Schools

[billybassett]

The truth is that 3 (THREE) people under 19 without serious underlying comorbidity have died from Covid 19 in England.

There is no reason why kids should not be in formal education, particularly when there are so many community centres, libraries, exhibition centres, government offices and church halls going unused to provide social distancing.

My political credo has always been about the art of the possible. This government hasn't even tried to deal with this situation. They have prioritised the reopening of Primark, McDonalds and Wetherspoons above the education of children. There will be a generation of kids who will never catch up, there will be many who will be abused and exploited without the ability to tell a teacher they trust. I cannot be part of that.

I know it's ridiculous.

And as baggy1 says 166 excess deaths u45...

Yet little Tanya and Timmy will be allowed on the fun fair this week, as well as in a Primani queue, a beach or a supermarket

[Shabby Russian]

The truth is that 3 (THREE) people under 19 without serious underlying comorbidity have died from Covid 19 in England.

There is no reason why kids should not be in formal education, particularly when there are so many community centres, libraries, exhibition centres, government offices and church halls going unused to provide social distancing.

My political credo has always been about the art of the possible. This government hasn't even tried to deal with this situation. They have prioritised the reopening of Primark, McDonalds and Wetherspoons above the education of children. There will be a generation of kids who will never catch up, there will be many who will be abused and exploited without the ability to tell a teacher they trust. I cannot be part of that.

The problem with this idea is that it isn't only space that is preventing schools from re-opening.

The biggest restriction for primary schools will be the number of teachers available. 

As the headmaster of my local school told us he currently has more classrooms than teachers. If the Govt is going to insist on maximum class sizes of 15 pupils than most primary schools will need close to double the current number of teachers they currently have, in order to allow all primary school pupils to return full time.

That's probably not going to be possible to get done for September let alone next week. And even if it was logistically possible, could the Government afford it ? 

The Govt could get round this by dropping all social distancing rules for schools, but good luck on explaining to teachers, parents and the wider public, why there should be stricter guidelines for shops etc, than there is for schools.

The other option is to drop all social distancing guidelines/rules throughout the country. Well that's at least a coherent strategy, but it's a big call and not one that the scientists currently advising the Govt would accept. Which means in short that if the Govt got it wrong and there was a second wave of infections, they would be clearly responsible. You have to ask the question how big are their balls?

[Derek Hardballs]

Are you going to rejoin Prof now the government are trying to blame Labour? Same old tactics by the worst government in living memory.

[Protheroe]

Are you going to rejoin Prof now the government are trying to blame Labour? Same old tactics by the worst government in living memory.

I blame the government for being bullied by the unions. I blame unions for attempting to terrify their members and parents using the government's line.

The government cannot and should not guarantee absolute safety in any walk of life. We are all being softened up to be compliant - whether it's keeping 2m apart, being told to wear face coverings on public transport, only using card payments to wean us off cash (and invite negative interest rates and bail ins). Also woe betide the first footballer who refuses to talk the knee.

We're living through horribly illiberal times. The government and the outposts of the left in the media and academia are taking advantage.

Non conformists of the world unite - the authoritarians from left and right are on the march, this country is about to get a whole lot shittier.

[Ossian]

As it happens I get to hear feedback from a local school who would tell you that input from their union has been the main reason for them being able to move to at least limited re-opening and online interaction with pupils still at home. Quite different from the experience when attempting to seek clarifications from the DfE.

I could well understand the reluctance of any union to take a constructive approach with a government who would be likely to drive a coach and horses through any concessions and then spin themselves out of responsibility for the consequences.

[baggy1]

Are you going to rejoin Prof now the government are trying to blame Labour? Same old tactics by the worst government in living memory.

I blame the government for being bullied by the unions. I blame unions for attempting to terrify their members and parents using the government's line.

The government cannot and should not guarantee absolute safety in any walk of life. We are all being softened up to be compliant - whether it's keeping 2m apart, being told to wear face coverings on public transport, only using card payments to wean us off cash (and invite negative interest rates and bail ins). Also woe betide the first footballer who refuses to talk the knee.

We're living through horribly illiberal times. The government and the outposts of the left in the media and academia are taking advantage.

Non conformists of the world unite - the authoritarians from left and right are on the march, this country is about to get a whole lot shittier.

You mean you blame unions without really looking into what they have said. Unions are asking for classrooms to be cleaned (instead of the teachers cleaning them themselves), those with underlying health conditions not to be asked to go back in, and proper PPE for the teachers. Hardly orchestrating flying pickets and marching on Westminster is it.

Blame the opposition, blame the Unions, just don't accept responsibility and do something themselves - pathetic leadership.

Like I said yesterday Tesco can arrange for protection for their employees, the government could do the same but its a bit like hard work. You were instrumental in bringing this shower of shite into power, stand up and shine a light on their shortcomings, don't keep blaming others.

[Shabby Russian]

This blame the unions narrative doesn't really fit with the timeline of what happened.

The Govt in May set out their roadmap of how to get schools back open, There was always the intention that it was going to include some sort of social distancing provision. It was clear that the Govt didn't expect secondary schools to go back in any meaningful way before the summer holidays.

Implicit in the Govt's intention was that there would be smaller class sizes, plus some sort of distancing between different classes. Once you understand that, there could never be a full time return of children to primary school.

What slightly irks me is that people come on and say the shops are open why can't the schools open. Well the schools are open and have been throughout the lockdown, as have some shops. But here is the key point, shops can only open if they follow social distancing protocols. That's what leads to queues outside, as shops can only have so many customers inside their shop at anytime.

There seems to be a view amongst some of the public, that schools should open with less social distancing provision than shops etc. If I was a teacher and I paid union fees, I would want them to fight to get me the same protections as workers in other employment sectors. The unions in my view are clearly not to blame, the Govt is for muddled thinking, incompetence and a lack of any knowledge of the education system.

And to conclude at my local primary school, my observation is that there is very little militancy amongst the teaching staff, previous teachers strikes have been ignored. The headmaster has made it clear that in following the guidelines that the Govt have given school he does not have the staff resources to bring back our current year 6 children.

[Ossian]

This is from the head teacher of a local secondary school, and is pretty much verbatim: Our local union people have been brilliant, "working their bollocks off" (that is a direct quote), travelling around schools in the area, picking up examples of best practice and passing them on, advising on cleaning (as Baggy1 mentions above), risk assessments for students and staff with health issues... a whole raft of things.

The same school has made its own stock of PPE and passed on any surpluses to other frontline workers in the area. As, incidentally, have many other local schools.

[Derek Hardballs]

Blame everyone else it’s all they have left.

[PeakBaggie]

The problem appears to be a lack of capability, the government, teachers, health chiefs and local authorities are pointing to what is needed
but no one appears to be making things happen ..

Social distancing is a problem, but space is all around if you look for it, we hardly have to build and equipment the equivalent of nightingale
hospitals, just tables and chairs in church halls, community centres and many other local settings but it needs the will and planning to make
it happen. Some parents are reluctant, but who can blame them given how hopeless and leaderless the entire shambles of a process this
has been.  

All parties seem to have a reason why it cant happen, perhaps a change of mindset is needed. Thanks goodness ambulance crews, nurses
and doctors didn't wait for someone to turn up and show them how to adapt despite all the obstacles and dangers.