Should schools close again?

[FuckinGoddess]

I’m at the end of my tether.

Worried about Omicron, of course, and the devastating effects it could have on lives.

Worried about children missing out on even more education. Worried about being forced to stay at home again. And worried about people dying.

What do you think will happen? What should happen ?

@Derbee

Ideally, vaccines and boosters become mandatory, and children can be vaccinated too. Schools shouldn’t close again

I don’t want mandatory vaccines/boosters. That’s not the way we ought to do it here. We need to make the case for vaccination and let people decide. How do you propose this mandatory vaccination is enforced?

I don't know what the answer is but schools are really struggling. We've just had yet another reminder to dress children warm and they're allowed their pe joggers if necessary to keep them warm.

It feels like everyone's putting their fingers in their ears and saying "schools are open and safe"

Also there are plenty of us who understand there are significant safety limitations in schools at the moment, but consider national closures to be even more damaging.

Nowhere is 'safe'. It's an unrealistic expectation at this stage in the game.

I accept that. What I don't accept is that staff and children aren't happy with the current situation either.
The government need to work out a better way and put their funding into smaller class sizes, better ventilation, anything.
Rather than using £24 million for funding ofsted and letting children try and learn while freezing and staff are dropping like flies.

Even if they said "schools aren't safe, feel free to keep the windows shut and shut classes as often as you need" at least it would be honest.

We certainly need better ventilation.

@VikingOnTheFridge

We certainly need better ventilation.

And there is an obvious balance between ventilation and heating (I can keep my recently-appeared CO2 monitor below Red ONLY by having every window quite wide open. This means that the maximum temperature that can ever be achieved is 15 - 16 degrees, which isn't that good for learning in).

So money is needed:

• To pay for extra heating where windows can be opened
• To install proper ventilation systems where windows cannot be opened

@cantkeepawayforever exactly this.
I don't think it's fair on children or staff being expected to just pretty much learn outside in winter. I don't think I'd manage to take in much information like that.

I think you should try and stop worrying it will drive you mad.

As for schools, have to make the best of the decisions taken.

I'm not actually worried, just angry that those in power don't really care about anyone.

@FuckinGoddess

I’m at the end of my tether.

Worried about Omicron, of course, and the devastating effects it could have on lives.

Worried about children missing out on even more education. Worried about being forced to stay at home again. And worried about people dying.

What do you think will happen? What should happen ?

I think you should calm down.

The appalling effects of school closures are now so clear, they should never be closed for Covid again. The most vulnerable in our society - under privileged children - have taken the biggest hit.

@VikingOnTheFridge

We certainly need better ventilation.

It's the UK. It's Winter. It'll be Baltic. Why do people keep saying this?!

Each age group has crucial reasons why they need to be in school.

They differ slightly wrt reasons but they all depend on it.

I thought the post at 1415 by cantkeepaway described the issue well.

Primary schools are working right up to the 2nd to last day (which is a fun day, sure)

They're really not. When I had children at school I was reassured that nothing was being done in the last fortnight.

@Lalalablahblahblah

14:34MarshaBradyo

Each age group has crucial reasons why they need to be in school.

They differ slightly wrt reasons but they all depend on it.

Absolutely. I wasn't saying older kids can do without. Just that younger kids cant and it's very easy to say let's just prioritise exam years. Primaries can close.

I completely agree with you, it was more re primary shutting I had an issue with in pp,

don’t want mandatory vaccines/boosters. That’s not the way we ought to do it here. We need to make the case for vaccination and let people decide.

And in this, lovely Mr H with diabetes and pregnant Miss L in Year 2 are at increased risk because Alfie's mum knows it's a conspiracy, innit. She read it on Facebook. While little Isabella can't come to school at all because she's had a heart transplant and Alfie's tested positive

Dd is vulnerable since an unknown virus gave her a brain injury 18 months ago. It’s really difficult to work out how risky her going to school is. A few weeks ago she had tonsillitis and had a very major seizure we ended up going by ambulance to hospital and sat there overnight for 8 hours and it was too busy and she didn’t get seen. They let us go as I said we had another scheduled appointment in another hospital. There’s been 2 cases of coronavirus this week in her A Level classes and one teacher off. We try and guesstimate what each of her classmates is off with but it would be helpful for anxiety’s sake to know why pupils are off. I know schools aren’t supposed to say but the consequences for us are higher. Masks in classrooms would be helpful too. Vulnerable pupils are all in school.

Noooooo and I'm a teacher (who has still avoided it as yet).

@Alltheblue

Primary schools are working right up to the 2nd to last day (which is a fun day, sure)

They're really not. When I had children at school I was reassured that nothing was being done in the last fortnight.

So you have no children currently at primary but you know exactly what is happening in every primary in the country? OK.

My son's class are (as a group) behind where they should be as they missed so much in the last two years, so I highly doubt their teacher will be sitting back for the last two weeks and sticking films on. I hope not anyway.

Waxonwaxoff0

My children went to a rigorous primary school and some of them were there this time last year. So I do know. As for knowing what's happening in every primary, do you? Thought not.