Schools

[Sybil_Fawlty]

I’m just so worried about the well-being of my kids. One in primary school and one in seniors, the eldest coped fine in lockdown but my youngest went from being bubbly and outgoing to crying constantly and saying they were so lonely. Having to work from home full time to provide for my family while trying to care for and educate from home is an absolute nightmare. That being said I don’t want to send them into a cess pit of some mutated strain of covid.
The vaccination process needs to be MASSIVELY improved. Doctors open 24 hrs, army deployed, anything to get this phooking nightmare under control. My heart breaks for my kids well being and what kind of future awaits them.

 

[BurneoFunction]

I'm surprised at how overwhelming the close schools response is. I thought more would be of the opinion that students need to be in school for education purposes and exams, as well as well-being bit it appears we all agree it's best to shut them.

I didn't mention this when I started the thread but I am teacher and I've seen plenty of colleagues' views on the matter but wanted a more non-biased view as to what the public think Vs the government Vs teachers.

 

[Blf]

Keep them closed and put the rest of the country on teir 4

 

[atypical_boro]

Schools are not safe in London..... But are safe in the rest of the country.
What same person thinks that's true?

The same people that thought the virus was spreading like wildfire in every major city in England except the capital.

 

[atypical_boro]

I don’t think I’d be sending the child to nursery, could the child catch the virus there??

Nursery children appear to be the lowest likely spreaders.

 

[atypical_boro]

I have got to declare a vested interest in this. My son is a teacher with type 1 diabetes so he is in the extremely vulnerable group.
I was worried when he was at school before Christmas but now with the new variant which is much more prevalent in children he is even more at risk
Thankfully with us being in tier 4 he will be able to shield at home... But his child will go to nursery.

My 102 year old neighbour has just been vaccinated, so hopefully she’ll live til February or March now.

Meanwhile, teachers (even those with diabetes) bottom of the queue for the vaccine!

 

[uncle_rico]

They’re going to close them nationally at some point, might as well make it now. Two weeks would give the country a bit of breathing space and try to get the infection rates down. This should have been announced before Christmas.

 

[Pog]

Are the Labour Party and Starmer actually going to support the teachers on this or is he abstaining from this discussion as well?

 

[BoroJake]

Are the Labour Party and Starmer actually going to support the teachers on this or is he abstaining from this discussion as well?

Wes streeting said starmer will have an announcement about it later today

 

[Pog]

Wes streeting said starmer will have an announcement about it later today

Better late than never I guess.

A week ago 62% of Tory voters were more in touch with Teachers than the Labour front bench.

 

[Richyboro]

It's ok, De Pfeffer has said schools are safe.

 

[jam69]

Labour have asked repeatedly to see the sage advice in relation to schools and have been refused, how people can expect Labour to take a firm position without the same access to the facts as the government i don't know .

 

[Laughing]

To a large extent Labour have been put in this situation because of government mishandling and pointed out that mishandling at every point.

They wanted a proper circuit breaker in October, it didn't come, they wanted no mixing at Christmas, it didn't come.

We are now in a position where shutting schools is inevitable when it didn't really need to be.

I would think if a vote is presented to the house, which it doesn't have to be and will be a political manouver by Johnson, starmer will whip to vote for the closure of schools because it is the right thing to do for where we are now, not because he doesn't want kids in school. Johnson will then use that as a stick to beat Labour with.

The real story here is not whether Johnson closes schools or not, with emergency covid legislation it doesn't need to go to parliament. The real story is that whilst people die Johnson was prepared to play political games in an attempt to keep the tories in power.

That is the story we should be talking about. A man who considers his own political career above the lives of those he is charged with looking after.

Every tory backbencher should be calling this out loud and clear or they are as culpable as Johnson.

 

[Pog]

Labour have asked repeatedly to see the sage advice in relation to schools and have been refused, how people can expect Labour to take a firm position without the same access to the facts as the government i don't know .

Well. That’s not true is it?

 

[Pog]

To a large extent Labour have been put in this situation because of government mishandling and pointed out that mishandling at every point.

They wanted a proper circuit breaker in October, it didn't come, they wanted no mixing at Christmas, it didn't come.

We are now in a position where shutting schools is inevitable when it didn't really need to be.

I would think if a vote is presented to the house, which it doesn't have to be and will be a political manouver by Johnson, starmer will whip to vote for the closure of schools because it is the right thing to do for where we are now, not because he doesn't want kids in school. Johnson will then use that as a stick to beat Labour with.

The real story here is not whether Johnson closes schools or not, with emergency covid legislation it doesn't need to go to parliament. The real story is that whilst people die Johnson was prepared to play political games in an attempt to keep the tories in power.

That is the story we should be talking about. A man who considers his own political career above the lives of those he is charged with looking after.

Every tory backbencher should be calling this out loud and clear or they are as culpable as Johnson.

Then why are we on the eve of kids going back to school and Starmer still hasn’t come out in support of teaching unions who’ve voiced concerns for months?

 

[Laughing]

Then why are we on the eve of kids going back to school and Starmer still hasn’t come out in support of teaching unions who’ve voiced concerns for months?

Because, as pointed out above Labour have been black balled from information and without access to that information what can he say?

I am not even sure of the position the majority of teachers have taken. I know the NEU's position and assume it's reflective of all teachers but I don't know.

Pog you don't like starmer and that's fine, perhaps you should start a thread on that and leave this thread to discuss schools rather than your perceptions of starmer?

 

[the_holgate_roof]

So if teachers have union support, would you be expecting comms to be coming out to parents from schools due to go back tomorrow????

 

[Laughing]

Holgate we have had an email from my daughters school saying they are going back on Tuesday. That may change by Tuesday, of course

 

[Norman_Conquest]

We are in for a PD tomorrow that is now being spread out over two days (Tuesday). A lot of the time will cover mass testing, asking for volunteers to test students and the training required. I would normally volunteer for something like this but are not willing to do so at the moment for several reason.

 

[Pog]

Because, as pointed out above Labour have been black balled from information and without access to that information what can he say?

I am not even sure of the position the majority of teachers have taken. I know the NEU's position and assume it's reflective of all teachers but I don't know.

Pog you don't like starmer and that's fine, perhaps you should start a thread on that and leave this thread to discuss schools rather than your perceptions of starmer?

But they have taken a position, here it is incase you missed it.