Schools reopening

[user1468867871]

AIBU to share with you UsforThem. It is a group of mums who are campaigning to send children back to school as normal with no restrictions. They can be found on FB and Twitter #UsforThem. There is also a link to sign the petition on FB

It’s hard, former. Hope things look up soon.

I would have thought teachers would see missing a term of school as quite a big deal and would be on the side of children being in school.
We are! I’m at school teaching FT and I’d love to see more children in. Hoping September is as normal as possible under the circumstances.

Thank you..I hope so!

I would have thought teachers would see missing a term of school as quite a big deal and would be on the side of children being in school.

Of course. No one likes this awful state of affairs. BUT it has to be done safely, and a petition demanding "send children back to school as normal with no restrictions" is not going to be safe. It's just not.

@CallmeAngelina

I would have thought teachers would see missing a term of school as quite a big deal and would be on the side of children being in school.

Of course. No one likes this awful state of affairs. BUT it has to be done safely, and a petition demanding "send children back to school as normal with no restrictions" is not going to be safe. It's just not.

It also shows a total lack of respect for teachers and other school staff.

@CallmeAngelina

I would have thought teachers would see missing a term of school as quite a big deal and would be on the side of children being in school.

Of course. No one likes this awful state of affairs. BUT it has to be done safely, and a petition demanding "send children back to school as normal with no restrictions" is not going to be safe. It's just not.

What's your definition of safe?

Please stop lumping all teachers together. Some teachers want a mythical level of safety. Others are more realistic and are happy to be back in; doing their bit to keep the country going and helping struggling children and their families.

Some teachers, juggler, just want the same level of safety afforded to the rest of the working population.

I acknowledge that certain jobs, such as prison guards and police, do not necessarily have the same level of safety, however, this is true of their job in ordinary circumstances as well and I very much hope they feel this additional risk is built into the remuneration that they receive.

@nellodee

Some teachers, juggler, just want the same level of safety afforded to the rest of the working population.

I acknowledge that certain jobs, such as prison guards and police, do not necessarily have the same level of safety, however, this is true of their job in ordinary circumstances as well and I very much hope they feel this additional risk is built into the remuneration that they receive.

Yes an average wage of 23 grand for a prison guard(less than the average wage of a teacher) seems well worth it for a much riskier job than teaching.

I personally wouldn't mind if teachers wanted to wear full ppe, although I think masks hinder communication so I wonder how effective their teaching would be but I guess there is ways round it.

It just seems that a few people will only be happy when there is confirmation they there will be absolutely no cases in school (which is impossible)

Plus teachers are ordinarily at more risk of virus' than other jobs aren't they?

"Vulnerable people who are elderly or have underlying conditions or are immuno suppressed are at risk from a multitude of things. They take measures to protect themselves."
But that's the problem isnt it. People on here seem to think vulnerable people are just the elderly and that they live somewhere else. They dont always. Lots of childrens parents are vulnerable, and they cant hide away from society, society comes home to them, every single day. What measures can you take when your child comes home from school every day,cand lives in your house.

The risk for the vast majority from Covid is not high. If you are at risk then you need to make a choice - my aunt is diabetic and 70 so she has retired from being a reception teacher, which is entirely sensible. My teacher husband is healthy as are my kids. I am not completely healthy, but the world doesn’t stop turning for me and nor should it. He is going to work and my yr 1 is going to school.

When I was really ill, pre Covid, there was numerous illnesses around that would’ve finished me off - I took precautions but you can’t expect everything around you to stop, unless you want the country to collapse completely?

@TabbyMumz

"Vulnerable people who are elderly or have underlying conditions or are immuno suppressed are at risk from a multitude of things. They take measures to protect themselves." But that's the problem isnt it. People on here seem to think vulnerable people are just the elderly and that they live somewhere else. They dont always. Lots of childrens parents are vulnerable, and they cant hide away from society, society comes home to them, every single day. What measures can you take when your child comes home from school every day,cand lives in your house.

What would you want? Because if your child goes to school at all your vulnerable family member is at risk. So....?

I've already told you genie, ideally I wouldnt want them back in September at all, I'd like learning to carry on online. However, if they must go back, I dont want it to be as normal. I'd like it to be with as little risk as possible. Such as not full time, very small bubbles, say 8, and little movement round school. High school corridors are about 1.5 m wide in places. Add children into the mix in normal circumstances, you cant get through. They are literally squashed in like a tin of beans. I just think it's far too soon Numbers of infection are nit low enough and round me there are outbreaks of hundreds. Add that to a cold school when the weather gets colder, and there you have it, another outbreak.

I do get fed up of the "othering" on here. People dont realise that the vulnerable live amongst us, young and old. They arent just "others" that we can forget about. We cant just say "oh they are all old arent they, what's the difference if they die, they were going to die soon anyway" like some have on here. These are our families, very valuable members of society. Honestly, the disablist on here is disgusting. "Oh, they just need to take measures"...as if it's that simple.

@TabbyMumz

I've already told you genie, ideally I wouldnt want them back in September at all, I'd like learning to carry on online. However, if they must go back, I dont want it to be as normal. I'd like it to be with as little risk as possible. Such as not full time, very small bubbles, say 8, and little movement round school. High school corridors are about 1.5 m wide in places. Add children into the mix in normal circumstances, you cant get through. They are literally squashed in like a tin of beans. I just think it's far too soon Numbers of infection are nit low enough and round me there are outbreaks of hundreds. Add that to a cold school when the weather gets colder, and there you have it, another outbreak.

I understand that, but you must know that it's incredibly unlikely that the government will choose to screw over every child for a small minority?

So what will you do?

@TabbyMumz

I do get fed up of the "othering" on here. People dont realise that the vulnerable live amongst us, young and old. They arent just "others" that we can forget about. We cant just say "oh they are all old arent they, what's the difference if they die, they were going to die soon anyway" like some have on here. These are our families, very valuable members of society. Honestly, the disablist on here is disgusting. "Oh, they just need to take measures"...as if it's that simple.

It's not othering. They need to be protected. They also need an NHS and they need taxes to run...... People have to work....

"I understand that, but you must know that it's incredibly unlikely that the government will choose to screw over every child for a small minority?"

But society as a whole isnt a small minority is it. That's why they closed schools in the first place. Thats exactly what I mean. You think the vulnerable are a small minority that can be dispensed with. And I hate this attitude "screw them over"..they havent been screwed over for goodness sake, they have been protected and safeguarded from a virus. Why do you want them back? Why do you want to put a whole society at harm just for a few kids so as they can get back to school a bit earlier, why cant they wait a bit longer, or put in place part time safer schooling?

@TabbyMumz

I do get fed up of the "othering" on here. People dont realise that the vulnerable live amongst us, young and old. They arent just "others" that we can forget about. We cant just say "oh they are all old arent they, what's the difference if they die, they were going to die soon anyway" like some have on here. These are our families, very valuable members of society. Honestly, the disablist on here is disgusting. "Oh, they just need to take measures"...as if it's that simple.

I am one of the vulnerable... I am not old and I don’t look sick. I take precautions suitable for my risk and believe the world shouldn’t stop for me. That is not disablist.

"It's not othering. They need to be protected. They also need an NHS and they need taxes to run...... People have to work..,"
It is othering. It is exactly that. You don't realise how many vulnerable there are. Theres millions and millions of them. They are normal people like you and I. People within our society have lots of different medical conditions that puts them at risk. That's one of the reasons we had lockdown in the first place. You cant forget that and just think "oh that's not ne, I'm alright Jack, I will never be one of those people". They are being well and truly othered here. Weve got an nhs, we got people being furloughed. I'm not asking for it to carry on forever, it just doesnt need to be everyone back as normal in all schools, yet.

@TabbyMumz

"I understand that, but you must know that it's incredibly unlikely that the government will choose to screw over every child for a small minority?"

But society as a whole isnt a small minority is it. That's why they closed schools in the first place. Thats exactly what I mean. You think the vulnerable are a small minority that can be dispensed with. And I hate this attitude "screw them over"..they havent been screwed over for goodness sake, they have been protected and safeguarded from a virus. Why do you want them back? Why do you want to put a whole society at harm just for a few kids so as they can get back to school a bit earlier, why cant they wait a bit longer, or put in place part time safer schooling?

They closed everything to save the NHS, to flatten the curve. They put shielding in place for vulnerable people. Schools didn't close for them.

The vulnerable compared to the healthy are a minority. The majority of the country are not vulnerable.

Children have been protected and safeguarded from a virus that very rarely effects them in any meaningful name? Righty ho. And they've been abused, left to go hungry, abandoned by schools in some cases, isolated. Seems a great trade off doesn't it?

I want them to go back because children need school. They need education, they need routine, they need friends, they need normality. Their parents need to work to keep the roof over their heads and put food on the table.

Wait a bit longer? When? October? Christmas? New year? Next Easter?

Part time schooling is not good enough. It creates an even bigger education gap, it's problematic for working parents, it creates further "bubble" related issues (where do you think the kids are who aren't in school?)

"I do get fed up of the "othering" on here. People dont realise that the vulnerable live amongst us, young and old. They arent just "others" that we can forget about."

Bear in mind that there are other vulnerable people including severely disabled people ( who are forgot about most of the time) who have been badly affected by lockdown. We do need to consider the needs of all vulnerable people.

You cant forget that and just think "oh that's not ne, I'm alright Jack, I will never be one of those people

Well I've got asthma so arguably am at more risk than someone who doesn't have it, but, its still a tiny risk and if I am the teeny weeny % of people that die, then that will be incredibly sad for my family, but I'm happy to take my chances because its unlikely it will happen and I could die of something else next week.

"Iam one of the vulnerable... I am not old and I don’t look sick. I take precautions suitable for my risk and believe the world shouldn’t stop for me. That is not disablist."

Would you have a child coming home to you from school every day? What precautions can you take if that's the case?
I'm not looking for the world to stop, I'm looking for it to be a measured slow return with lots and lots of precautions...not all back full time.

How come people are saying they will take precautions at home, but they dont want precautions for their kids at school?