Guilt Free Railing 12

[WouldBeGood]

The railing goes on

How can people think that’s ok for students?

I genuinely don't understand why Universities or anywhere else are having to observe social distancing. Were all social distancing requirements not ditched when we moved to level -1 and supposedly lost the majority of restrictions? Presumably the same students who are having to spread out in lecture theatres, keeping them at a fraction of capacity, are going back to packed halls, house parties and nightclubs afterwards, so really what is the point? Is this just a case of the guidance not matching up with the rhetoric because of oversight, or have we all been mislead when we were told most restrictions were going?

Students are manky, disease-ridden covid superspreaders, obviously. It was OK to lock them into their accommodation last year. It was OK to fuck the last two years of their school education.

It's also OK for however many thousand of them to go to Transmit.

Yes. God knows why... The guidance says
At the start of term (and beyond for those under 16), institutions are strongly recommended to implement a greater level of protective measures that takes particular account of the profile of vaccination across the population, and concentrations of young people in student accommodation.

Institutions should ensure measures go further than the minimum baseline where that is necessary to keep people safe.

This could include, for example:
limiting student numbers in lectures
keeping class lists for test and protect purposes
hand-sanitisation stations; one-way systems
voluntary physical distancing and / or provision of materials to clean surfaces

But today, [[https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-update-first-ministers-statement-14-september-2021/
NS in her infinite wisdom said:]]

As a precaution at this stage, colleges and universities won’t be holding large in-person lectures for now.
Instead, there will be a mix of online and in-person learning – with institutions themselves deciding the level of in-person teaching that they will offer during this term.
In addition, physical distancing will remain in place on campuses and face coverings will be required in indoor public spaces.

So what that actually means, set against the guidance is anyone's guess.

My ds is at Strathclyde too, according to him he's been told nothing....

It just doesn't make any sense.
My DC1 has moved into halls of residence.
They're having a full freshers social programme there, in and out each other's flats, nightclubs, pubs. The only restriction in halls is masks in public places.
She's having great time so far but next week she will go into university with social distancing.
And 2/3 of her week will be online from her bedroom 🤷🏼‍♀️

Re sand. All our children are full time. Whereas my friend's setting have am and Pm children all year round so maybe that's what it means.

We still hose down the water tray and mud kitchen but they are outside.

Honestly it's nursery, they share their germs anyway as it's the one thing they learn to share well x

@KingsleyShacklebolt yes, DS1 is at Strathclyde, 2 hours every 2nd week and he guessed that would be 5 times but could be less.

DS2 is at Aberdeen and i've not heard what he has yet. However I did pay for a year of accommodation for 2nd year and he had no f2f at all. He did get a little bit of his 1st year accommodation refunded but it wasn't that much, he is now in private and signed a year lease in July without knowing what f2f he'd have.

It's quite the contrast with the UK gov guidance:

There are no longer restrictions on the approach to teaching and learning in higher education (HE) providers as a result of COVID-19. There is no requirement for social distancing or other measures within in person teaching. Providers are therefore able to shape their courses without restrictions to face-to-face provision.

And a little later on:
HE providers should continue to make efforts to reduce the risk of transmission where possible. They should not put in place measures which limit the teaching and learning outcome for students, or significantly limit the wider activities offered by the HE provider.

So the UK gov is clear that while universities do have some responsibilities wrt COVID and should ensure ventilation and adequate track and trace etc., this should not be at the expense of the learning experience. The SG is more like "do some teaching if you must but COVID, COVID, COVID".

@ssd

My ds is at Strathclyde too, according to him he's been told nothing....

It was only yesterday DS found out - at a virtual induction. Maybe he'll hear this week.

But I'm sure he expected a mixture of home learning and maybe some f2f. He doesn't seem desperate to get back in all the time and he didn't get the vaccines to get back to uni. He got them to try to keep me and dh a bit safer. I know it goes against the railing here but if its a mixed bag again this year i think he'll just get on with it.

Yes DS isn't complaining either. He's just glad that at least when he is due in, it's all together rather than an hour on Monday and an hour on Wednesday type of thing. However it's more about the fact he needs to be in and at least seeing other humans even if he doesn't actually interact with them. So he's happy but i'm not particularly.

Its ds1 im more worried about. Hes spent a lot of money on uni etc ,studied really hard for a long time...to finally leave into this shit covid job situation. Now thats a real problem for me.

Its the fact he probably wont get a job somewhere like we all did, learning as we go from older experienced people, like is normal for starters. He'll be cooped up in his room. Thats not a job. Thats if he can actually get anything. I hate covid for this reason more than anything.

What type of thing is he looking for @ssd?

Wise words

I was going to say the same thing. I'm worried they don't get a job but equally I wouldn't want them to just carry on working from home as well as having studied at home. I loved my early years working and socialising after and during work, making friends, having adventures and as you say, learning how to "be" in a work setting from more experienced staff. They are going to miss that and as DS rarely socialises, when is he going to meet potential partners? He's really shy, he needs taken in hand or at least to be in an environment where such things are possible.

He's looking at the civil service but he's finding the applications really difficult. He lives out so its hard to know exactly whats happening, if anything.
I agree with that too @WouldBeGood

I agree we need to look at this differently. Its not going away, it will spread and mutate and keep going. So we need to keep living our lives but have a decent nhs in place to support us. Ain't gonna happen though. All i see is adverts for private healthcare. The tories must love it.

The tories are spending more on the NHS than the SNP are ssd.

Has your DS engaged with the Uni careers service? They may be able to support him with applications?

Are they? Bloody hell thats bad. Scary actually.

I don't think he's engaged with the uni careers officer. I've suggested it though. He's not a boy who can be forced...

@ssd

He's looking at the civil service but he's finding the applications really difficult. He lives out so its hard to know exactly whats happening, if anything. I agree with that too *@WouldBeGood*

The applications are honestly the worst bit even worse than the interviews! But once he gets his head around hitting the criteria against the job role and civil service criteria he will be a dab hand at them! I don't know why they are so evil, SG and Welsh govt are the same style as the UK govt as well! It's almost like a test just to get it submitted correctly! Definitely agree to seek help from his careers dept!

I'll tell him again🤞

@ssd

Are they? Bloody hell thats bad. Scary actually.

I don't think he's engaged with the uni careers officer. I've suggested it though. He's not a boy who can be forced...

I posted this link above ssd. It gives the percentages spent :

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotlands-nhs-has-never-been-the-snps-priority-brian-monteith-3380255

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

It's quite the contrast with the UK gov guidance:

There are no longer restrictions on the approach to teaching and learning in higher education (HE) providers as a result of COVID-19. There is no requirement for social distancing or other measures within in person teaching. Providers are therefore able to shape their courses without restrictions to face-to-face provision.

And a little later on:
HE providers should continue to make efforts to reduce the risk of transmission where possible. They should not put in place measures which limit the teaching and learning outcome for students, or significantly limit the wider activities offered by the HE provider.

So the UK gov is clear that while universities do have some responsibilities wrt COVID and should ensure ventilation and adequate track and trace etc., this should not be at the expense of the learning experience. The SG is more like "do some teaching if you must but COVID, COVID, COVID".

Exactly. It's really making me very angry.

God, I hate Tuesdays when NS does her spiel to Parliament. It always gets me riled by bedtime