School closures: Thousands of women have just had their double shift doubled

[Carefulvulvadriver]

What should the feminist response to the above be? Yes yes, of course fathers should do their share of the home school and childcare, but we know many dont and wont, and that still leaves a problem for single mothers like me.
This afternoon the government has announced that 100s of primary schools across the country will not reopen as planned in January. I suspect many more will be added to the list over the next week or so.
We know that will leave 1000s of women once again having to juggle work, childcare and home school. They will feel the stress and hit to their mental health of trying to do that. They will miss out on promotions, pay rises and opportunities as a result. They will have to cancel study plans. Many will work until 3am each morning as the only chance they will have to work will be after the kids have gone to bed. And as ever, it will be the poorest women who will be the worst hit, as will their kids. Some men will suffer from this too, but it will disproportionately hit women.

How should feminists respond? Surely this IS a feminist issue - it's about how social policy and our economic way of life has not been designed with women in mind. The woman stuff - the looking after children and educating them - is somehow to be tagged on as an after thought; the work and time to be magic-ed out of thin air, as it's only the man stuff that counts or is important.

In my view we should be demanding paid parenting leave, funded by the government. I think we should also be putting pressure on the government to confirm it will run "catch up" schools in the summer holidays for the kids who have missed out on education (there will be a problem getting the staffing, although I wonder if TAs might be available as I know that in some cases they are on zero hour contracts and so not paid in the holidays).

What else? Any one got any ideas? And what if we dont get it? Will we just do what so many of us did back in spring (me included) and just suck it up? I love my job, I'm lucky that it's really fulfilling, but isnt it time we refused to do the impossible?

Hi, the petition my friends and I set up on this has been reviewed and fine-tuned by the Parliament petition people (they have strict character limits and the wording needs to be specific about what is being calling for). I have posted the link to it on the below board (apparently we cant share direct links here)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/4128560-School-closures-Review-options-to-monitor-and-mitigate-inequalities-of-impact?watched=1

Please sign! I tried to keep the policy proposals as open as possible (ie ask for a debate rather than particular solutions) because when it comes to sex equality there doesnt seem an easy answer, which is why I think close and transparent monitoring of the impact is really important.

Not much thought has also been given to the effect of Long Covid on women. I have Long Covid and have had to take a long time off from work and I’m now working reduced hours. I was asked if I want to start increasing my hours, but don’t feel that I can as I’m having to be very careful with how much energy I use. If I work more hours then I’ll have less energy to be able to support my DC, make dinner etc. Men generally only have to think about themselves.

TUC (I know ) survey: Balancing work & care during lockdown

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2021WorkingParents

Just pasting the text of the petition to get this debated in Parliament to try and bump

School closures - Review options to monitor and mitigate inequalities of impact

The Government should consider options for monitoring and ameliorating inequalities stemming from school closures. This should include consideration of the impact on children from deprived households as well as the impact on sex equality of parents taking on home schooling responsibilities.

This petition does not dispute the necessity of school closures, but asks the Government to consider what additional action and resources are needed to mitigate the effects on parents and children, particularly mothers and children from deprived households. We believe it is only through a combination of additional resources and commitments to closely and transparently monitor the impact that we can avoid the further deepening of social inequalities

Direct link to the petition is via this thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/4128560-School-closures-Review-options-to-monitor-and-mitigate-inequalities-of-impact

It would be good if the Govt would at the same time look at the impact of the pension age changes to women who have by default become the ones picking up the pieces even though they now have to work till they drop or support children and other vulnerable family members. In the past at least they would have had the benefit of a pension, now if they work, they can’t support. However this thread and the petition are really important, and what is being said is horrendous about the effects on women and children. It sounds from news reports this week that many women are now having to ask for schools to accept their children as vulnerable or key workers as no one can cope any more. No hope for lockdown success then.

It’s ok ladies! The bbc has solved the problem - we all just need to lean in more:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55834823

Not conducting work meetings from the labour ward? You’re just not trying hard enough.

I also particularly like the quote from the bloke who basically says that the great thing about women with children is they have no time to do anything other than be compliant productive employees, as opposed to maybe overturn this crap.