To be horrified at kids being 'labelled' like this ?

[espressotogo]

DD senior school age goes back tomorrow - no exemptions and she will be masked up as requested despite my absolute disgust at the policy. The school has asserted that children with exemptions will need to provide proof and will be made to wear a badge or lanyard to show their exemption on school property and transport.
AIBU to be horrified that children will be 'badged' like this - surely not wearing the mask is sufficient to show their exemption for a policy that is advisory and with zero proof of efficacy ?

They have to wear a lanyard in order to mark them out so that they aren't hassled because of their inability to wear masks.

No, they wear a lanyard so they aren't asked to put a mask on because of the fact that they aren't wearing a mask and masks are supposed to be worn.

Kids without a mask are mostly not kids who are unable to wear masks, they are mostly kids who just need a reminder to put their mask on.

@espressotogo

Surely not wearing a mask is sufficient ? It is in the wider world ?

Op have you been jn a school?? Kids challenge EVERYTHING!! So no, just wandering around mask free does not prove an exemption.., honest to god..

Am I the only observer thinking this thread has more holes in it than Swiss cheese?
Hmm, I wonder why...
Just maybe the OP is of the 'light the blue touch paper and then retire' kind of person... just putting it out there.

The default position in this crazy Covid society seems to be to disbelieve that someone is unable to wear a mask

I have to admit, I don't believe everyone without a mask can't wear one.
Asthma, for example, a doctor friend of mine says its bollocks that people with asthma can't wear a mask, as does Asthma UK.
A friend has a child with non verbal, severe autism, she's managed to get him to wear a mask (appreciate not everyone with his level of disabilities could).
And what happens in other countries without mask exemptions? I can't imagine all the mask less people I see in the supermarket just don't leave the house. The other thing I've noticed is that mask exemptions seem to run in families and couples and both people are maskless in the shops.
I don't dispute that some people might find them very difficult to wear, but impossible for them for 15 minutes in the supermarket? Really? I think for most people it's a case of not wanting to wear one. I wonder what percentage of hospital nurses are maskless with exemptions?

A friend has a child with non verbal, severe autism, she's managed to get him to wear a mask (appreciate not everyone with his level of disabilities could)

I'm really not sure that's anything to be proud of

@KenDodd

What actually are these mask exemptions anyway? A lot of people say asthma, but asthma UK say you can and should wear a mask. What else? Severe learning disability?

Funnily enough my asthma isn't a reason for an exemption, but the sensory processing disorder part of my autism is.

Other reasons someone may be exempt include :

Autism itself (my son seeks sensory input through chewing any mask would be soaked and worse than useless in seconds)
Rape/abuse survivors may find masks triggering, does anyone really think its right that a child should have to prove to the school that they find wearing a mask causes flashbacks?
Learning difficulties, if a child doesn't understand why they need to keep the mask on then they most likely won't.
Tourettes
Where someone needs to be able to lipread.
Some asthmatics may be unable to wear one.
Same with lots of other medical conditions.

@SnoopyRahRah

It's annoying that Uni students don't have to wear masks. Poor uni staff .

The uni I work at, masks have been mandatory (except exempt students/staff) since September. They stuck to this with some fierce opposition and I have to say that numbers have stayed relatively low. They are still mandatory and I expect this to remain for the rest of the academic year.

I know it was only about 8 or 9 unis in England that mandated it but it has worked out well for those that did with lower case numbers.

If their weren't so many people in real life not qeaeing masks because they are face nappies or muzzles than there would be no need for people with genuine exemptions to face hassle. The school is right IMO as it saves the children with genuine exemptions having to explain themselves.

@Sideswiped I agree and I am willing to bet that if OP has a senior school child her strong views will filter down to said child. I mesn disgust!

Where someone needs to be able to lipread

How does not wearing a mask yourself help you lip read?

Mean disgust!

A friend has a child with non verbal, severe autism, she's managed to get him to wear a mask (appreciate not everyone with his level of disabilities could)

I'm really not sure that's anything to be proud of

Because of his learning disability he is particularly vulnerable to covid so she is very glad to get a mask on him. He now wears it largely without complaint, in the same way he wears his clothes.

-Where someone needs to be able to lipread*

If someone is accompanying someone who needs to lipread, they can wear a transparent one.

Inability to wear one type of mask is not an exemption.

There is no default position with Autism too. Every child is different. Whilst most probably struggle with wearing mask due to sensory issues some don't My Aspergers child would wear a mask all day if she could. She was more distressed my others not wearing them.

@KenDodd

A friend has a child with non verbal, severe autism, she's managed to get him to wear a mask (appreciate not everyone with his level of disabilities could)

I'm really not sure that's anything to be proud of

Because of his learning disability he is particularly vulnerable to covid so she is very glad to get a mask on him. He now wears it largely without complaint, in the same way he wears his clothes.

I see. I hope for his sake it's worth it.

@Catkitkat

UPP you are not being unreasonable. This sounds pretty bad.

And @steppemum any links?

sorry, I heard the interview about the USA schools either on radio 4 on on the TV news. I cannot remember where.

So sorry, no links.

But my post was followed byt a teacher from US reinforcing exactly what was said int he interview. The schools with masks have few/low cases compared to the schools with no masks.

How about you look at it as those who can wear as mask are wearing a badge in the form of the mask?

Problem solved.

@Northsoutheastwest76

There is no default position with Autism too. Every child is different. Whilst most probably struggle with wearing mask due to sensory issues some don't My Aspergers child would wear a mask all day if she could. She was more distressed my others not wearing them.

This.

Multiple people with autism in our house. One wears a mask when necessary, one would wear one forever more if they can, one can't wear one at all.

@kittensinthekitchen

How about you look at it as those who can wear as mask are wearing a badge in the form of the mask?

Problem solved.

Well, it's more a badge for those who are prepared to wear a mask to protect others 🤷🏻‍♀️

@espressotogo

I have seen people in the "wider world" wearing lanyards.

Yes, by choice

Or to avoid abuse, mostly.

I don't think it's legal to force somebody exempt to wear a lanyard or give specifics about why they are exempt, in any setting.

And hwo do you propose the staff monitor who's meant to have one and who isn't? Would you be happy for your exempt child to be asked 6 times a day by different teachers?

A list of exempt children can be forwarded to teachers of each class to sit alongside their register so that they know. Not really difficult to do.

@steppemum

Very interesting interview I heard last night OP.

In US the maks wearing in schools varies from school district to school district.
Some have been made to wear masks for months, others have never had to.
They are now analysing data from the different districts. Obviously taking into account rural v. urban etc they have found

1. in schools where kids wear masks, fewer kids have been off sick with Covid.
2. in schools where kids wear masks, there are fewer staff abscences due to Covid.
3. In the families of the kids in the schools where they are wearing masks, there are fewer cases of Covid.

Now I am not a fan of masks, but those figures were pretty compelling.

Interesting however, it's perfectly possible that the schools in states where they wear masks are also more cautious in terms of other mitigation measures. A correlation is just that.

@ChannelTheCalmaLlama

And hwo do you propose the staff monitor who's meant to have one and who isn't? Would you be happy for your exempt child to be asked 6 times a day by different teachers?

A list of exempt children can be forwarded to teachers of each class to sit alongside their register so that they know. Not really difficult to do.

Children move round schools multiple times a day and pass multiple teachers, some of them will have no clue of that child's name so actually quite difficult.

A list of exempt children can be forwarded to teachers of each class to sit alongside their register so that they know. Not really difficult to do.

Not this again.

In a typical day I teach (so see the register for) around 100 kids.

I encounter hundreds more while moving around school, many of whom I don't know from Adam.

@HipTightOnions

A list of exempt children can be forwarded to teachers of each class to sit alongside their register so that they know. Not really difficult to do.

Not this again.

In a typical day I teach (so see the register for) around 100 kids.

I encounter hundreds more while moving around school, many of whom I don't know from Adam.

Presumably you do know the children who are in your classes? And take a register of them each day? A simple note next to the names of the exempt children can identify them in each class they go to.