Masks all day in school

[ihearttc]

Furious just about sums up how I feel at the moment. Just had an email from DS1’s school (he is going into Y11) saying they will be required to wear masks all day long in school from the minute they get inside the school gates to when they leave. They are allowed to take them off to eat lunch but will need to be put back on immediately. Before I fire off an email to the school, just wondered how I stand legally with refusing to give permission for him to wear one all day long? It’s completely against the DofE guidance which states corridors and transitions only.
We live rurally and are in a very very low Covid area for what’s its worth, no where near areas on local lockdown.

@ineedaholidaynow

And do you not think HT have a lot on their plate at the moment, to then have to deal with an email from a parent asking them not to vaccinate their child.

Maybe I will have to tell the local schools I deal with to remember to put that in their risk assessment - remember don't vaccinate the pupils.

It's their job.

Masks that will be taken off, shoved in pockets and bags and put back on again are ridiculously unhygienic.
You're fooling yourself if you think all children are going to put them in plastic bags/fresh one on when required.

It would be like licking the inside of your pocket/bag/pencil case.

More chance of getting ill from that, than from covid.

Then you've got the children with glasses, I've yet to find a mask that stays in place and doesn't steam up my glasses without me constantly fiddling with it.

The children with hearing problems, who now won't be able to lip read the teacher and their peers

The children who DO have invisible disabilities which make it difficult to wear one, who now face a choice of being incredibly uncomfortable all day, or have their peer know potentially sensitive medical information about them.

Who's going to pay to supply masks to those that can't afford them? Those that turn up without them? Those who have one but it breaks halfway through the day?

No it means you're probably not a teacher people feel they can approach.

Only the batshit people with crazy suggestions. No loss.

What are they meant to be vaccinating them with anyway?

Grow up OP. Im sorry to be rude but I'm tired of this anti mask crap.
Im a HCP I mainly work with children but also adults on the front line the hospital is in an "enhanced support area", Covid19 is increasing and everyone is being told to wear a mask when at work no exceptions.
I wear mine 13+ hours a day Ive been doing it since July as has everyone else. It's no hardship I don't even notice it now many of us drive hime I them now because we forget we wearing one. The only problems are: the children in particular babies and their parents can't see if you smiling so I make more effort to smile with my eyes and voice, and if you're hard of hearing its not always easy to understand what has been said. But everything is get roundtable you just get used to it.
There is some evidence emerging that they may protect the wearer by reducing viral load and thus the seriousness of infection. If there's even a slight possibility that this is true II'll keep wearing mine as long as we're being given them to wear as over 500 NHS staff have tragically died because we are so exposed to Covid19. On that basis alone I don't find it a hardship.
With regards to touching you face I find your much more conscious of touching you face when you wear a mask then washing you hands immediately after you've done this. We all find that biggest downside is that we all find you drink less.

@noblegiraffe

No it means you're probably not a teacher people feel they can approach.

Only the batshit people with crazy suggestions. No loss.

Or a massive number of parents?

It's funny because you've been very vocal about "teacher bashing" and yet you think it's totally fine to slag off concerned parents. Why is that?

Do they not deserve the same respect you do? Or as a teacher do you deserve more respect than your average person?

Do the children you teach know how judgemental you are about their parents?

Hi OP you're getting a hard time on here but I agree. I'm a teacher and social distancing is impossible. Schools are introducing policies like this just so they look like they are doing something. The thought of trying to teach with a mask on all day fills me with horror. Students will have to take the mask off the ask questions, I'll have to take mine off to be heard. It would be ridiculous and would not keep anyone safe.

I shall certainly feel happier, both as a teacher and a parent to know there are proper, scientifically guided protocols in place to protect all of us when we go back.

It will be interesting to see how many parents stick to their "I'm not sending him in till I get my own way" when they realise they are going to have to officially withdraw their kids, lose their place and have to provide more than a bit of Joe Wickes of a morning themselves once they have.

@itsgettingweird
"They also should have had some input during this time and at least directions for study and some face to face time the last 5-6 weeks of term."

If it didn't make me so made I would have fallen off my chair laughing. Are you serious? We had no face to face teaching at all for either dc (y4 and y7). Limited pdfs of twinkl worksheets uploaded to teams for y4, a bit better for y7 and she did get a pastoral 30 minutes (she has ASD) in school. They can wear full body hazmat suits as long as they get some learning. Trying to work f/t while I try and convince them to do f/t school at home has broken me, and not been fab for them either,

Just to clarify, in case there was any doubt!! I have at no point emailed the HT or anyone asking them not to vaccinate my child!!
I’ve simply emailed the HOY to ask about the compulsory wearing of a mask as I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m not the hysterical type and I actually find that quite offensive. I honestly don’t think it’s hysterical to question something which is going to impact my child for 6 hours a day when the risk of him catching Covid is less than 1%.
And @noblegiraffe it’s actually been very interesting hearing from a teachers perspective so thank you. I posted initially as soon as I got the email so was rather annoyed. I still stand by the opinion that it’s not necessary but will wait to see what they come back with (and order another load of masks!)

Teachers will listen to genuine concerns and seek to reassure parents and pupils, but seriously a parent emailing the school to tell them not to vaccinate their child

Trust it's hysterical to believe a school will vaccinate your kid without consent.

It's hysterical to think taking a temperate mimics holding a gun to their head.

Plus children have been having their temperature checked when necessary in schools for years.
I've not heard of I case where a child has suffered long term trauma from a simple temperature check.

And what do parents do when a child is ill?

I understand you think it isn’t helpful and will make things more complicated and are upset that the school hasn’t managed to stay open during a time of worldwide confusion due to a new virus which they don’t understand. You also appear to be upset that the provisions in your primary school have not been replicated in a secondary school (although the evidence suggests the risks are different, the teaching content is different and the environment is different). But you are not responsible for the health and safety of pupils and staff in your child’s school. The head is. And it sounds like he is doing the best he/she can to ensure everyone is and feels safe throughout the day and that he/she can ensure consistency of rules and expectations when in a couple of weeks the government changes the guidance again and demands everyone wear a face mask all day.
I do think YABU and putting extra stress on a system that is trying to protect you and your son to the best of their ability with no informations and ever hanging guidance and weak leadership.

@ineedaholidaynow

Teachers will listen to genuine concerns and seek to reassure parents and pupils, but seriously a parent emailing the school to tell them not to vaccinate their child

But if that is a serious concern of the parents it needs addressing and not laughing at. Whether you think it's hysterical or not, people are genuinely worried.

It's horrible that teachers are making snidey comments and laughing at parents.

@itsgettingweird

Trust it's hysterical to believe a school will vaccinate your kid without consent.

It's hysterical to think taking a temperate mimics holding a gun to their head.

Plus children have been having their temperature checked when necessary in schools for years.
I've not heard of I case where a child has suffered long term trauma from a simple temperature check.

And what do parents do when a child is ill?

If it's a genuine concern it's not hysterical. Just because you know it won't happen doesn't mean everyone does. Not everyone is as intelligent or as educated as you. It doesn't mean you can dismiss it.

It's obviously very different you doing something with your own child that it is for anyone who is not a parent or close family member doing it.

yet you think it's totally fine to slag off concerned parents

Not ‘concerned parents’ but batshit antivaxxers who liken a temperature check to pointing a gun at their child’s head. They don’t deserve any respect.

I’m sure that heads will take a deep breath and respond more diplomatically though.

@noblegiraffe

yet you think it's totally fine to slag off concerned parents

Not ‘concerned parents’ but batshit antivaxxers who liken a temperature check to pointing a gun at their child’s head. They don’t deserve any respect.

I’m sure that heads will take a deep breath and respond more diplomatically though.

No, they're concerned parents.

Just because you don't share the same views doesn't make them batshit antivaxxers at all.

All parents and children deserve respect from teachers, and vice versa.

You shouldn't be a teacher if you don't agree with that imo.

I have at no point emailed the HT or anyone asking them not to vaccinate my child!!

I know! Sorry, that’s got this thread in a bit of a muddle now. It was more of a ‘heads are having a bucket of shit poured on their heads right now, so backing off and adopting a wait and see approach would be very much appreciated’.

Obviously your email wasn’t hysterical and I get where you’re coming from.

@RoseTintedAtuin
I’m not upset they haven’t managed to stay open, clearly that wasn’t going to happen. I’m rather annoyed that they haven’t really provided any teaching at all for students in the middle of their GCSE’s whilst other schools, mine included have managed to do it for other year groups.
So maybe my annoyance/frustration is more aimed at that rather than mask wearing I don’t know.

Are you all saying that you could concentrate fully, contribute to discussions, learn new, complicated concepts all while having a mask covering your nose and mouth? All day?
I can just about do a supermarket shop before my nose is itching and sweat is pouring down my face.

OP- yanbu. I wouldn't be happy about this at all either.

But there isn’t even a vaccination they can give them. Who is telling these parents that this could happen?

Teachers have been concerned that some images the media are currently using of SD classrooms could give the wrong impression to parents, and other posters have said don’t be ridiculous parents aren’t that stupid. Don’t remember seeing any images of a teacher vaccinating a child though.

And by the way I have complained to the BBC about any images they have used that are not showing the correct position that schools will be in this term. So if they did show one of teacher brandishing a needle I would be complaining straight away.

@noblegiraffe

I’m fully aware that they will say tough luck he will have to wear one

At the end of they day, they can’t.

But as it’s the rules, he should.

I really wish that parents wouldn’t use their unhappiness at lockdown provision (which has been massively varied due to the lack of guidelines or standards) as a reason to be unsupportive in the return to school. We really need to work together and find a way forward through this mess because there are no clear answers and the head will be juggling the needs of vulnerable staff and pupils with the wants of other stakeholders.

I find your last line on this hilarious..... you seem to post daily about how unsafe schools are, how it's the parents blocking the return to school not unions, and how shit the government guidelines are and impossible to work to. Doesn't sound like you ever want to work together on anything normally so a bit hypocritical

Headteachers can’t win can they? I’m sure you’ll be one of hundreds of parental emails the Head will get, no matter what he/she does.