Anti-lockdowners pretending to care about kids again

[noblegiraffe]

So it's all over the news about how nearly 400,000 kids are having to isolate because of covid cases in schools. Complaints about how disruptive to education it is and to the mental health of the children involved. This disruptive isolation must end as soon as possible.

Contrast to last November when nearly a million kids were self-isolating in a week. Do you remember the headlines, discussions and outrage about that?

No, of course you don't. Because back then, the solution to so many kids isolating was to put more mitigation measures in schools and attempt to stop so many kids catching it.

Now they can argue that it doesn't matter if all kids catch it, they're all over the 'terrible' isolation figures which are less than half of those last year.

I'm SO done with people only caring about kids and education when they think that they can use them for their own benefit.

If these loud voices could be used to talk about things like the cuts to pupil premium, the pitiful covid catch-up funding, the critical shortage of teachers, the unsafe state of schools, the massive waiting lists for CAMHS and SEN services, then maybe I'd believe them when they claim to care about children.

I feel very angry too.

It feels like the pandemic, lockdown restrictions and school closures really brought into focus how utterly under resourced and under valued education is the the UK.

It's beyond depressing to see people laying into teachers month after month, yet seemingly accepting of the utter disregard the government have for your children (or indeed you).

@noblegiraffe

They're also entirely consistent with being an anti-lockdown campaign group, aren't they?

And given that the main group that's supposedly very concerned for children's interests only focus on ones that are also consistent with anti-lockdown campaigning while ignoring all other pressing issues involving children, that's a bit suspicious isn't it?

But does the group campaign on anything except lockdown? Isn’t it a group specifically for that purpose. It’s perfectly conceivable that there are people who are part of that group precisely because of their concerns about the impacts of lockdown (and covid measures more broadly) on children. Maybe these are people who also support lots of other campaigns about children?!

"About UsforThem
We are a volunteer organisation of people who care about children.
We campaign for their needs to be prioritised in response to decisions on Coronavirus, and beyond.
We speak for children because we believe that a society which put children front and centre would be better, brighter and fairer."

Bollocks do they. They speak for themselves and for their own interests only and do not speak for children when they need it.

Incidentally, they have lots of links with other dodgy anti-lockdown campaign groups.

giraffe is this threat about U4T or is it about isolations generally?

Because it is fairly easy to see how enforced isolations aren’t exactly aligned with keeping anyone, children or adult, safe, or about children’s well-being.

I haven’t followed U4T religiously. I’ve been busy. But sometimes I agree with what some of them think. Sometimes I think they are barking mad. It’s a big group and there are a lot of people in it. Not everyone will have the same POV.

I have a friend in it and while I don’t always agree with her I’m pretty sure she isn’t ‘speaking for herself and herself only.’

Bollocks do they. They speak for themselves and for their own interests only and do not speak for children when they need it

Maybe you think that because you’re pro-lockdown/ covid measures 🤷🏼‍♀️ (Perhaps in service of your own interests?!).

is this threat about U4T or is it about isolations generally?

It's about anti-lockdowners pretending to care about kids again. You can tell by the title.

Yes I can read the title thanks but then you keep going on about U4T.

U4T are anti-lockdowners. Not the only ones of course.

And some of them are barking mad. Some of them are just normal parents concerned about what’s been lost.

You still haven’t explained how or why being anti lockdown is - in your mind- incompatible with concern for children. Maybe there would be more scope for a meaningful discussion if you would do that? Instead of just labelling people “anti-lovkdowners” which obviously in your view equates to BAD , SELFISH PERSON.

Some of them are just normal parents concerned about what’s been lost

Exactly.

Then they should know who they're actually associating with.

bylinetimes.com/2021/01/21/parents-campaign-against-school-closures-receives-pr-support-from-boris-johnson-advisor/

[quote noblegiraffe]Then they should know who they're actually associating with.

bylinetimes.com/2021/01/21/parents-campaign-against-school-closures-receives-pr-support-from-boris-johnson-advisor/[/quote]
Still totally lost on what your point is.

Us4them are an anti-lockdown campaign group masquerading as a grassroots parent-led organisation.

@noblegiraffe

Us4them are an anti-lockdown campaign group masquerading as a grassroots parent-led organisation.

But why are the two mutually exclusive: being anti lockdown and being a parent led organisation concerned about children? Can’t they be both? You’ve repeatedly refused to engage with explaining that , you just keep accusing them of being anti-lockdown or associating with anti-lockdowners as if that automatically proves they aren’t concerned about children. But some people are anti lockdown and other covid measures because they are concerned about children.

There was (is?) a specific group of posters with an agenda who were dismissive and derogatory towards teachers and school staff last year. I don't want to search back but it was along the lines 'no ifs no buts there is no way schools should move to online learning' All the while Rome was burning and schools shutting without notice. These posters did not care about the isolations back then as long as it didn't affect them. They wanted no safety measures in schools. Noble and other teachers and school staff are right to be pissed off.

And they are quite easy to spot due to a certain vile posting style.

You’ve repeatedly refused to engage with explaining that

I haven't. I have repeatedly explained why I think they aren't concerned children and are just using them to argue against covid restrictions.

It's because that concern only manifests in very limited ways and evaporates as soon as the next mitigation measure row comes up.

You are 'right' to be pissed off about something some randomer wrote on the internet LAST YEAR?!

Not sure why I keep coming back here. It's like watching a car crash.

Their campaign ended up closing schools, so yeah, still pissed off about that.

The thing is that everyone knows what has been lost. The pandemic and lockdown restrictions have been horrific for teenagers and young people.

The absolutely best thing to do would be to reduce transmission of the virus, so that children aren't being sent home to SI every few weeks, teenagers aren't living their lives on screen from their bedrooms, and schools don't close again.

I can't see how arguing for no mitigations in school contributes to that outcome in anyway whatsoever.

And I remain royally fucked off about the numerous posts about 'will no-one think of the SEN children' earlier this year by people who don't give a shit about them once their child is back at school.

'My child is at low risk if they catch the virus' is a very privileged position to be in and shows diddly squat regard for the population of school children or public health in general.

They're also entirely consistent with being an anti-lockdown campaign group, aren't they?

Are you pro lockdown, @noblegiraffe?

@noblegiraffe

Their campaign ended up closing schools, so yeah, still pissed off about that.

Wasn't that the NEU?