Don't 'save Christmas' instead save schools and keep them in person in January (Save Schools = YES)

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

I feel that our kids have suffered enough and missed out on significant important social and academic periods of their lives. It feels like the PM is 'keeping Christmas' because of fears about his popularity and also because of the 'party' sandal. He should be thinking of the greater good and our lives longer term.
I feel restrictions now for 2/3 weeks and enabling kids to go to school in January is far more important than 'keeping Christmas' and having a lockdown or home schooling in January

What do you think?

Save Schools = YES

@JaninesEyePatch

Both my children are on very lengthy waiting lists for medical conditions that I am worried about and there is no likelihood they'll be seen soon. Even more so now. I would happily have them out of school for a few weeks if it meant there was even a minute chance that wait could be shorter. Not everything in childhood development is about fucking education.

But acting now, and having restrictions now, will be a lot better for the NHS as a whole.

If we have to shut schools, it means we've acted far too late and the consequences for the NHS and waiting lists will be far, far, worse.

Shutting schools is a sign of failure to act early enough.

In this case acting to 'save schools' or 'save the NHS' is the same thing - the same actions need to be taken, and taken now (or possibly a week ago).

@MrsMiddleMother

I think everything should be done to keep schools open, poor little Arthur should be example enough why.

His father kept him away from school after lockdown.

I think to drag that poor little boy Arthur into shoring up your argument is pretty shitty.

What would you do to protect my health, so I can be there in person to do my job OP?

But keeping a child away from school in this manner prior to the pandemic would surely have been something of a red flag? The school were calling and being told on the phone that he was fine? This wouldn’t have been acceptable surely, pre pandemic?
It’s very relevant and necessary to raise the FACT that child abuse increased during blanket school closures, however inconveniences you are by this.
It doesn’t suit the narrative of ‘keeping everyone safe by staying home’ nonsense.
Arthur’s case should be brought up any time blanket closures are promoted.

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells

I think to drag that poor little boy Arthur into shoring up your argument is pretty shitty.

Agreed. Sickening tbh.

Absolutely shutting schools is detrimental to children’s well being. They have a right to be educated. Shortages are going to be related to people self isolating and testing most likely not sickness. Simple solution would be go back to sick people stay home, PCR tests only for admission to hospital, NHS staff working in the most high risk areas and vulnerable people with symptoms who would be eligible for anti virals. Everyone else lemsip, fluids, stay home till better.

The government can’t cancel Christmas - people will still see friends and family and shutting hospitality will just mean they do it at home. And pubs and restaurants go to the wall.

Why on earth are we testing millions of healthy people weekly with mild self limiting respiratory symptoms? Where is the evidence it does anything at all? Cancel test and trace completely and provide a Christmas bonus to public sector staff instead. Would improve the health of the nation.

There seems to be a lot of effort put into scaring us again and that worries me. Scared people aren’t resilient, they are more vulnerable to infection, they will get stressed and go off sick. The country needs to keep going, to move through this nonsense and come out the other side. That’s not going to happen while we constantly test and threaten lockdown at the sign of any variant.

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/dec/03/how-much-did-lockdown-help-arthur-labinjo-hughes-killers-escape-notice

For those of you who think bringing up Arthur is ‘sickening’
You are minimising child abuse assisted by lockdown conditions.
Now that’s what I call sickening

So, @canary1, what are you actively doing on a regular basis to help children like Arthur?
And did you give a damn about them before you realised they could be used to further your cause of keeping schools open at all costs?

They need a solution to stop covid spreading amongst kids - probably vaccines.

Most people I know WFH and get covid from their school age kids.

Christmas really isn't the be all and end all but it is a special time for many and after the last year, it should be possible have one day with family or close friends.

I'd sacrifice a family Christmas for schools to stay open. In fact I'd sacrifice many things to keep mine in school 😅

People that don't have kids will need Our kids to look after them in the future. Think long term no education equals no future... For any of us

all CallmeHendricksGingleBells
I do as much as I can, both in my actual job, and outside of work such in contacting MP etc about funding for schools to optimise conditions to open, and have been doing so since i first saw the disaster unfolding with blanket school closure ( which I could see in my job) .

I try to raise awareness on sites like this .

What do you do?

Jeez. I’m just a person who actually cares, who are you to drag me down as I do this?

@canary1

all CallmeHendricksGingleBells I do as much as I can, both in my actual job, and outside of work such in contacting MP etc about funding for schools to optimise conditions to open, and have been doing so since i first saw the disaster unfolding with blanket school closure ( which I could see in my job) .

I try to raise awareness on sites like this .

What do you do?

Jeez. I’m just a person who actually cares, who are you to drag me down as I do this?

Thank you it's more people like you we need in this world

Schools /school staff and school familys are over run with covid, were struggling to open the doors . Your saving no one by closing schools as desperate parents will look to family/friends and neighbours for child care.
In the first lockdown the majority of staff worked all the way through and the majority of children attended thanks to the governments ever expanding criteria. Schools closing never happened it was an illussion.
Sadly though familys that prefared to stay of the radar did and we no the result of that for some children .
The impact on working parents their jobs and buisnesses and the wider repercusions of that have been imeasurable.
Schools should stay open for many reasons To keep children safe.
To support familys to work ,keep roofs over their heads and food on the table.
Education ,health and wellbeing .
Covids here its all managable if you have any commen sense.

Forgot to add, what moran thought one jab for over 17s and no jabs for younger than that was a good idea mmmmm let me think !
All school age children should have been offered double jab before Sep or at the latest christmas. Instead we have the belated Boris approach and we all know how effective that has been

I have a feeling we’ll lockdown AND close schools. Schools will go back either Feb half term or around spring.

Wales have now signalled their intention with nightclub closures which is the tipping point for lockdown to gain momentum.

@JaninesEyePatch

To put it another way, I am MUCH more concerned about the state of the NHS than schools.

100x this

@AD80

I'd sacrifice a family Christmas for schools to stay open. In fact I'd sacrifice many things to keep mine in school 😅

I don't have any kids in school but I'd sacrifice Xmas if it would somehow help schools function. The children have lost out so much. But I'd like them to have a nice Xmas too.

Obviously yes. Schools are far more important than a Christmas knees up. The harm that has been done to children is beyond measure, in terms of mental health, education, the hiding of abuse and the number of children who have fallen out of the system altogether, inequality, the list goes on and on.

Gobsmacked that anyone would put partying above this, especially on the basis that they don’t personally have kids, wtf? Children have been an afterthought throughout the pandemic, as their well-being doesn’t affect the bottom line immediately. It’s utterly shameful.

@ChristmasRobins

Obviously yes. Schools are far more important than a Christmas knees up. The harm that has been done to children is beyond measure, in terms of mental health, education, the hiding of abuse and the number of children who have fallen out of the system altogether, inequality, the list goes on and on.

Gobsmacked that anyone would put partying above this, especially on the basis that they don’t personally have kids, wtf? Children have been an afterthought throughout the pandemic, as their well-being doesn’t affect the bottom line immediately. It’s utterly shameful.

It isn't about partying. My family haven't spent a decent amount of time together in 2 years. It will probbly be a family members last Christmas, I've just got through a very worrying time with my health and there's a lot of other stressful stuff in the wider family.

I don't have kids. I am not willing to sacrifice time with my family that I can never get back for someone else's kids. My parents won't live forever, I want to spend as much time with them as I can.

YABU, there's no such thing as "two or three weeks of restrictions". They tend to drag on for yonks.

@canary1

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/dec/03/how-much-did-lockdown-help-arthur-labinjo-hughes-killers-escape-notice

For those of you who think bringing up Arthur is ‘sickening’
You are minimising child abuse assisted by lockdown conditions.
Now that’s what I call sickening

This is disgusting. People need to stop using this case to support any argument they happen to be making

@HardbackWriter

I think that restrictions for 2/3 weeks would achieve nothing and that we've seen that repeatedly now.

In Wales they are delaying the start of schoo by two days to ensure we can plan. Clearly this is a huge nod towards online learning. I feel sick and the thought that today will be the last day I probably see my class for weeks!

I don't have kids. I am not willing to sacrifice time with my family that I can never get back for someone else's kids

Totally agree.