 hours a day?

And every hour those 30 teenagers leave and another 30 arrive?

Have you been in that situation?

I am not a teacher so never as the law prohibits it. I would have happily been maskless at my daughter's wedding last month for example but we all put them on as the law requires it.

@Xenia

So I think people who aren’t in that situation should not be judging how those in that situation should feel.

A DC came home yesterday and said they had been told no masks from this coming Monday in class

I think it's worrying that children aren't at least given the choice and supported in their choice.

There seems to be no concern at all for those children who WANT to wear a mask and are more anxious without it. It's all so one-sided.

There are several children in DDs class (including DD) who would like to wear a mask, but it's primary and the teachers don't and they feel it's prohibited. I've spoken to the HT and he says it's not prohibited but that's not what the actions and words of the staff are conveying.

In contrast my other DDs primary has several vulnerable children, all of whom wear masks and several teachers too. They've done much better at making it acceptable.

One of DD's friends is really worried about bringing the virus home to her parents - but no-one seems to give a stuff about children's mental health when they have legitimate concerns about the safety of their family members. She wore a mask the first day back, then stopped because of peer pressure (and I include from the teachers who have done nothing to legitimise mask wearing).

@IloveJKRowling

A DC came home yesterday and said they had been told no masks from this coming Monday in class

I think it's worrying that children aren't at least given the choice and supported in their choice.

There seems to be no concern at all for those children who WANT to wear a mask and are more anxious without it. It's all so one-sided.

There are several children in DDs class (including DD) who would like to wear a mask, but it's primary and the teachers don't and they feel it's prohibited. I've spoken to the HT and he says it's not prohibited but that's not what the actions and words of the staff are conveying.

In contrast my other DDs primary has several vulnerable children, all of whom wear masks and several teachers too. They've done much better at making it acceptable.

One of DD's friends is really worried about bringing the virus home to her parents - but no-one seems to give a stuff about children's mental health when they have legitimate concerns about the safety of their family members. She wore a mask the first day back, then stopped because of peer pressure (and I include from the teachers who have done nothing to legitimise mask wearing).

Id be contacting the school. My daughters secondary has emailed saying there will be no masks from Monday. However they made it very clear that should any pupil want to wear one (or the teacher when moving around the classroom) they would support them in this. Any school with a blanket ban on them need pulling up on this (from someone who is delighted my daughter won't have to wear one).

Ours has emailed saying no masks from Monday apart from staff and visitors when it’s not possible to distance while moving around the school.

They have also however clarified that any pupil not distancing, coughing over anyone for a joke or leaving their designated spaces faces a fixed term exclusion and will be placed in an isolation room for that day until collected.

Spoke to a friend who is a teacher and she said that they are waiting for an update from their union. They want to continue with mask wearing for themselves and the students. The head is supportive.

Update from the Govt - schools cannot come up with their own guidance on using masks. Any change to national guidelines MUST be made through the local Director of Public Health or DFE:

"No educational setting should move to implement restrictive measures of the kind set out in the contingency framework without the explicit approval of DfE.""

Source: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986106/Contingency_Framework.pdf