Schools closed until February? (part 3)

JP100

smck321 wrote: »

Where I am the kids were never brought in of the streets. They were allowed to play outside the whole summer. Demonising schools over looks the rest of society where these things have happened the entire time.

And those 6 hours per day is the only education or socialisation some kids get. It would take a lot to over rule that.

You adapt to the situation you have now not to what was happening ove the summer when we had much much lower numbers and didn't have out of control community transmission back then. The kids should get their socialisation in a safe as possible environment but that ain't happening at the moment.

Loafing Oaf

khalessi wrote: »

They are trying to use Jedi mindtricks... Theres nothing to see here, these are not the schools you are looking for lol.

combat14

Indo: Cabinet agrees ban on household visits from Thursday night - except on compassionate grounds and essential reasons

but visit hundreds from other households allowed in school all day long

Mrsmum

combat14 wrote: »

Indo: Cabinet agrees ban on household visits from Thursday night - except on compassionate grounds and essential reasons

but visit hundreds from other households allowed in school all day long

No household mixing will make schools much safer.

irishblessing

Czech schools are moving to remote learning (again), as well as Moscow. France is apparently on the cusp of announcing it. Italy is spiking again hitting its highest daily spike ever, meanwhile I see the pope meets with a packed Vatican today-wtf! Masks required indoors and outdoors. Belgium announced it's hospitals are about 4 weeks away from being overrun. Poland says it's hospitals are currently in danger of being overrun saying they "are on the brink of disaster." Calls there from top immunologist to close schools. Northern Ireland now has a two week school closure. Germany is debating whether or not to extend Christmas & new year break "to stop contagion among children." They had more than 5,000 cases in 24 hours. Good god.

khalessi

irishblessing wrote: »

Czech schools are moving to remote learning (again), as well as Moscow. France is apparently on the cusp of announcing it. Italy is spiking again hitting its highest daily spike ever, meanwhile I see the pope meets with a packed Vatican today-wtf! Masks required indoors and outdoors. Belgium announced it's hospitals are about 4 weeks away from being overrun. Poland says it's hospitals are currently in danger of being overrun saying they "are on the brink of disaster." Calls there from top immunologist to close schools. Northern Ireland now has a two week school closure. Germany is debating whether or not to extend Christmas & new year break "to stop contagion among children." They had more than 5,000 cases in 24 hours. Good god.

I wonder will the HSE stop reading European reports if they close the schools in Europe as you say. Cant have the bubble broken

smck321

JP100 wrote: »

You adapt to the situation you have now not to what was happening ove the summer when we had much much lower numbers and didn't have out of control community transmission back then. The kids should get their socialisation in a safe as possible environment but that ain't happening at the moment.

It's a question of which is more valuable to society? Education or pubs and restaurants etc.

My main worry is those asking for schools to be closed now will be the ones complaining about the effects in a few years. There would be a cause and effect to this and if anything has been shown in this pandemic it's how unaware people can be of the effects of their viewpoints.

tom1ie

smck321 wrote: »

People are still visiting each others houses, my neighbours had a birthday party last week, across the street had a few friends over the same weekend. People stand outside shops talking.

Not everyone obeys the rules perfectly and that's how the virus spreads.

So how is it not spreading in schools as people talking to each other and people sitting inside for a prolonged Time occurs daily within schools.

mvl

thomas 123 wrote: »

Reading what teachers are saying it looks like the hse (or whomever is responsible) is downplaying cases and intentionally withholding information(surprise surprise).

This should be called as it is: censorship.
Just reminded me that I have seen an article from US showing what happens in high schools over there (article is dated august): https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/north-paulding-high-school-suspensions-for-hallway-photos
- Bare in mind that picture is very similar to the wave of students getting out of my daughters secondary school here: where they've 1200 students, getting out same time, majority would wear no masks: its like coming out from a gig tbh.

combat14

no visits to gardens allowed either..

MelbourneMan

khalessi wrote: »

I agree with you that the chain of transmission has many links but the government are blatantly ignoring the role of schools. They are trying to use Jedi mindtricks... Theres nothing to see here, these are not the schools you are looking for lol.

Schools definitely have a role in transmission, it has been found to be so in other countries and in various studies. Just be honest and do something about it.

They are doing something about it. Closing down other elements of community transmission in order to preserve active schoolgoing.

cant26

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

Question for the primary teachers on here: what's the story with dressing up for Halloween in your schools?

A friend of mine said that the principal isn't allowing it in their school due to Coronavirus restrictions. We are dressing up at mine. I can't see why we shouldn't dress up this year but am just curious about whether other schools have said no to it.

Not a teacher but got a message on Aladdin today to say that the kids can dress up but no masks or accessories. Also told kids can bring one small treat for a party as kids won’t be able to bring treats to share amongst each other as they normally would.

Teacher2020

I am delighted with this decision. It is getting frustrating listening to children tell me stories of playdates, parties and sleepovers. Children generally are getting it outside of school and bringing it into school. Not socialising will give schools a better chance of staying open safely. If school is a priority for people then they may start acting like it is a priority.

beggars_bush

Coneygree wrote: »

Yet visits to beer gardens are allowed!

Where?

khalessi

MelbourneMan wrote: »

They are doing something about it. Closing down other elements of community transmission in order to preserve active schoolgoing.

Not enough

They need to do proper tracking and tracing.
They need to properly declare people close contacts in the same way they do in other sectors.
WHO recommends masks for primary students, definitely needed for senior students.

JP100

smck321 wrote: »

It's a question of which is more valuable to society? Education or pubs and restaurants etc.

My main worry is those asking for schools to be closed now will be the ones complaining about the effects in a few years. There would be a cause and effect to this and if anything has been shown in this pandemic it's how unaware people can be of the effects of their viewpoints.

Why are you constantly assuming that anybody who has concerns about what is happening in schools automatically want schools closed? I personally do not want schools closed. What I do want is schooling to take place in a much safer environment than what it is currently operating. Just listen to any the folk on here at the coal face of it all as to the litany of examples of the shoddiness and inconsistencies which schools are currently operating under.

s1ippy

Norma foley was "inundated" with people begging for the schools not to be closed for two weeks.

I don't accept that this was the only view she was petitioned with.

Would you prefer the regular midterm, two weeks or one week off and one week of blended learning?

NIMAN

Would 2 weeks make any difference?
Don't think it would.

alentejo

No. I would rather the normal single mid term.

Children need social interaction plus learning.

eviltwin

If we could be sure it would do any good then yeah but it won’t make a difference

s1ippy

She finally realises she could do with a hand.

Panga

I would prefer it if measures were taken to make schools safer. Reduce the numbers of students in class groups. Follow the ECDC guidelines which say that anyone in the classroom is a close contact of a positive case. End the secrecy around cases in schools. Treat parents, students and school staff with the respect they deserve.

If the DoE, the HSE and the government are unwilling to do the above then yes schools should be closed.

Rrrrrr2

No because they’ll never reopen them like last time. We were far too slow to come out of lockdown and the extended closures have proven hugely damaging to children’s education.
Teachers don’t appear to show any flexibility or eagerness to get back to the job they’re paid to do so keep them open

s1ippy

Panga wrote: »

I would prefer it if measures were taken to make schools safer. Reduce the numbers of students in class groups. Follow the ECDC guidelines which say that anyone in the classroom is a close contact of a positive case. End the secrecy around cases in schools. Treat parents, students and school staff with the respect they deserve.

If the DoE, the HSE and the government are unwilling to do the above then yes schools should be closed.

"other" I guess. You're right, but unfortunately I fear that's probably asking too much of the incompetent pricks whose remit that is.

Rrrrrr2 wrote: »

No because they’ll never reopen them like last time. We were far too slow to come out of lockdown and the extended closures have proven hugely damaging to children’s education.
Teachers don’t appear to show any flexibility or eagerness to get back to the job they’re paid to do so keep them open

They've been back for a month and a half now.

byhookorbycrook

Panga wrote: »

I would prefer it if measures were taken to make schools safer. Reduce the numbers of students in class groups. Follow the ECDC guidelines which say that anyone in the classroom is a close contact of a positive case. End the secrecy around cases in schools. Treat parents, students and school staff with the respect they deserve.

If the DoE, the HSE and the government are unwilling to do the above then yes schools should be closed.

That's that, then! I agree , by the way. But with proper enforcement and supporting measures in the community.

Purplewaters

tom1ie wrote: »

Have you tried this yourself with a 5 and 8 year old? Whilst on conference calls, answering emails and directing people on site? With nothing but a ream of paper from the school you’ve had to print off?
I wouldn’t mind doing it if there were some short videos or something to help the children.

No I just help 29 kids at the same time instead.

Rrrrrr2

NIMAN wrote: »

Would 2 weeks make any difference?
Don't think it would.

It wouldn’t. And once shuttered they wouldn’t open again until next spring or later. We see how hard it was to re open them in September

Purplewaters

MelbourneMan wrote: »

I hope the following elucidates :

Community transfer occurs wherever there is interraction of people. Whether that is in a school, shop, office, factory, public house, or whatever is rather incidental to determining the action to take. In each case, the importance and societal and economic impact put on each of these elements is the predominant influence on the decision making process guiding corrective action.

It is curious that the general population seems fixated on the locus of transmission. It is perhaps motivated and indicative of conscious or unconsious bias in the discussion by interested parties in preserving continuity in their own sector rather than a true analysis. But it is largely an irrelevant discussion, and misses the point.

In short, the where is, not quite, but almost by the way, in the determining of the restrictions to apply.

Community transmission comes from somewhere thay the government can't ve bothered tracing back to. They blamed restautants without actually having evidence of it causing any spike yet they use the same evidence to say that they know community transmission is not schools? How?

byhookorbycrook

Rrrrrr2 wrote: »

No because they’ll never reopen them like last time. We were far too slow to come out of lockdown and the extended closures have proven hugely damaging to children’s education.
Teachers don’t appear to show any flexibility or eagerness to get back to the job they’re paid to do so keep them open

You do realize schools have been fully reopened since late August?and you'd rather people die so you can " punish" teachers?What about SNAs, school secretaries/caretakers/cleaners? Vunerable children and parents/extended family members?

Teacher2020

Just midterm as normal. From working in my school for the last 7 weeks, I really don't think that schools are the problem. We have had 2 cases of COVID in that time and they came from outside the school. They didn't infect anyone else in the school. I'm so committed to keeping schools open. I haven't seen anyone except my husband and parents in law in the past 7 weeks. I've cancelled my gym membership, haven't been to dinner etc. We all have to make sacrifices if keeping schools open is a priority.