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/

@picturesandpickles

My daughter is isolating too. The issue for me is the fact she was wearing a mask and the confirmed case was also wearing a mask doesn't stop the isolation, so the benefits just aren't there.

This is unscientific, unless you have proof that the outbreak wouldn;t have been WORSE without masks.

No one said masks would stop all covid cases.

Seatbelts don;t prevent all car deaths. Bet you still wear yours though.

Yep I agree, we don't have the science. Guess we will see in a few weeks time.

I am not in England. I remember watching the announcement in Parliament that schools were to be back in straight after Christmas. And the almost immediate u-turn when they realised this wasn't safe.
Something being government advice doesn't make it right, or even in our best interests.
Anyone preempting the removal and encouraging pupils to move ahead of the rate of relaxation is being unprofessional. Anyone encouraging pupils to burn masks is being scarily unprofessional (and won't they need them in shops and transport?)

Anyone encouraging pupils to burn masks is being scarily unprofessional

This. Masks cost money. Imagine if they were suggesting children burn any other item their parents had to pay for? Let's hope it's not true.

@IloveJKRowling

Anyone encouraging pupils to burn masks is being scarily unprofessional

This. Masks cost money. Imagine if they were suggesting children burn any other item their parents had to pay for? Let's hope it's not true.

Lol what do you expect? They are going to lovingly hand their masks down to their siblings?

Better burnt than clogging waterways!

I find this decision monumentally stupid. There is a concern for an increase in cases due to the Indian variant and here we are letting groups of teens who are in small classrooms that don't allow for proper distancing not wear masks anymore. It is SUCH a simple measure that may prevent further spread of cases - it makes no sense to take masks off now. I hope that many schools will ask students to continue to wear them for the safety of everyone around them.

Better burnt than clogging waterways!

It is more that talk of burning masks shows such a level of ignorance and childishness that it would make a teacher look completely unprofessional. I'd complain if a teacher talked about masks that way, obviously no-one can stop them being ill-informed but they really should try to keep it to themselves.

@MrsHamlet

we cannot keep masks just because some teachers can't assess their risk and suffer with health anxiety

If it's "not safe" to be unmasked in the supermarket/ on the train / name your space, it's clearly "not safe" in a classroom.

This.

Supermarket workers (for example) must wear masks and so must people visiting. They also have screens at checkouts etc.

GP's are triaging by phone and not really seeing manny f2f and those they do must wear masks and have temp check on arrival.

Police wear masks when driving with a colleague.

You must wear a mask on public transport.

I just have never understood why so many people think schools wanting masks is such a major deal or even an over reaction. When in fact it's been the only place masks haven't been mandatory at points.

@picturesandpickles

I would be very annoyed if teachers push their own views of masks onto the kids. It is a health measure, teachers shoudl not be manipulating kids by pushing their strong pro or anti mask views. I am really pro-masks, but school staff shoudl just be responsible and factual. If they are required, they are required, If they are optional they are optional.

I agree with this.

Better burnt than clogging waterways!

I have to tell you that it’s not a binary choice between incineration and throwing in the canal.

Our school has made the decision to carry on with wearing masks in the classroom and in public areas.

My school is offering the choice. Masks must be work in ‘communal areas’ however which always makes me laugh because it implies classrooms are not communal areas. Anyway, most pupils have said they will continue to wear masks as they feel safer. I think until they see ‘mask less’ life around them they will continue to wear them. Teenagers aren’t stupid - they realise the virus doesn’t just stop transmitting in a school building.

The guidance says kids don't have to, but teachers should in communal areas, like staff rooms, where they can't sd.

1. What schools have staff rooms?
2. Teachers are more likely to sd than kids! None of ours sd and very few are testing.

Anyway, most pupils have said they will continue to wear masks as they feel safer
Which shows an ignorance of the science that teachers should be redressing -not enabling.

@TeddingtonTrashbag

Why aren’t the Gov scrapping masks altogether then if they are so useless?

@Fountainsoftea

The guidance says kids don't have to, but teachers should in communal areas, like staff rooms, where they can't sd.

1. What schools have staff rooms?
2. Teachers are more likely to sd than kids! None of ours sd and very few are testing.

This makes me laugh because obviously the staff room - if you ever make it there (🤣) is where you eat and drink.

So no masks are even worn in there!

@TeddingtonTrashbag

Anyway, most pupils have said they will continue to wear masks as they feel safer Which shows an ignorance of the science that teachers should be redressing -not enabling.

Well the Who, sage and scientists worldworkd must also be completely ignorant too. Because they advocate mask wearing in public spaces to help control the spread of covid 19.

Should teachers be responsible for addressing their lack of scientific knowledge too?

We wear masks in the Staffroom when not actively eating or drinking

@WildWaterSwimmer

Our school has made the decision to carry on with wearing masks in the classroom and in public areas.

Are you in an area where there is a high level currently? Or where they are doing surge testing? If not has your director for public health announced they should continue?

Musticstion I agree.

Before this new horror varient was on our backs I didn't mind dropping the masks, I felt safe again to be honest.

My area seems quite clear of varient at the moment but of course it will creep in and build up and "seed".
I guess this will lead to a crescendo and third wave? Maybe not but we don't have know.

Has it taken hold in Europe?

I think masks are a very simple way of slowing the rate droplets are expelled from talking, along with open windows why does it matter across the whole to drop them.

Many students don't wear the them properly but many do, why not keep it as a precaution.
I hope we are clear of the this bastard by winter but its winter I am concerned about and I wouldn't be surprised if masks make a return.

@picturesandpickles

I would be very annoyed if teachers push their own views of masks onto the kids. It is a health measure, teachers shoudl not be manipulating kids by pushing their strong pro or anti mask views. I am really pro-masks, but school staff shoudl just be responsible and factual. If they are required, they are required, If they are optional they are optional.

I work in a primary so the guidance is different but the head teacher is very anti mask. The DfE guidance discourages face coverings in the primary classroom but doesn’t forbid it. The head doesn’t believe in masks so says no masks or visors allowed in classrooms because of the DfE guidance. I don’t think it’s right that SLT’s beliefs on masks are forced on the rest of the staff either so I do see your point about teachers being objective when speaking to children about masks in the classroom.

Cookie absolutely, which is why guidance isn't good enough, each class is at the whim of each teachers personal beliefs.

I agree. There needs to be a law applicable to every classroom - not something a teacher or head decides.

Why didn’t the government wait until teachers had their vaccinations and felt safer?
The government’s handling of the pandemic and education has been appalling.

It’s also not just teachers, the cleaners, care takers, reception staff, admin, TAs, LSAs, any learning support, the SENCos, pastoral staff, behaviour managers, learning mentors, academic mentors, mental health support team, SALT, kitchen staff, lunchtime staff, IT support etc

@TeddingtonTrashbag

Anyway, most pupils have said they will continue to wear masks as they feel safer Which shows an ignorance of the science that teachers should be redressing -not enabling.

I won’t be enabling anything. Teenagers recognise that they have to wear masks EVERYWHERE except in schools so until masks are not required in all public places then the students I teach want to keep theirs.