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.

TrustTheGeneGenie

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

Teachers are genuinely worried as well, yet the response on here is to get over it and carry on as normal (paraphrased).

I suspect that the attitude of those saying get on with it is feeding the response from teachers.

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

Obviously parents should be treated with respect in a professional scenario but MN isn’t a professional scenario.

@ineedaholidaynow

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.

It doesn't matter why they think it, they think it and their concerns should be addressed they shouldn't be laughed at!

@ihearttc it's because of parents like you that I left the profession. Firing off angry emails that are totally unreasonable. The HT is just trying to keep his/her staff and pupils safe.

I read something the other day about families in Bradford being scared to do similar re letters because a lady claiming to be a doctor posted a SM post in Urdu telling parents schools would take their kids away from them, test them and quarantine them or they were doing it to trap families to deport them.

I feel sorry for the parents that's there's complete idiotic dickheads out there who would exploit people.

It should be illegal and carry heavy fines.

@noblegiraffe

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

Obviously parents should be treated with respect in a professional scenario but MN isn’t a professional scenario.

No, it's not but let's not pretend youre a completely different person in real life.

@FrippEnos

TrustTheGeneGenie

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

Teachers are genuinely worried as well, yet the response on here is to get over it and carry on as normal (paraphrased).

I suspect that the attitude of those saying get on with it is feeding the response from teachers.

Right so not ok to tell teachers to get on with it but totally ok to have a go at concerned parents. Right.

IMO I think masks are just to keep some people happy. Really though if you are sat next to someone with Covid then a mask isn't going to stop transmission but people feel safe with them on and behave differently.
However, since cannot SD in schools due to numbers then the mask is a sticky plaster.

I'm really torn on this. I think realistically, like hospitals, schools should have everyone in a mask all the time by the nature of the environment and risk.

However, it's not fun wearing one all day (I work in hospital). Yes you do get used to it on a certain level but it is hot, sweaty, causes spots (a lot!), when you talk a lot the mask can get sucked towards your face, you instinctively talk louder which strains your voice, you don't drink enough, people with a communication impairment are really disadvantaged (1 colleague has a hearing impairment and keeps getting things wrong clinically), it's just irritating really.

I feel for teenagers dealing with this while learning. It's tough going and shouldn't be underestimated. Not sure what the answer is though.

So maybe my annoyance/frustration is more aimed at that rather than mask wearing I don’t know.

It’s probably made your response to the mask thing disproportionate to how it would have been otherwise.

for taking feedback well. Things have been a bit fraught lately.

No, it's not but let's not pretend youre a completely different person in real life.

You have literally no idea.

@Macaroni46

Honestly I’m one of the most supportive parents there is normally, I fully cooperate with all policies from the school. But surely if you don’t agree with something you should question it? It was a perfectly polite email to his HOY questioning what would happen if I didn’t give permission for him to wear a mask in class? I basically want the onus on me and not him. I’m sorry if you feel you had to leave the profession because of difficult parents but I promise you I’m not one of those.

@noblegiraffe

No, it's not but let's not pretend youre a completely different person in real life.

You have literally no idea.

I think I have an idea. I think most people on this forum have an idea.

I took ds to a big theme park yesterday.

I noticed that the parents took masks off in between rides. The kids just walked around in them seemingly unbothered.

We need to give them more credit.

I think it is crazy for anyone, (whether child at school, parent, teacher or adult at work) to be expected to wear a mask all day for 6 hours plus, at a time.
If those with asthma, etc are exempt, then it is clear, that wearing a mask impacts breathing.
Wearing them in corridors, or into shos for short periods at a time is something different.

My goodness, another post that has seen @noblegiraffe jumped on?!

@noblegiraffe I don't know what you do to these people but I really want to know your secret!

@ihearttc
It’s still not in the guidance, unless I’ve missed it the 5 times I’ve read it since Friday (which is completely possible so happy to be corrected.)
Maybe you need to re-read then as there’s a whole section on face coverings!! Plus there’s been guidance on the decision as to whether students wear them in all areas being up to Headteacher’s discretion.

@Shitfuckoh

My goodness, another post that has seen *@noblegiraffe* jumped on?!

@noblegiraffe I don't know what you do to these people but I really want to know your secret!

Haha it's pretty obvious that it's the snidey "parent bashing" comments isn't it?

It's not like she's an innocent poster politely suggesting things.

@itsgettingweird

I read something the other day about families in Bradford being scared to do similar re letters because a lady claiming to be a doctor posted a SM post in Urdu telling parents schools would take their kids away from them, test them and quarantine them or they were doing it to trap families to deport them.

I feel sorry for the parents that's there's complete idiotic dickheads out there who would exploit people.

It should be illegal and carry heavy fines.

Some parents are scared.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/fears-city-schools-take-kids-18845410

'The public health chief of Birmingham has issued a warning over fake news regarding children being taken away from parents if they test positive for coronavirus.'

All these rumours on Facebook etc. are doing nothing to help matters.
Of course, we might know there isn't a vaccination and that schools couldn't just give it (heck, we didn't get the year 9 immunisations in time because of Covid, and other secondary schools aren't setting HPV dates now because of the pandemic) but there are clearly parents who do believe the rumours.

Some parents are angry too and it is getting unpleasant out there.

Maybe Gav needs to do another announcement and quash all these unfounded rumours, some of them are really damaging

[quote ihearttc]@Macaroni46

Honestly I’m one of the most supportive parents there is normally, I fully cooperate with all policies from the school. But surely if you don’t agree with something you should question it? It was a perfectly polite email to his HOY questioning what would happen if I didn’t give permission for him to wear a mask in class? I basically want the onus on me and not him. I’m sorry if you feel you had to leave the profession because of difficult parents but I promise you I’m not one of those.[/quote]
Extreme that though to every school policy.

Every parent asking the HOY what if they don't give permission for .......

Wearing blazer unless told otherwise
Having to have own stationary or lunchtime detention
Having plain trainers for PE
No arosol sprays only roll on. Etc etc.

Secondary school kids should be discussing these things themselves with teachers. We are meant to be teaching them critical thinking and communication.

If make make decisions for them all the time they'll run into these parents who - for some reason - actually genuinely believe a school with test and quarantine their kid and remove them from the family. Or that having temperature taken is akin to having a gun held at their head.

Yesterday at the theme lark I didn't see one adult or child be affected by the temp checks on the doorway.
I'd be surprised if anything if them are traumatised for life.

Those with asthma are exempt, in the UK (not everywhere) and there have been numerous posters with chronic asthma (HCPs mainly) saying how it wasn't until Covid that they had given a second thought to wearing them. They were obviously shouted down and called liars and were subjected to the "then your asthma isn't as bad as mine" by the can't shan't won't posters. Of whom MN seems to have more than its fair share.
I may consider (as teacher and parent) complaining if masks are not mandatory in my daughter's school. What with the scientists confirming they reduce risk of transmission by 90% etc.

My dc (not UK) wear masks all day including during dance and games lessons.
It has also been over 30 degrees last week.
They have coped fine, I'm sure your dc can manage as well.
It took a couple of days to get used to it but they did.

I would be curious as to exactly why the head felt it necessary to put measures in place over and above what is required nationally. My guess is that he is privy to information that the OP is not.

Secondary school kids should be discussing these things themselves with teachers. We are meant to be teaching them critical thinking and communication

That's a joke if ever I heard one. If dss tried to speak to a teacher about why they had to wear blazers he'd just get a detention. They don't promote communication at all, the promote we say you do.