Schools closed until February? (part 3)

thomasdylan

LittleBrick wrote: »

You have made a lot of excuses, but offered no solutions. If we are frontline, and it is so vital for schools to remain open, then they need to, at the very least, have fast tracked testing for teachers. Also, you say "any more". Meaning there was, so it can be done. And it should be done.


The only reason there is no uproar is because of the begrudgery of teachers purported in the media over the last number of year. Any and all valid points mentioned by unions and teachers are ignored, and we are told to "get on with it" because, you know, our holidays.

I didn't make any excuses.

You were claiming the rest of the frontline gets loads of things they actually aren't.

There is limited rapid testing which is reserved for acutely unwell patients where it would change management and those patients who need confirmed Covid negative for a test/investigation/surgery etc.

I said there wasn't weekly testing anymore. Weekly testing in schools would involve about a million a week extra tests. Do you genuinely expect that and think it is a reasonable use of resources?

LittleBrick

thomasdylan wrote: »

I didn't make any excuses.

You were claiming the rest of the frontline gets loads of things they actually aren't.

There is limited rapid testing which is reserved for acutely unwell patients where it would change management and those patients who need confirmed Covid negative for a test/investigation/surgery etc.

I said there wasn't weekly testing anymore. Weekly testing in schools would involve about a million a week extra tests. Do you genuinely expect that and think it is a reasonable use of resources?

Weekly testing for teachers would involve a millions tests a week?

thomasdylan

LittleBrick wrote: »

Weekly testing for teachers would involve a millions tests a week?

Weekly in school testing which you want would.

I'm not sure what the point of testing teachers weekly would be. Particularly if you've decided not to test students as well. Teachers would be the only employees in the country who would be getting tested every week.

wirelessdude01

LittleBrick wrote: »

Weekly testing for teachers would involve a millions tests a week?

You actually think there are a million teachers in Ireland?

Wonder what happened the corresponding pupil:teacher ratio so.

thomasdylan

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

You actually think there are a million teachers in Ireland?

Wonder what happened the corresponding pupil:teacher ratio so.

I think you meant to reply to my comment in response to "Give us weekly in school testing like in meat plants."

I presumed they meant testing all students and teachers. I think they meant to just test teachers every week. Which is a stupidly huge waste of resources that makes no sense if you're not testing students as well.

Padraig Mor

Just dipping in so not sure if similar has been reported elsewhere, but my two kids (both primary) were sent home with all their books (which normally stay in school) just now.......school know something we don't?

wirelessdude01

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Just dipping in so not sure if similar has been reported elsewhere, but my two kids (both primary) were sent home with all their books (which normally stay in school) just now.......school know something we don't?

We know nothing. I know that I've told the sub that is covering my class at the moment that all books are to go home at midterm as a just incase.

SusanC10

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Just dipping in so not sure if similar has been reported elsewhere, but my two kids (both primary) were sent home with all their books (which normally stay in school) just now.......school know something we don't?

I'd say that the school is just getting ready just in case.
Both our Kids' Schools (Primary and Secondary) were getting the kids to test their online platforms this week and to let the schools know of any issues including lack of devices etc by today.

Padraig Mor

SusanC10 wrote: »

I'd say that the school is just getting ready just in case.
Both our Kids' Schools (Primary and Secondary) were getting the kids to test their online platforms this week and to let the schools know of any issues including lack of devices etc by today.

A friend's kid's school has done the same as well, just heard.

wirelessdude01

SusanC10 wrote: »

I'd say that the school is just getting ready just in case.
Both our Kids' Schools (Primary and Secondary) were getting the kids to test their online platforms this week and to let the schools know of any issues including lack of devices etc by today.

The bane of my life. Still have 6 parents who haven't bothered to enroll on the platform I'm using. I'm three weeks trying to get them to. Despite messages from both myself and the principal, still nothing.

irishblessing

But it's not midterm yet so why the books home now?

wirelessdude01

irishblessing wrote: »

But it's not midterm yet so why the books home now?

I'm guessing as a just in case. Another NPHET level 5 letter seems to have spooked some principals.

Newbie20

Lillyfae wrote: »

But who is saying schools are the safest place you could be? It's true that nowhere is without risk and that there are infections occurring in schools but not at a critical rate and not more than or as much as other places. It's the level of risk that needs to be looked at, in the context of every other aspect of society.

Ah here. You asked what did teachers expect and I told you what I and a lot of others did. Now you’re on about the level of risk in the context of every other aspect of society, whatever the hell that means. I told you that most teachers want to be in school. Ill leave you at it.

wirelessdude01

School in Gorey with 14 cases, 11 students and 3 staff.

That's a hell of a lot of doorbells being pressed, towels being touched and spoons being licked ehh Leo? Nothing to see here, move on.

TheValeyard

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

School in Gorey with 14 cases, 11 students and 3 staff.

That's a hell of a lot of doorbells being pressed, towels being touched and spoons being licked ehh Leo? Nothing to see here, move on.

I'd say they were all in the same pub. Or didnt pay 9euro for chips n stuff. It's the only explanation. Schools are magical virus proof grounds.

TheValeyard

irishblessing wrote: »

But it's not midterm yet so why the books home now?

Last time they got three hours notice. Think preparations are underway for Plan B.

BonsaiKitten

irishblessing wrote: »

But it's not midterm yet so why the books home now?

Just gets the books home and presumably they'll work in copies/ mini whiteboards etc next week. I know myself I'll be doing a minimum amount of book work next week anyway, kids are wrecked.

treade1

Why are the kids wrecked?

wirelessdude01

What about the primary school in Athlone where the parents were sent a message yesterday asking that all pupils be collected at midday today as all school staff were going to Mullingar for a Covid screening. Assume that means a test.

Surely if they all had to be tested then the school should have been immediately shut.

Something very strange going on.

Icyseanfitz

Has anyone heard anything from our unions on level 5 with schools open as normal? Forsa are silent, bloody joke

wirelessdude01

treade1 wrote: »

Why are the kids wrecked?

Kids and staff are always wrecked coming up to midterm. There is a reason why schools have a break every 6-8 weeks.

BonsaiKitten

treade1 wrote: »

Why are the kids wrecked?

They're always shattered coming up to breaks. Staff are as well

solerina

SusanC10 wrote: »

If the Government do follow NPHETs advice and move the entire Country to Level 5 for 6 weeks with Schools to remain open, are Teachers willing to stay teaching and are Parents willing to send their Kids in ?

We had decided that if the Country (or our County) went to Level 5, that we would keep the Kids at home.

I am a PP teacher, I have vulnerable family members but yes I am willing to go to school at level 5.....it’s just so much easier than going back to online teaching - it’s also far less time consuming if I am being honest !!

Open the Pubs

Pretty obvious now schools are open as a chilminding facility for parents working from home . Which is why they will remain open under level 5. And yet rural pubs with a handful of customers can't even open at Level 3.

solerina

average_runner wrote: »

Yeah still happy to send the kids in. There is no issue with schools when looking at the percentage of cases etc

The percentage of cases is a pack of lies so don’t base your decisions on this fact alone.

khalessi

Lillyfae wrote: »

But who is saying schools are the safest place you could be? It's true that nowhere is without risk and that there are infections occurring in schools but not at a critical rate and not more than or as much as other places. It's the level of risk that needs to be looked at, in the context of every other aspect of society.

Who? Well let's see, Norma the Enya of Education, Nphet, Steo schools controlled houses uncontrolled Dept of Health, Philip Nolan as children only have 3 other contacts when they play, HSE over the last few months. You only have to watch a NPHET briefing and they will mention how safe schools are.

And it is easy to say infections are not a critical rate when you don't test for them. All the teachers here and some parents will know of cases where a childr sitting beside another child all day and one becomes covid +ve and the other isnt considered a close contact. We know of teachers who hacve had one or more students with covid in class who werent told or were subsequently told they were not considered a close contact. The rules for close contact is different in schools as has been said here a few times by a lot of people.

No place is going to be 100% safe but transparency and honesty about what is actually going on would be nice.

jimmytwotimes 2013

I don't want the schools closing. If everywhere goes Level 5 then schools will be safer than they currently are as community transmission will be reduced.

The only thing I want to see is counties emerge from Level 5 as their individual numbers merit it. Country-wide Level 5 makes no sense if certain areas doing better than others.

Open the Pubs

The whole lockdown level 5 is only happening again because our ICU capacity can't handle much. If the HSE was fit for purpose this would not be happening. Instead it is a black hole for money where tens of billions go in annually and service gets worse.

When you look at Germany and how they're handling the pandemic, it puts us to shame. We should just let the Germans run this country, we aren't fit to govern ourselves.

smck321

Open the Pubs wrote: »

Pretty obvious now schools are open as a chilminding facility for parents working from home . Which is why they will remain open under level 5. And yet rural pubs with a handful of customers can't even open at Level 3.

To be fair I wouldnt be to happy if at level 3 pubs acted as childminding services though.

jrosen

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

School in Gorey with 14 cases, 11 students and 3 staff.

That's a hell of a lot of doorbells being pressed, towels being touched and spoons being licked ehh Leo? Nothing to see here, move on.

Hasnt the spike in cases in Gorey been linked to a recent GAA event?