Should kids be sent back to school?

[Beso]

I've heard they have more chance of being run down than catching corona at school.

And that the lessons missed will be more harmful to them than catching covid.

[Smithy]

The Conservative party conference which was due in October has been cancelled because it was deemed not safe.

So no I don’t think schools should be returning either.

[Marsh.]

Why are people so preoccupied with the statistics of car accidents that have absolutely nothing to do with covid?

[Nicky91]

I've heard they have more chance of being run down than catching corona at school.

And that the lessons missed will be more harmful to them than catching covid.

no, since they could give it to those who are more vulnerable

[Denver]

You can't keep giving people their predicted grades for ever and the deaths from Covid are very low right now, i also don't see the point in protecting the age group who are the less at risk over the ones who are most at risk

[Kazanne]

I've heard they have more chance of being run down than catching corona at school.

And that the lessons missed will be more harmful to them than catching covid.

Imo, yes, mine will be going ,and have been going, it's not good for them to lose education for so long, we know some families are worried about their elderly relatives, but weighing it all up ,children are the future and need education ,people just need to be careful and do whatever they can to keep vulnerable people as safe as possible ,children never were stopped from schooling during the pandemic of Hong Kong Flu and even before that, when a pandemic hit, we have to move forward.

[Nicky91]

You can't keep giving people their predicted grades for ever and the deaths from Covid are very low right now, i also don't see the point in protecting the age group who are the less at risk over the ones who are most at risk

by keeping children at home, you protect elderly too

[Denver]

by keeping children at home, you protect elderly too

Not really you don't, they can't put 20 kids in a classroom but xan let thousands go to the beach all huddled up

[Captain.Remy]

Some of the parents that don't want their kids back at school are the same that are going to crowded beaches/places but still blame the government for opening schools. I can't.

[Nicky91]

Not really you don't, they can't put 20 kids in a classroom but xan let thousands go to the beach all huddled up

any evidence?

[Marsh.]

Some of the parents that don't want their kids back at school are the same that are going to crowded beaches/places but still blame the government for opening schools. I can't.

Are they?

[user104658]

Thus far everywhere that has had kids return to school haven't encountered anything that has made it seem like the wrong choice. It's constantly under review but all of the evidence - thus far - is that there isn't a huge risk (to kids OR to their families). It becomes a bit of a "grey area" for the later high-school/college years as at 16+, while still at low risk, they are basically adults and starting to edge out of the "very low risk" category.

It seems like the larger risk is staff rooms / adult staff members infecting each other, but that's something that could be further mitigated with stricter "staff distancing" from each other.

Really I just don't think there's much option. The social and psychological effect for kids of schools being off indefinitely, and the economic implications, at this point massively outweigh Covid concerns.

You can't keep giving people their predicted grades for ever and the deaths from Covid are very low right now

The thing is as well, if exam-age kids take the first half of this year off there won't even BE predicted grades to go off of... there will be no realistic or reliable ability to assess them at all. The results crisis next summer would make this year look like nothing to worry about.

[Nicky91]

covid deaths are now low, but they will go rise a lot again, by winter

[Captain.Remy]

Are they?

Yes.

[bots]

yes, i think they should go back, but after seeing the rises in infection in france, spain and italy, i'm revising my thoughts on another country wide lockdown come the autumn/winter. I now think it's almost inevitable

[Denver]

yes, i think they should go back, but after seeing the rises in infection in france, spain and italy, i'm revising my thoughts on another country wide lockdown come the autumn/winter. I now think it's almost inevitable

Not a chance in hell does this country go back into lockdown

[user104658]

Not a chance in hell does this country go back into lockdown

I don't think any country will do another full lockdown. The economic effect of the first one is known now, and frankly, if they had seen these numbers back in early 2020 I don't think any European country would have done full lockdown even once. Heavy restrictions on social gatherings, yes, but not the extent we had. "The Swedish Model" probably.

[joeysteele]

I'm not a parent so have canvassed my own family on this one.
Although it's not just children returning to school,it's cleaners, caretakers and teachers too.
So for me risks must be increased.

Of my family with children,very few will be sending their children to school initially.
Not scientific, however I'll go with them

My worry is now with the sick and elderly not shielded now and possibly having to go to shops.
The older children in Stores etc.
Will they be made to wear facecoverings as that is exposing the vulnerable to increased dangers.
Since children are not likely in the main to even show symptoms, yet can infect others.

If I was a parent, no, my children would not, yet anyway, be returning to indoor classrooms.
Not a chance.

[AnnieK]

I will be sending my son back but will have to distance again from my dad. I need to prioritise both of them and keep dad safe but my son has struggled during lockdown....he is an only one and needs some peer contact now plus education is hugely important. I will need to trade off a little as we have followed lockdown to the letter to protect my dad but now my son has to have some normailty.

Plus it is mandatory to send them in and I don't want a fine :laugh:

[Liam-]

The Conservative party conference which was due in October has been cancelled because it was deemed not safe.

So no I don’t think schools should be returning either.

!!

[Crimson Dynamo]

of course. fear mongering is ridiculous

[Nicky91]

of course. fear mongering is ridiculous

letting all those children take all those covid bacteria from schools and transmitting onto elderly :umm2:


nope let them stay away from schools for a while longer

[Marsh.]

Yes.

Evidence?

[smudgie]

It has to happen at some point.

[Captain.Remy]

Evidence?

Social media, discussions, the news, talking to some parents (I actually had an argument with two of them last saturday at a friends party about it) etc etc You can check Facebook too, it's full of hypocrits.
Again, SOME of them, not all of them thankfully.

[Nicky91]

Social media, discussions, the news, talking to some parents (I actually had an argument with two of them last saturday at a friends party about it) etc etc You can check Facebook too, it's full of hypocrits.
Again, SOME of them, not all of them thankfully.

i can back you up on that one, my mom knows all about that too, got unfriended by some who she knows for many years, and bc they are those ''viruswaanzin'' supporters, anti-coronameasures they unfriended her because we believe in what they call as ''fake news''

[Cherie]

Social media, discussions, the news, talking to some parents (I actually had an argument with two of them last saturday at a friends party about it) etc etc You can check Facebook too, it's full of hypocrits.
Again, SOME of them, not all of them thankfully.

I agree with you, it suits some parents not to have to get up 5 days a week to deliver their kids to school but are happy enough gadding around and letting them meet other friends etc...

[Cherie]

i can back you up on that one, my mom knows all about that too, got unfriended by some who she knows for many years, and bc they are those ''viruswaanzin'' supporters, anti-coronameasures they unfriended her because we believe in what they call as ''fake news''

meh they were never real friend in the first place in that case

[Glenn.]

The Conservative party conference which was due in October has been cancelled because it was deemed not safe.

So no I don’t think schools should be returning either.

Says it all really

[Captain.Remy]

I agree with you, it suits some parents not to have to get up 5 days a week to deliver their kids to school but are happy enough gadding around and letting them meet other friends etc...

The two parents I got into with were both in Spain last week on crowded beaches (they even showed pictures of them and their kids at the beach) but think Macron is putting kids in danger by not delaying the time kids will go back to school (September 1st in France) because "it's not safe".
They really did the most by going to amusement parks etc....but are scared of school. I just couldn't deal with it.
And it's just one example. I'm glad some journalists here are calling them out on their bullsh!t.

[bots]

i think it is something that has to be tried, but if it forces the already rising infection rate even higher, it won't take long for parents to say nope, not having this. I think they need to come up with something that allows kids to socially interact safely but allows online education too. This one rule for all is unlikely to work out well

[Tom4784]

If children must go back to school, then they should consider doing what many office based workplaces are doing and only have kids in school part time. Have certain years in one day, while the others are given a day's workload to do at home and then vice versa.

[Ammi]

...yeah, I do think that schools should go back to ‘normality’...but for the up and coming future it should be adapted also to a new normality that the world is adapting to...and risk assessments and safety etc is of huge importance and consideration ....it’s so important to the government that schools do return ...(..as it is to school staff plus most parents, I would say..)...and yet so far, the Department of Education have stayed with their ‘no mask in school stance...in England anyway...so if the government want it to happen, they have to look at how it will be more enabled to happen and help it to happen for parents and staff to feel more safety in their environment...I mean, for any potential reluctant parents...it’s the individual schools who have to reassure them that all safety measures are in place for their child/children...and the government have rightfully put in place a ‘wearing mask’ policy indoors...which makes it difficult in its contradiction for schools to reassure all safety measures possible are being implemented etc...while saying, no...no face masks allowed, sorry...

[AnnieK]

There is a high school not too far away from me that announced at the beginning of the month they were going to make face coverings mandatory for all staff and pupils. Will be interesting to see how they get on with it and if there are local spikes after schools return if they get any cases.

https://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/18594854.face-masks-compulsory-holmes-chapel-students-staff-september/

[Ammi]

There is a high school not too far away from me that announced at the beginning of the month they were going to make face coverings mandatory for all staff and pupils. Will be interesting to see how they get on with it and if there are local spikes after schools return if they get any cases.

https://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/18594854.face-masks-compulsory-holmes-chapel-students-staff-september/

...yeah, there are a few high schools, I think...and Boris is hopefully going to be looking at it for primary schools as well...which really does need to happen...?...both for more safety within the schools and to reassure any reluctant parents...I have to say, though...in our own parent poll for return phases at the beginning of June...?...it was 100% YES PLEASE, we thought you’d never ask...:laugh:...we worried that the children might be thrown over the fence...

[user104658]

My daughter's teacher is wearing a face covering so I think teachers are definitely allowed to up here (not sure if mandatory or optional) - has the guidance on that changed in England at all? I know they were thought to be a "barrier to learning" or some nonsense like that at one point. Though my daughter is final year of primary school now so maybe it's different in the "little kid" classes?