Time to think about closing the schools

[DolphinFC]

ONS survey finds that education staff are 37% more likely to catch Covid than other workers.

Previous data showed they were no more likely to catch covid than other workers and many people (especially MNetters) felt that this was all the proof needed to keep schools open.

Well, new data shows the reverse is now the case.

Schools need money to stay open. Money for air purifying and ventilation. Money to cover staff who are off and to support children to catch up.
This is what we need to be joining forces and insist on.

No it is NOT time to think about closing schools again, what an absolute ridiculous thing to suggest.
This is potentially the third school year which would be disrupted for children, can you even imagine the long term effect this would have?! My son would be so unsettled and he is only on reception. Think about the children with SEN or those with social or educational struggles who don't fall into that bracket whose needs may get unseen/unheard and the effect on them.
Schools can absolutely not keep closing.
And yes I do feel for teachers... I feel for hospital staff, nhs staff, careers, retail staff... I feel for everyone! But this is our life now. I go to work at risk to, but I'm an adult, I've had my education and I'm lucky. Let these kids learn!!!!!!!!!

Those promoting the blanket closure of schools ( until when??) are minimising the known harm it caused young people. The increases in child abuse. The effects on children’s mental health. Have you even seen the horrific case in the news? Tip of the iceberg.

Hopefully you are few and far between.

Those promoting the blanket closure of schools ( until when??) are minimising the known harm it caused young people

Who is promoting this? No one I've seen here.

The OP and a few people on the thread, who think this data should been schools should shut are promoting blanket school closures, that the point of this whole thread?

Worth reflecting on

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

I agree with statement with primary and nursery anyway... In a room of up to 33 unmasked, unvaccinated people all day. I caught covid in my class despite double vaccinated and was very unwell... However, we cannot go back to online learning it was horrific for everyone. It sends chills through staff if anyone mentions it.

Who is promoting this? No one I've seen here.

The thread title is suggesting school closures.

Just when you think a thread couldn’t get grimmer, someone comes along using a murder of a child to make a crappy argument against something no one wants.

SEN teacher here. Definitely don't want schools to close. The attainment gap between my pupils and mainstream grows every year anyway, never mind adding in trying to teach them online. Even though I volunteered to teach on my day off as well, during the first lockdown, to give them more support.

But schools and teachers need SOME help. Up until about two weeks ago we were still having Ofsted inspections, FFS. I mean, what a time to have strangers come in and judge, when we're struggling to even put bodies in front of classes. Can you imagine if a Trust (or whoever decides) decided to do a hospital inspection at such a time? It would rightly be denounced.

So actually, I'm not surprised we only got CO2 monitors a couple of weeks ago and we have to pay for overpriced air filters that the government have chosen for us and we have basically no Covid measures in place, except trying to keep 2m from anyone (impossible) and wearing a mask if were walking along a corridor and having to keep windows open at all times. And then we try to put measures in place, like saying parents can't come in for nativity or whatever and we get vilified.

Trust is, we don't want to cancel things and we want the children we have in our care six hours a day to have as normal a school life as possible. But if it's a choice between cancelling things or closing schools, we're going to cancel things.

But blame the government for almost no help to keep schools open. No money, no clear guidelines given in advance and certainly no support.

Don't blame the teachers. We want to be in school, teaching your kids.

The title is clickbait.

Literally the same old posters, the same old stuff. Do people have nothing better to do for 24 hours a day? It’s pretty sad to sit on MN 24 hours a day saying schools must do this, must do that, blah, blah. We all know schools must never close again, I agree.

However, they know teachers are getting so sick, they are asking retired and vulnerable teachers to fill the gap. That’s fucking wrong on all levels. It’s not an education at that level, it’s childcare.

Anyone who doesn’t want schools to close should lobby their MP to protect staff. If you have 24/7 to spend on MN, I’m almost embarrassed for you, you’ve got time to try and sort this.

Many of those up in arms are balking at the idea of having kids under their feet rather than at school

Well mine won’t be under my feet, because I’ll be at work. No idea who will look after them though, as they don’t qualify for a key worker place, despite the fact that I work full time out of the home. Maybe social services will be able to help?

I’m not sure pre-omicron stats about teachers catching covid are that relevant anymore. If we’re going to have millions of cases per day everyone except hermits will catch it.

And anyone who values teachers won’t think they’re replaceable with a distracted untrained parent trying to homeschool. If I ever have to homeschool my DS I’ll do my best but I don’t think it would be a good substitute for going to school with trained teachers, particularly if I was trying to work full time while doing it.

@noblegiraffe

What is notable on MN is the massive concern for schools and kids getting an education when the topic is schools closing.

When the topic is not about schools closing, but about the critical shortage of teachers, or about the dire lack of funding or resources, the same posters who appear on every fucking school closures thread are totally absent.

It's like they only give a shit about schools when it might actually directly affect them and they don't actually care what goes on inside them.

Otherwise, parents would be SO up in arms about how shittily underfunded and poorly-treated education is as a sector that the government would be forced to do something about it.

THIS

Their silence is deafening, they should be protesting the absolute state of some of the schools their DC attend and the fact classrooms are Covid breeding grounds without any mitigation’s in place.

But the second the idea schools may have to close is suggested suddenly it becomes an inconvenience to them and a protest worthy issue.

Would love to know how many bots there are on MN churning out this narrative.

They can't fuck over all the kids again. No way!

Not related to OP as I assume a troll not a parent

@KatherineofGaunt I'm curious why The attainment gap between my pupils and mainstream grows every year anyway ?

@DecemberTherapy

Not related to OP as I assume a troll not a parent

@KatherineofGaunt I'm curious why The attainment gap between my pupils and mainstream grows every year anyway ?

My pupils need to go over basic skills more often. It's hard to move on to more complex Maths or English if the basics need constant practice and are not mastered. They often aren't even starting school at age-related expectations.

@Itisasecret

Literally the same old posters, the same old stuff. Do people have nothing better to do for 24 hours a day? It’s pretty sad to sit on MN 24 hours a day saying schools must do this, must do that, blah, blah. We all know schools must never close again, I agree.

However, they know teachers are getting so sick, they are asking retired and vulnerable teachers to fill the gap. That’s fucking wrong on all levels. It’s not an education at that level, it’s childcare.

Anyone who doesn’t want schools to close should lobby their MP to protect staff. If you have 24/7 to spend on MN, I’m almost embarrassed for you, you’ve got time to try and sort this.

I'm embarrassed for you that you've wasted 10 minutes writing this when you could have been solving climate change.

Jesus - it's a parenting site and people want to talk about schooling and are anxious it huge shocker.

Maybe you spend a bit too much time on here if you recognise all the names

Blaming parents for the way schools are funded is a bit nuts no? I could email my labour MP daily what will that achieve?

No, blaming the government for the way schools are funded and wondering why some parents who are very vocal about schools when it comes to covid mitigation measures don’t give a shit when it comes to discussions about funding.

Email your MP, if all parents did, they might actually think it affects/improves their election chances.

Ok deal I will do so, then I can come on here for a periodic rant at some of these bloody annoying threads I can never work out why I start with

No if we don't teach children there is no future for anyone

@noblegiraffe

Any Us4Them-types currently panicking about school closures after spending the entire pandemic calling people who wanted mitigation measures in schools child abusers can get in the bin.

Absolutely! What a disservice they have done to the children of this country.

What we all need to remember is that the government doesn’t care that your child has mental health issues caused by school closures, or that you can’t supervise your child and do your own work, or that teachers are more at risk of catching Covid than other professions. All they care about is the economy and protecting the NHS. If they are contemplating damaging the economy by closing schools, it will mean it is the only way to stop the NHS going under. Whether you admit it or not, children spread Covid throughout the community and community transmission leads to higher hospitalisation. Similarly all the crap with ‘key worker’ children being taught in schools will come to an end if 90% of children are in and rates keep going up. It’s very easy to say spaces are for frontline NHS parents only if they feel school closures haven’t stopped transmission.

We all feel badly treated. What’s difficult is accepting no one cares.

I don’t think that is difficult, to be honest.

I don’t think it is the job of the government to ‘care.’ I think they need to be aware of and try to respond to the different needs of different groups in society, but how much they ‘care’ is irrelevant as far as I can see.

In any sort of leadership, pragmatism and an ability to make difficult decisions is essential. Hand wringing and / or spending money we don’t have because of a fear of making unpopular decisions doesn’t make good leadership.