Masks in classrooms secondary

[Hummmmming]

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/01/schools-in-england-told-wear-masks-in-class-as-fears-mount-of-omicron-surge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Until the 26th of January

@WouldBeGood who are you telling to get jagged?

@ChloeDecker no it goes off how each govt reports figures so in Scotland that's 0-14 then 15-19 groups in England that's 0-9 and 10-20

No data on school staff as this isn't freely reported by Scottish govt.

It is a bit crude to compare but you can via per 100,000 and the two age groups as roughly the same (they also come out roughly the same England and Scotland). As long as you take it with a pinch of salt (due to the variations and unknown variables which all stats should be tbh) it's quite useful. It also contains Welsh and NI on the UK nations page.

www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/

"An adult can still access food shopping if they don’t comply."

And actually, a child can still access education if they don't comply.

Adults in schools. Then just crack on

@Newyearoldyou

But a child not wearing a mask is in danger of controlling those around them to a much more detailed degree by giving them covid and therefore confining them to their house? Then impacting by domino effect their families?

And the degree of control will be much worse if the infected classmate or teachers end up in hospital??

The guidance is clear you can’t deny access, it doesn’t matter if this is what you would like, it won’t happen. Especially since it’s advisory and exemption is possible.

@WouldBeGood

Most of Europe has huge covid rates despite the much vaunted slavish obedience to masks and restrictions. They do not work

They help reduce the spread if worn correctly but many don't.

I imagine school staff just hope that people all try to work together with a range of things handwashing/masks/testing etc to help reduce the number of staff/pupils off.

You can still enforce school rules. Fortunately.

@herecomesthsun

You can still enforce school rules. Fortunately.

What are you suggesting?

No access on site? They can just apply for exemption. What then

You could try reading my previous posts.

@Dghgcotcitc

Well I look forward to the super low rates in schools by the end of January that the magic masks will provide, if that doesn’t happen we could maybe reassess if it makes a difference or is window dressing?!

And Italy had over 100,000 covid cases yesterday, so they are not my definition of low but if that is the aim (to get cases to around the 150,000 mark) maybe masks will make the difference!

To be honest i actually Don’t care whether they do wear masks or not but I have seen no evidence of any country that has maintained low rates in any group by mask wearing alone. So that people think there is suggests that it’s more about an pro-mask wearing ideology than anything else to me.

But as I said we have them now so we will be able to look at the evidence In January and know.

Italy stood at 0.8% positivity a month ago when kids were in school, fully vaccinated, and wearing masks. 1 case in our school, as I said upthread. From 9/9 to 22/12. One.

School finished a fortnight ago and there were parties, family reunions, proms, 18th birthday parties etc. At dd's school they organized a Christmas prom with about 400 in attendance. There are at least 4 kids positive in dd's class (many more have spent Christmas in quarantine)

It's not the inefficacy of mask wearing in school that has caused that rise.

In less than 2 weeks positivity has gone from just over 1% to 13%.

@herecomesthsun

You could try reading my previous posts.

On dc staying home if they don’t wear a mask.. yes I read those

@noblegiraffe

Oh I found the acrostic. WTF. These people have the government's ear? Can't even do something correctly that a primary kid can manage?

Awww.

Bbless them

It depends what you classify as work really.

If I'm leaning into a pupil and we are both wearing masks, will be protect each other?

I will teach in a mask and send my kids in masks if it keeps us all open (not that I am convinced of the impact of mask wearing but that's another argument). What makes me crazy is people still saying it's no big deal because it is a big deal. There is more to classroom learning than listening to the teacher. Mask wearing kills discussions, kills group work, makes kids less willing to contribute and makes every lesson a bit harder and a bit shitter. If we could just recognise that before we advocate for it.

Exemptions are possible though.

So.. I think it's entirely reasonable to say that children without a clear medical exemption should wear a mask.

However, I know there are a lot of campaigns to legally challenge schools' ability to do this. Which is a bit weird, because other countries have been able to enforce this without any problem really.

Given that the government was kowtowing to these groups however, the last time masks were strongly encouraged in schools, it was entirely reasonable to say this was covered by school rules.

So pupils could then be asked, out of respect and courtesy for their teachers, to stay 2m away from then if not wearing a mask.

There would be some sanctions if this was not followed; this would not automatically be followed by a request to study at home, but this would of course be a possibility, depending on how events proceeded.

Hard to see how this is unfair, really.

So it

@Happypootler

I will teach in a mask and send my kids in masks if it keeps us all open (not that I am convinced of the impact of mask wearing but that's another argument). What makes me crazy is people still saying it's no big deal because it is a big deal. There is more to classroom learning than listening to the teacher. Mask wearing kills discussions, kills group work, makes kids less willing to contribute and makes every lesson a bit harder and a bit shitter. If we could just recognise that before we advocate for it.

It does But not nearly as much as talking to the kids through Google Meet.

I have seen no evidence of any country that has maintained low rates in any group by mask wearing alone. So that people think there is suggests that it’s more about an pro-mask wearing ideology than anything else to me.

@Dghgcotcitc

I have seen no evidence of any country that has maintained low rates in any group by not mask wearing alone. So that people think there is suggests that it’s more about an anti-mask wearing ideology than anything else to me.

DS did group work whilst doing remote provision. They would meet up virtually and then present back to the whole class

@WouldBeGood

Virtue signalling performance

...that can keep infections down

would you realise you keep getting deleted, right?

Can others please stop reposting WBG's comments please?

sorry

Why are they deleted?

I’ve seen so much worse, that masks will or won’t do much in classrooms is up for debate - or should be discussed

Some of the anti vaccination stuff makes those posts look incredibly mild

Again, the testing and staying at home if symptomatic or positive is really important.

Masks likely to help too though.