Would / will you send kids back to nursery / school?

Savvy_Sue

Vikipollard said:

Out of curiosity, why do teachers not use PPE - at the very least, clear visors?  Other workplaces have this as mandatory, so this is a genuine question.

Because they've been told not to, that masks shouldn't be worn when F2F teaching, that they're not necessary because children - especially primary age - don't transmit the virus, and that if all the children are sitting nicely the way the government's latest apology for an education secretary thinks they should be then there is no or very limited risk.

Never mind that staff are teaching in woolly hats, gloves and scarves because all the windows have to be open. Never mind that secondary age children are mostly teenagers, whose genetic code is programmed not to conform at that age. Never mind that primary age children's most frequent bubble is one of snot or other bodily fluid. Schools are Safe, because Boris thinks they should be, and it's inconvenient to have them closed, and it would mean losing face to admit they're not.

If staff make suggestions about how the situation could be improved, perhaps by a mix of online and F2F teaching  enabling smaller numbers in school, head teachers are saying no, because the government is saying no.

Did you hear about the head teachers and local authorities who wanted to end term a day early, so that no child would have to self-isolate on Christmas Day because of a school acquired infection? Threatened with court action. 

No, I am not a teacher, and I don't have school age children, and I'd have hated having mine at home, and I'm not playing the 'whose job is more dangerous or difficult atm', but right now I don't think schools are safe.

But then, nor do I believe that education only happens in schools, nor that what's taught in schools covers the most important things children need to learn, nor that exams are the best / only way of assessing achievements, so what would I know?

strawb_shortcake

In our secondary school everyone has to wear masks at all times unless they are outside (not sure about PE lessons) and sanitise their hands before and during every lesson. There are the normal exemptions from mask wearing but very few don't wear them. That said we did have quite a high number of cases following the October half term and on one day 17 teachers were out all covid related. 
Due to our location school buses are essential, I have been driving my children in but there is no mask wearing or social distancing at the bus stops. But older children still meet in groups at the park, and I saw a group of 5 Mum's from the primary school out walking today, all very close and no masks worn, the teachers really are overly exposed.

Morrigan_2020

My friends who are teachers have been wearing masks and visors, and the kids are all wearing masks. 

Savvy_Sue

I'm glad to hear that sanity may be prevailing in at least some schools. My friend who's a TA in a secondary school says masks are worn when on the move, but not necessarily within classrooms. Plus I watched the first of the RI Christmas lectures: children were watching remotely, many of them clearly sat in school classrooms, I don't recall many masks.

Are teachers really wearing masks when they speak in class?

Vikipollard

This might all be moot anyway depending on Boris's announcement at 2000hrs.  Perhaps schools should only open to children whose the parents are out working.  Based on tier 4 measures, that should mean the majority of children at home, as that's only essential shops/manufacturing.  Slightly more than "key workers" but certainly not at capacity.

I do take exception with this though Savvy Sue:
"Never mind that staff are teaching in woolly hats, gloves and scarves because all the windows have to be open. Never mind that secondary age children are mostly teenagers, whose genetic code is programmed not to conform at that age."
The same applies to everyone - we are encouraged to have the windows open.  In January.  It is not teaching-specific, so whilst I empathise, it's no different to the experience of others.
Your comment about secondary age children largely echoes what I said in an earlier post - and that also will not change by them being out of school.  I do, however, agree that secondary school teachers are at a disadvantage in that they teach multiple changing classes, where primary may not do the same.  

Glad to see others posting that their schools' teachers are wearing masks - and even that some have students wearing them.

Savvy_Sue

Vikipollard said:

I do take exception with this though Savvy Sue:
"Never mind that staff are teaching in woolly hats, gloves and scarves because all the windows have to be open. Never mind that secondary age children are mostly teenagers, whose genetic code is programmed not to conform at that age."
The same applies to everyone - we are encouraged to have the windows open.  In January.  It is not teaching-specific, so whilst I empathise, it's no different to the experience of others.

Well, in our offices we do not have 30+ people in each room (max 3), and we open windows at the start of the day and at intervals through the day, but not all day every day. If I was stuck in a room with 30+ people I'd WANT the windows open, and to wear a mask. 

And I accept that in many schools there may only be 15 pupils per room, to enable distancing, and yes I'd want the windows open. I haven't yet heard what Our Great Leader has said, but I really do think education has been ill-thought out, if thought of at all. 

Kit1

Savvy_Sue said:

Well, in our offices we do not have 30+ people in each room (max 3), and we open windows at the start of the day and at intervals through the day, but not all day every day. If I was stuck in a room with 30+ people I'd WANT the windows open, and to wear a mask. 

And I accept that in many schools there may only be 15 pupils per room, to enable distancing, and yes I'd want the windows open. I haven't yet heard what Our Great Leader has said, but I really do think education has been ill-thought out, if thought of at all. 

I don't think many offices have 30+ members of staff sitting shoulder to shoulder in a freezing office being coughed and sneezed over daily.  I do wonder how many people have been in a classroom lately or can even remember when they were at school?  Classrooms are small and there is only enough room for everyone to be crammed in and even then you have to ask the children to move in so you can get round the classroom.  Social distancing does not exist as there just isn't the room and in a reception class of 30 four year olds it is impossible because they need so much help.
Every time l hear our great leader say "Schools are safe".  I ask myself what exactly does he mean? 
Does anyone have any idea what he means? I really would love to know how everyone thinks schools are doing this and better still how the virus know not to infect children or enter a school.  So fare every mention of schools rotates around the children but they are not the only ones inside the building but the staff just get an ear bashing for stopping them getting an education.  I wonder how they coped in the wars but l guess it is best not to go there.

Staff are now allowed to wear masks - full stop.  Even those who were shielding, but they and they alone can wear visors.  Masks scare the children and they can't see your face/mouth is the usual reason given and anyway we don't need them is another.

All through this school staff have been blamed for everything but they are doing their best and following the guidance they have been given (usually to just get on with it).Why is it schools fault a child can't use cutlery or are no longer toilet trained?  These are things that should be taught at home by a loving parent who works alongside the school or am l wrong?

maman

No, you're not wrong Kit but sadly teacher bashing is a favourite pastime on mse. Often the comments are based on ignorance and/or misunderstandings. It's over 30 years since days were set aside to  accommodate staff training but there are still those  that think they're extra holidays.  It's generally at its strongest when parents want to take children out of school for term time holidays but that's not been able to happen this year. 

At the weekend, teachers threatened to close schools for face to face teaching to most pupils because they were unsafe. This was largely procedural because teachers (like any workers) can only take action against employers for specific reasons like Health and Safety and other working conditions. It's not possible to take action just because government policy is illogical and doomed to fail. 

Teachers have been making constructive suggestions  for months (9 months) to try to keep schools open to all and  be compliant with a Covid safe environment as exists in other work places but it's fallen on deaf ears. For at least a month they have been advising that the new strain of the virus was hitting schools hard especially in London and the South East.   The government response was to threaten legal action against schools that wanted to close a day early to allow a quarantine period before the Christmas free for all.  At the weekend, every media outlet from  newspapers to television, radio and Twitter were awash with  discussions about the  impending need to close schools. 

I don't know how Boris Johnson had the bare faced cheek to come on television last night and imply that he had  just learned overnight, maybe even  in a few hours during yesterday,  that schools needed to be closed to most pupils. He treats the electorate like idiots. It's as if  by repeating some simple slogan like 'Schools are Safe' enough times makes it true. So much chaos could have been avoided if he'd listen to experienced people rather than the sycophants around him. 

Resurrect

https://youtu.be/M5BLdEAgW9s