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Original poster

Parents both positive, Dc negative- School?

48 replies

ChocolateCauldron · 06/11/2021 19:26

Both DH and I have had strong lines on Lft so have had the whole family PCR tested. (Didn't bother testing kids with lft as knew we'd have to put them through a PCR anyway). We will get the results tomorrow hopefully.

Our 3 dc are all primary aged, 8, 8, 10. As I understand it if they are negative they are supposed to go to school....my question is how?

All the people I would normally ask for help I can't put at risk (Sister has a rare immunity condition, My Dad is 73 with COPD etc)

It doesn't sit right with me sending them in, but I understand that's the rules.

I just don't see how we can get them there without breaking quarantine etc

OP posts:
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 06/11/2021 19:28

We broke the isolation rules in order to not break the 'must attend school' rules. We could get a friend to walk past our house on the way in, but couldn't get her home. School agreed that we could drive round near the end of after school club, when the car park was empty, and they'd send her out to the car. So that's what we've done.

The 'rules' have not been well thought out!!

Wellbythebloodyhell · 06/11/2021 19:33

If you can't get them there you can't get them there I wouldn't worry about it. Your health and well being are far more important than an unauthorised absence mark. If school want them in so badly they will have some sort of contingency plan to facilitate it as I doubt you'll be the first or only family in this situation.

scrivette · 06/11/2021 19:34

I would speak to the school and see what they suggest, they may offer to collect and drop off for you.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 06/11/2021 19:35

The rules are mad! You don’t wanna put your sister at risk but happy to put all those at school at risk

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 06/11/2021 19:36

I doubt you'll be the first or only family in this situation.

Our school said "Yes, it's a logistical nightmare for lots of people". Whole thing is stupid.

EgonSpengler2020 · 06/11/2021 19:37

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

We broke the isolation rules in order to not break the 'must attend school' rules. We could get a friend to walk past our house on the way in, but couldn't get her home. School agreed that we could drive round near the end of after school club, when the car park was empty, and they'd send her out to the car. So that's what we've done.

The 'rules' have not been well thought out!!

I can't believe the school are authorising law breaking. Or are they only guidelines now?! The whole thing is rapidly descending into an, even bigger, joke!!
TaraLewis · 06/11/2021 19:48

We've had a communal letter advising fines will be issued if a parent has covid but no positive Oct for a child and a parent that did keep their child off was issued a personal one advising of fines - it's madness.

One of the classes currently has 7 off with positive pcr tests so it's rife but a parent with a cev child in that class was also issued a letter when they asked if their child could be taught from home due to their high risk medical issues.

Our LA has employed more educational welfare officers to police this Angry

TaraLewis · 06/11/2021 19:49
  • pcr not Oct
Original poster
ChocolateCauldron · 06/11/2021 19:51

@OnceuponaRainbow18

The rules are mad! You don’t wanna put your sister at risk but happy to put all those at school at risk
I don't want to put anyone at risk!

There's no obligation for anyone to help us and put themselves at risk. Which is absolutely 100% right.

There is an obligation to send them to school. Which I don't agree with, but will comply with if I can.

I will call the school on Monday, and see what they suggest. They are usually reasonable about most things.

OP posts:
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 06/11/2021 19:56

They are usually reasonable about most things.

Well exactly. It's an emergency situation.

The other option was my 7 year old walking home alone. They were less happy with that.

Diian · 06/11/2021 21:24

We had this exact situation at my primary school. Parents both positive, children negative. The children were kept off, due to parents isolating. Also they might be negative today but be positive on Monday with no symptoms, putting everyone, including their pregnant teacher, at risk.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 06/11/2021 22:22

Also they might be negative today but be positive on Monday with no symptoms, putting everyone, including their pregnant teacher, at risk.

That could be any day and any child at the moment.

raspberryrippleicecream · 07/11/2021 02:16

In my County the Director of Health has asked school children with positive household contacts to stay home for 5 days, then get a PCR.

Cattitudes · 07/11/2021 03:04

I personally think it is crazy that they should have to go to school but practically at 8 &10 is the school near enough to walk? Do other people walk a similar way who can supervise them if only from a distance?

helenstar99 · 07/11/2021 06:43

I'm a pregnant teacher in my third trimester and I am frightened of catching Covid. My biggest anxiety is pupils in my class with positive parents at home who could be positive themselves.

There are reasons beyond pregnancy that I have been advised not to have the vaccine at this moment.

It's a ridiculous guideline that puts vulnerable people at risk. It's 10 days for god sake it's hardly going to alter their whole future if they are off.

Morally, and if I were in your shoes, I couldn't send my daughter to school knowing both of us were positive. What if another child catches it and passes it to their pregnant mum/vulnerable grandparent ! No school in their right mind would stop you keeping at home or issue an attendance letter- they don't what outbreaks in their school or their staff off sick either! Even if they would you could just say she's feeling unwell herself ?

I don't buy it's the rules I have to. You have a choice.

ThirdElephant · 07/11/2021 06:48

@helenstar99

I'm a pregnant teacher in my third trimester and I am frightened of catching Covid. My biggest anxiety is pupils in my class with positive parents at home who could be positive themselves.

There are reasons beyond pregnancy that I have been advised not to have the vaccine at this moment.

It's a ridiculous guideline that puts vulnerable people at risk. It's 10 days for god sake it's hardly going to alter their whole future if they are off.

Morally, and if I were in your shoes, I couldn't send my daughter to school knowing both of us were positive. What if another child catches it and passes it to their pregnant mum/vulnerable grandparent ! No school in their right mind would stop you keeping at home or issue an attendance letter- they don't what outbreaks in their school or their staff off sick either! Even if they would you could just say she's feeling unwell herself ?

I don't buy it's the rules I have to. You have a choice.

In all seriousness, those are the rules and they may get fined if they don't get their kids into school.

As a side-bar, have you asked to work from home? I was pregnant in the first COVID spate last year and I wasn't required to go in to school from 20 weeks onwards. You should have a risk assessment- what does that say?

helenstar99 · 07/11/2021 07:04

There's absolutely no way my head would allow me to work from home. Another pregnant colleague has enquired about it and was told categorically no. Although the guidance does oblige them to consider it.

I have a risk assessment but it doesn't account for things like positive households sending their 'negative' children to school. It can't - as there is no obligation for them to tell us that someone in the household is positive really. That's what my boss has said. It's the best it can be but in my opinion I'm still at risk. I'm not saying I'm 'legally' right to say those children should be kept at home. However, I completely understand not wanting to put your sister at risk. I too am someone's sister, wife, daughter, auntie, friend etc.

cowburp · 07/11/2021 07:12

Are you near enough or comfortable for the 10 year old to walk them there? Seems such a stupid thing to do to fine people for this

wherethewildthingis · 07/11/2021 07:20

Not to detail, but if you're in the third trimester you could start your maternity leave earlier than planned if it's causing you such a lot of worry? I can understand at this point that schools can't really allow teachers to work from home-it was different earlier in the pandemic.
In relation to the OP-don't leave the house when you should be isolating even if school says so. Schools can't authorise people to break the law! They may be able to help drop your kids home though if it's not far - or could maybe support with taxis?

Whattodo121 · 07/11/2021 07:22

When I tested positive, DH still had to go to work and I kept DS at home with me for a couple of days as I couldn’t do the school run because of isolation. I also felt far too poorly to do it. His school asked me to keep him home until he had a negative PCR. I did this and then LFTs on him every day. He tested positive a week after I did without a single symptom at any point.

Warhertisuff · 07/11/2021 07:30

Given your dilemma, isn't the pragmatic solution here to tell school that your children are ill and can't attend.

I'm not sure I know anyone in real life who feels the need to follows the rules rigidly irrespective of the degree of angst it causes. They would all bend them to deal with dilemmas such as this. Is it only on MN that people are hyper-compliant in all things?

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 07/11/2021 07:30

@raspberryrippleicecream

In my County the Director of Health has asked school children with positive household contacts to stay home for 5 days, then get a PCR.
Same here. Theyve still got to go to school for the next 5 days though. Still major logistics problems.
Warhertisuff · 07/11/2021 07:34

Same here. Theyve still got to go to school for the next 5 days though. Still major logistics problems.

That's a pretty batshit rule...

Warhertisuff · 07/11/2021 07:53

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

We broke the isolation rules in order to not break the 'must attend school' rules. We could get a friend to walk past our house on the way in, but couldn't get her home. School agreed that we could drive round near the end of after school club, when the car park was empty, and they'd send her out to the car. So that's what we've done.

The 'rules' have not been well thought out!!

I admit the "rules" could be better thought through. However, rules or laws are rarely, if ever, watertight. There are always inconsistencies and matters in interpretation, as it's impossible to deal with every conceivable eventuality.
The whole legal profession is based on this reality, and wouldn't exist if rules and laws were all entirely mutually consistent had no room for ambiguity!

People need to apply common sense and judgment like adults, and not expect to be spoon-fed solutions by others, and just stop agonising over technical breaches of rules that are of no real life consequence.

If you have Covid and you are sending your child to school, it's perfectly reasonable to take them by car and drop them a short distance from school. You are putting no one at any risk doing so, and there's no realistic possibility you'd ever get into trouble legally for such a breach, as though the Police are ever going to be interested in such an absurdly trivial matter.

Paddingtonthebear · 07/11/2021 07:56

We were in the same boat and school said our 9yr old child needed to attend as long as they continued to test negative. School requested that we drive and drop off/pick up without getting out of the car.