Scottish schools opening

[chocciechocface]

I was ready for schools opening, but this new research has given me pause for thought. I think this came out after Sturgeon's decision. What do you all think?

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07/31/georgia-children-covid-outbreak/#click=t.co/Y9gSG9zENz

Quote from the article:

"A new report suggests that children of all ages are susceptible to coronavirus infection and may also spread it to others — a finding likely to intensify an already fraught discussion about the risks of sending children back to school this fall.

The analysis, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, details an outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia last month in which 260 children and staffers — more than three-quarters of the 344 tested — contracted the virus less than a week after spending time together in close quarters. The children had a median age of 12. The camp had required all 597 campers and staff members to provide documentation that they had tested negative for the virus before coming. Staff were required to wear masks, but children were not."

@MumofHunter that’s disingenuous. That’s been the clear aim of the group from day one. And it’s not “no matter what the science says”. There’s plenty of science to support their position.

You may disagree. You may be an SNP stalwart. But people are entitled to do what they consider to be right for their children without being written off as science denying crackpots. Society simply can’t function with “blended learning”. People will lose jobs, women will be returned to the 1950s. It’s disproportionate to the risks.

It is clear but they don't like it. For me, it's hugely ironic that one of their main points of argument is freedom of choice and the rights of the individual and the group put forth such passionate debate to remove rights from those who work in schools .

It's also really worrying that they want their children to challenge teachers who wear masks and to challenge all measures which mean the school is not exactly the same as before. Much of the posts about that are down now due to the harm to the cause and reputation .

Pointless discussing it 🤷‍♀️

Will wait and see what happens

I'm hoping no masks as my 16 yo has asthma and is the sort to hyperventilate in a mask rather than not wear one. His mental health is suffering enough at the moment.

I think initially a lot of parents were shocked and angry about how little time children would spend in school with blended learning. We were offered less than 30% in school. Fridays the schools in Edinburgh would only open for key worker children. I was considering joining the Usforthem group and I'm not an antivaxx loon that hates teachers.

Imagine you have a young primary child who is shy and struggles with being at school. They would never get into a routine with 4 days in and 11 days at home...

The mistake in the initial approach was to treat all children the same and that's just silly. Surely someone in charge of education should know how different primary and secondary children are and that some years need more input due to exams, changes than others.

I would say that science doesn't support their position. Again, full time is only safe if covid rates in our communities are very low as if one of my 30 kids has it at any point, I'll very likely get it.
One person in a pub had it, now 30 do and this will likely increase further. This shows how quickly it can spread in a community and that it's still out there.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to going back, just need to hope and try my best to keep everyone safe. Unfortunately I can't control what happens outside of my classroom.

Lidl those posts worry me too and show a complete lack of respect for teachers and all staff in schools.

I was thinking about PSA's who normally sit close to help children. They just won't be able to do that now. It's going to be tricky.

@museumum there was a reason for the incredibly low time allocation in some areas though, it was not possible to fit 50% of a class into rooms and still have the 2m SD so I believe it had to go down to 33%
What else could the council do? Only other solutions to get the numbers up would be more buildings and more staff - that would need to have been paid for by the SG not each council.

I left the Facebook group as soon as full time was announced, I was getting sick fed up of their our way is the only way narrative. I am fully supportive of a phased return next week for example and this was something else they were pushing to get rid of.

I was really hoping that by the time we go back cases would be extremely low and we could all feel a sense of excitement about returning, just feel a bit worried now

@Mistressiggi they could have not written Friday off and hired some extra staff to support the online part of blended learning. I know Friday is usually a half day but given the circumstances to just close the schools on Friday smacks of complete disregard for education from Edinburgh council.

@Scotslassie1

I share the FM's sentiment in that the pictures of the bars at the weekend make me want to cry. 😪

Her words were along the lines of 'Largely young people gathering together with no physical distancing makes me want to cry'

Isn't this exactly what she is asking of our teens and teachers in 2 weeks time?

As the mother of a 15 year old this concerns me greatly.

I suppose Friday didn't seem "fair" - if it was your dc in for a shorter day? Though could have had Friday in the mix of the one day plus whatever. You couldn't extend the Friday without shortening the other days. The home learning isn't separate to what they do in school so would need to be the class teacher who either wrote it or had an overview of it. It was a massively complicated thing to plan, and all for nothing as it turned out.

The thing is of course... What happens if schools need to shut down again???

Of course ‘the science’ supports a full time return, otherwise the FM wouldn’t be going for it. We need to keep a close eye on reason here, a lot of fear is talking. I’m sure we’ll get local lockdowns again if the situation warrants it.

“smorgasbord of bampottery “ is possibly the best phrase I’ve ever read on here - fabulous @Lidlfix

@MumofHunter the 'normal mum' also lied about the work given home to her children. But oh so politically neutral.

@anon444877 I don't know that it's fear talking rather a sense of if a cluster can occur after one day/evening in a bar, can we not expect to see the exact thing happen with a bunch of 16/17 year olds who are sat in a classroom together all day free from face coverings?

Also another poster in the group put up a picture which showed a picture of her child's school report to show her child had fallen from 'working at Primary Six level to Primary Two level due to blended learning'.
The picture showed a report with Year 2 on it, English curriculum areas and English levels of attainment, not CFE's first level.. 🙈

What worried me about the usforthem lot was the blatant revelling in the fact they are telling their children to disobey their teachers

I spent an evening reading their FB posts with my mouth hanging open

We all want the best for our children but some of the more vocal posters sounded unhinged

One local to me is loving the fact that people (that don't know her) are giving her an audience as she has burnt her boats everywhere else

Our local high school was only offering one day a week and an additional day every fourth week for the years my DC are in. I felt this was pretty poor when other Council areas were offering closer to 50%. I'm glad the kids are going back to school but do feel sorry for teachers and PSAs who have been shielding or who have someone at home who was shielding. I wouldn't object if a teacher wanted to wear a mask, or if my DC were asked to wear one (although I appreciate it may not be appropriate for everyone to wear one if they have asthma etc). I'm keeping my fingers crossed the DC can remain at school full time for as long as possible, but while covid rates continue to rise in England I think it may only be a matter of time before we see large increases here which could lead to blended learning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this time round the kids will be offered more than just one day a week in school.

Of course it’s fear - the FM will doubtless look at increasing measures in school if breakouts that are traced to schools happen. Nobody can stop any adult or child wearing face masks if they choose to, for that matter.

We hardly enforce uniform here, I can’t see anyone ripping off anyone else’s face cove in a school.

Look. The overwhelming evidence from months of infection and transmission in countries the world over show that children are at minimal risk of catching covid.

Do you know what, I would rather both my young children got it now, had it mildly, and developed antibodies to protect them from whatever comes next from the coronavirus group of viruses.

...and their families, their parents, grandparents, carers and teachers. Or will your dc not be able to pass it on to anyone else?

@anon444877 I didn't imply that people would try and stop pupils from wearing face coverings but the fact is unless it's mandatory then not many will choose to wear one. And besides, if only one or two do then it negates the usefulness of them. Look at shops for example. I just can't see how young people socialising in pubs and 25 16/17 year olds sitting in a small room is any different.

@chocciechocface

The reason I posted is because emerging science is suggesting that our assumptions that children do not spread the virus may be misplaced.

"Two new studies, though from different parts of the world, have arrived at the same conclusion: that young children not only transmit SARS-CoV-2 efficiently, but may be major drivers of the pandemic as well. "

Worth highlighting again: