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Original poster

Mask refusal in schools by pupils

135 replies

Twinklingstarface · 07/01/2022 08:53

Seems it is the pupils rebelling now rather than the parents
apple.news/A41bZE79jR9mZVAzmNVy4uQ

OP posts:
herecomesthsun · 07/01/2022 13:44

@hamstersarse

If you think this decision was made on scientific research I really do despair. It was purely a political move. That was it.

You happen to agree with the outcome of that political move so are quite happy, I don't and think it is cynical and cowardly to 'pick on' children

Well, I think we disagree on this.

There is certainly a strong body of scientific opinion (including the WHO) that supports mask wearing in schools - and masks are only being worn in secondary school.

Hardly "picking on children"

hamstersarse · 07/01/2022 13:47

I can go into the office and not wear a mask all day. Why is that?

hamstersarse · 07/01/2022 13:47

Oh and a pub

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 07/01/2022 13:47

I was surprised this week that most kids ( who can) wore them with no fuss, a handful didn’t bring one in, and a couple refused

littlepeas · 07/01/2022 13:53

@Alayalaya

I’d be interested to know if mask refusal is happening in private schools too, or in state schools in posh areas. My guess is that mask refusing children are picking up this behaviour from uneducated parents.
Wow. Snobby.

My 3 dc are privately educated and I'd prefer it if they didn't have to wear masks. Dh and I are obviously educated enough to be able to afford 3x private school fees, so we're clearly arrogant pricks or some other insult that comes out when people can't reasonably be called completely thick.

AmIgoinghomeforXmas · 07/01/2022 14:00

My dc go to private school in the USA.
Mask wearing is strictly enforced and followed without issues (apart from one Trump supporting pupil)

But currently there is an option for virtual learning that a lot of dc and their families are taking.

Happypootler · 07/01/2022 14:09

It is very easy to say your kid is just getting on with it, but you may well see an impact on their classroom behaviour if you were a fly on the wall. They might still prefer to wear a mask but my experience as a teacher is that it does generate changes in interaction and reduces the quality of participation overall.

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 07/01/2022 14:11

@CagneyNYPD1

I think for some kids, this is the result of the views that they hear in the home. My ds does wear a face mask in school without too much complaint. But then my DH and I wear our face masks without fuss. We just get on with it.

But many children are growing up in a family where the adults refuse to wear face masks, bang on about sheeple etc etc. Those children are not terribly likely to wear a face mask in school IMO.

It all starts in the home and schools are in a very difficult position.

Do you think most teenagers do what their parents say outside the home?
TheLovelinessOfDemons · 07/01/2022 14:14

@Comefromaway

I disagree, I think that masks have been shown to held reduce the spread which is why I happily wear them in shops, cinemas and theatres.

But I could not work all day in one.

When I took DS 14 to A&E we had to wear them for 2 hours. That was uncomfortable enough. Every time we were left alone in a room we took them off.
rainrainraincamedowndowndown · 07/01/2022 14:21

Now with so many cases, anything to help reduce the spread is better than nothing. Those who oppose to simple thing like mask wearing, I really doubt if they value education.
Anti maskers are all about their personal freedom and comfort. That's not the trait I want to see in my dc.

Calennig · 07/01/2022 14:24

@Happypootler

It is very easy to say your kid is just getting on with it, but you may well see an impact on their classroom behaviour if you were a fly on the wall. They might still prefer to wear a mask but my experience as a teacher is that it does generate changes in interaction and reduces the quality of participation overall.
I actually don't doubt that it impacts on interactions even in teens.

However mine are just getting on with it - but we're in Wales and they have been aware of many odd rules in last two years. Our local rate according to UK gov site is 2,293 per 100,000 people so we're high and school has made it clear we could switch to on-line learning at very short notice and they'd rather be in school with friends as long as possible.

Piggywaspushed · 07/01/2022 14:25

Every teacher I know is completely non plussed by this article and I am not sure what NASUWT are playing at allowing a couple of days of school to pass before declaring this problem with masks.

When masks were just a thing in corridors, compliance was an issue. Now they are in classrooms and on transport, compliance is no longer a widespread issue. This is true from school to school to school.

The specific schools having the issue have the age old MN DH problem (In this case HT problem) and yet this is being generalised out to all schools. I wish the BBC had investigated a bit...

Cismyfatarse · 07/01/2022 14:25

We have been in masks since March in Scotland- no break at all.

And, while I am no statistics expert, our Covid rates are similar to England.

AmIgoinghomeforXmas · 07/01/2022 14:25

I don't entirely understand why so many Brits still struggle with mask wearing as much as they seem to.

I'm about to go and do an hours exercise class in one, I would prefer not to have to wear one but it is ok wearing one.

I don't really notice wearing one when generally out and about, apart from when sudden changes in temps make my glasses steam up.

I wonder if the UK had been more consistent on making people wear masks and for more activities if Brits would find it easier by now?

OchonAgusOchonOh · 07/01/2022 14:36

@hamstersarse - So not a trend then? Which is it?

Trend is a statistical term used to refer to patterns in time series and is based on scientific evidence.

Drunkpanda · 07/01/2022 14:37

So my new boots can't be "on trend" then?

Happypootler · 07/01/2022 14:40

@amIgoinghomeforxmas you're talking about an hour when you don't need to talk to anyone. Totally different scenario.

@Calennig yes I agree with you, masks are better than remote learning if it comes down to that choice. My pet peeve I guess is when the issue of kids having to wear masks all day in school is minimised as easy/ nothing on here. Have a look inside a classroom and you will see that's not true.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 07/01/2022 14:42

@Drunkpanda

So my new boots can't be "on trend" then?
Yes they can. Someone just needs to run the numbers to see whether they are being worn by more or fewer people than previously.
Sleepyblueocean · 07/01/2022 14:50

Most will get on with it apart from the odd moan, a few will be exempt and a few will refuse- much like they refuse to do other things. Normal teenage business.

airforsharon · 07/01/2022 15:06

@CagneyNYPD1

I think for some kids, this is the result of the views that they hear in the home. My ds does wear a face mask in school without too much complaint. But then my DH and I wear our face masks without fuss. We just get on with it.

But many children are growing up in a family where the adults refuse to wear face masks, bang on about sheeple etc etc. Those children are not terribly likely to wear a face mask in school IMO.

It all starts in the home and schools are in a very difficult position.

One of my dc is at a very small school, both in terms of building size & numbers. Last term they had some significant issues with teachers off ill/self isolating. They sent an email last week asking pupils aged 11+ to wear masks as per guidance when school returns, within an hour the 1st "i'm not making my child wear a mask, it's physically harmful, she's had Covid anyway" replies started. I should emphasize, there's no actual physical reason this particular child can't wear a mask, their mum has been clear it's simply that they don't approve. Mum said several other parents had messaged her to say they agreed.

DC wears glasses & finds masks a pain but says she's happy to wear one because she hated the on/off/in/out term they've just had, due to staff shortages. The school have done their very best to manage in difficult circs & are asking us & the children to 'do our bit' to keep infection down & the school functioning. I'm actually incredulous at how much fuss is being made - yes, i know they're not comfortable, yes, it's not ideal but for heaven's sake it's preferable to a return to online learning & isolation, surely?

puppetear · 07/01/2022 15:12

I get the point that mask wearing isn’t so hard, or at least I understand that some people feel the downsides for their children are small — everyone has right to an opinion, and to bring up your family accordingly, right?

I can also understand why some would rather the beeb were more circumspect.

But… problem is, looking at efficacy, we find things to be quite murky. It’s not a slam dunk on the stats.

Because of that, it is quite wrong to create the impression that the only possible approach is universal masking at school.

Lovemusic33 · 07/01/2022 15:19

I don’t blame them, I’m surprised at how well my Dd1 is coping, she wears glasses and is also autistic, when she first had to start wearing a mask in shops she really struggled and had several panic attacks. I was really anxious about her going back to school and having to wear a mask in the classroom (basically all day). She’s been back a few days and I coping ok, I did have to collect her early yesterday, she had a study period and decided she would be more comfortable at home without a mask.

I struggle popping in the shop for a few bits, glasses steaming up, feeling panicky etc… so I’m unsure I could wear one for several hours at a time.

Happypootler · 07/01/2022 15:38

The point being though @airforsharon that they don't necessarily make that level of difference.

AmIgoinghomeforXmas · 07/01/2022 16:12

@Happypootler I wear masks during any indoor setting but I would say that exercise is the most challenging due to breath regulation.
I guess my point was in relation to the pp who was taking their mask off in a medical setting.

My family was on a long haul flight recently and we all managed to sleep in our masks along with everyone else on the plane.

The amount of complaining some ( not all) Brits make about masks suggests the Ozzies might have a point.

PumpkinPie2016 · 07/01/2022 16:13

Most of the kids at the secondary I teach at wear them without complaint. Alot pull them down when walking the corridors/occasionally in class but will put them up if asked.

Very few have outright refused. More seem to be exempt now according to parents. They have to be issued with a card to say they are exempt.

I wear glasses and use an ffp2 mask with a metal nasal strip. I don't seem to steam up much in that unless I come in from break duty.

I don't like wearing a mask all day - it dries my throat and skin. However, I have been mostly wearing it throughout in school plus shops etc and in nearly two years, I haven't had covid once. Obviously, that's just me and it may be other reasons why I haven't caught it.