Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

Millem

Tpcl20 wrote: »

Josepha Madigan took down the repost of Ciara Kelly's article.

That's the second time she's had to remove a very incendiary article she obviously hadn't read. Remember she shared another awful piece back before Christmas and had to take that down as well, can anyone recall what it was.

She's a live wire. By which I mean she's absolutely shocking, will probably end up killing people and should be permanently grounded.

I don’t have Twitter but saw her tweet on voice for teachers “the strong and vocal get their way, yet again”. I have to laugh. Ciara Kelly was very vocal re predicted grades last year when her own daughter was in 6th year!

I can’t understand how Josepha got a Ministerial post after “swing gate”.

Herself and Norma have made a huge mess of it all.

DSN

[quote="Bana I stood there in the classroom and it must have been because I had nothing else to do but look, but for the first time since going back it dawned on me how changed everything had become. I was staring at these children. In masks. I almost burst into tears - not because I was sad, but just because of the emotional tension I've been carrying this whole time.

Made me think ... I know people are struggling mentally with it all now, but I wonder what we're all going to be like when we are out the other side and we actually have the time to stop and process it all.[/quote]

I agree, feeling same re emotional tension. I was out for a run other morn & DS school bus passed (it's a local link so still running) & not a soul on it & I burst into tears. Wtf was that about!!!
Agree MM statement the w/e ambiguous vague & sending media n everyone into a spin not helping everyone's head right now.

C__MC

Huge smell of last spring off this, schooling could be pushed out to September me thinks

jimmytwotimes 2013

C__MC wrote: »

Huge smell of last spring off this, schooling could be pushed out to September me thinks

Be careful, you'll be accused of a Freudian slip in a minute

JDD

i expect we will be under 1000 cases this day next week.

By then the drop in cases will probably get slower, but I expect we will be at 2-300 cases per day by the end of February.

So MM said that most schoolchildren won't be back at school until St Patricks Day/close to Easter (depending on what newspaper you read).

I understand that special schools and special education classes in mainstream schools will be the first to go back, but I expect that to be at some point in February.

What does "most" schoolchildren mean? Does it simply mean special education first, and then everything else in one go between 17 March and 1 April? Or does it mean primary schools will open before secondary schools, with primary schools opening before 17 March?

What are everyone's thoughts?

Theboinkmaster

JDD wrote: »

i expect we will be under 1000 cases this day next week.

By then the drop in cases will probably get slower, but I expect we will be at 2-300 cases per day by the end of February.

So MM said that most schoolchildren won't be back at school until St Patricks Day/close to Easter (depending on what newspaper you read).

I understand that special schools and special education classes in mainstream schools will be the first to go back, but I expect that to be at some point in February.

What does "most" schoolchildren mean? Does it simply mean special education first, and then everything else in one go between 17 March and 1 April? Or does it mean primary schools will open before secondary schools, with primary schools opening before 17 March?

What are everyone's thoughts?

I agree - I think we'll be down to 500 or so daily cases by 22 Feb and contact tracing resumed.

I see no reason why special needs and primary school children can't go back then. Then LC students 2 weeks later and then rest of secondary after Patrick's day.

But now the unions have control of the situation - they have us to ransom completely. Sure they could say they don't feel safe until there's less than 50 cases a day and remain off until September and there's nothing we can do about it.

If the government were smart they'd vaccinate all the teachers in 2 weeks and be done with it - game over (once frontline and care homes done).

jimmytwotimes 2013

JDD wrote: »

What are everyone's thoughts?

We're all in the dark.

Some info from government would be nice. I know there's a cabinet meeting early this week so hopefully something from that.

Wud be nice if they told us are their decisions being guided by overall cases, ICU numbers, re-establishing contact tracing or have new varients made a full return impossible unless vaccinated.

We all have the same questions, be nice if they trusted us to be able to absorb the information.

wirelessdude01

C__MC wrote: »

Huge smell of last spring off this, schooling could be pushed out to September me thinks

You keep pushing this agenda. STOP with the unnecessary scaremongering.

Smacruairi

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

If the government were smart they'd vaccinate all the teachers in 2 weeks and be done with it - game over (once frontline and care homes done).

What game? Why is it game over? You're talking very flippantly about vaccinating people in the middle of a pandemic...

JP100

JDD wrote: »

i expect we will be under 1000 cases this day next week.

By then the drop in cases will probably get slower, but I expect we will be at 2-300 cases per day by the end of February.

So MM said that most schoolchildren won't be back at school until St Patricks Day/close to Easter (depending on what newspaper you read).

I understand that special schools and special education classes in mainstream schools will be the first to go back, but I expect that to be at some point in February.

What does "most" schoolchildren mean? Does it simply mean special education first, and then everything else in one go between 17 March and 1 April? Or does it mean primary schools will open before secondary schools, with primary schools opening before 17 March?

What are everyone's thoughts?

My thoughts are that folk should stop obsessing over daily case numbers as a true barometer of when schools should go back and especially now when close contacts are not all been tested. A far better barometer would be to look at positivity rates. Focus on significantly reducing that and you will get schools open in a much safer way.

Theboinkmaster

Smacruairi wrote: »

What game? Why is it game over? You're talking very flippantly about vaccinating people in the middle of a pandemic...

The discussion around schools returning and resistance from unions.

If teachers are vaccinated it's game over - get back to school.

Mrsmum

JDD wrote: »

i expect we will be under 1000 cases this day next week.

By then the drop in cases will probably get slower, but I expect we will be at 2-300 cases per day by the end of February.

So MM said that most schoolchildren won't be back at school until St Patricks Day/close to Easter (depending on what newspaper you read).

I understand that special schools and special education classes in mainstream schools will be the first to go back, but I expect that to be at some point in February.

What does "most" schoolchildren mean? Does it simply mean special education first, and then everything else in one go between 17 March and 1 April? Or does it mean primary schools will open before secondary schools, with primary schools opening before 17 March?

What are everyone's thoughts?

If there is no span new information, it is difficult to see why the aim is not for all back after the midterm.

C__MC

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

You keep pushing this agenda. STOP with the unnecessary scaremongering.

Apologies but mm didn't instil me with much confidence last Saturday, I'd love to be back next monday btw

Theboinkmaster

C__MC wrote: »

Apologies but mm didn't instil me with much confidence last Saturday, I'd love to be back next monday btw

you should tell your union.

Murple

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

you should tell your union.

I’d love to be back next Monday as well. I’d also love to eat out with friends (even meet up with them and hug them when I see them), go to the cinema, make plans to go on a shopping trip to a place 20km from my house, book a weekend away... just because I’d love to do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or the right thing to do at the moment.

average_runner

Murple wrote: »

I’d love to be back next Monday as well. I’d also love to eat out with friends (even meet up with them and hug them when I see them), go to the cinema, make plans to go on a shopping trip to a place 20km from my house, book a weekend away... just because I’d love to do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or the right thing to do at the moment.

A weekend away without the kids sounds like heaven.

wirelessdude01

Murple wrote: »

I’d love to be back next Monday as well. I’d also love to eat out with friends (even meet up with them and hug them when I see them), go to the cinema, make plans to go on a shopping trip to a place 20km from my house, book a weekend away... just because I’d love to do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or the right thing to do at the moment.

I'd love to be back training our savage group of young men to another county championship.

TTLF

Murple wrote: »

I’d love to be back next Monday as well. I’d also love to eat out with friends (even meet up with them and hug them when I see them), go to the cinema, make plans to go on a shopping trip to a place 20km from my house, book a weekend away... just because I’d love to do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or the right thing to do at the moment.

I'd love to have a life again :pac::D

Smacruairi

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

The discussion around schools returning and resistance from unions.

If teachers are vaccinated it's game over - get back to school.

Resistance to going back to unsafe environments is perfectly understandable. Same reason why everything non essential is shut down, people are confined to essential travel, fined for going more than 5kms from their house etc.

It's not a game man. It's public health.

average_runner

TTLF wrote: »

I'd love to have a life again :pac::D

I love to be on a Dublin bus at 7.15 in the morning on a wet day:D




Oh wait!!

Wombatman

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

If teachers are vaccinated it's game over - get back to school.

Teachers aren't the only people who work in schools. Students doing school work are the biggest group.

SusanC10

Personally, I now think that they will make an effort to have Special/Additional Needs back at some point in February / early March.
Then LC Students.
Then JC (if going ahead but I feel it may be cancelled).
Those may get back before Easter.
Then everyone else after Easter.

Paddy's Day is too close to the Easter Break to bring everyone back between the 2.
Only 7 School Days.

But it all depends on Numbers (especially in Hospital and ICU), the Variants, the Vaccine Rollout etc

We are not testing any close contacts right now so we don't know the true numbers. Hopefully they will get that back up and running soon.

Just my opinion though. I am not a Teacher or a Doctor. Just a Parent.

Galwayhurl

C__MC wrote: »

Huge smell of last spring off this, schooling could be pushed out to September me thinks

Ah I doubt it. I'd say March is realistic. The decreasing numbers due to this lockdown and warming temperatures, not to mention the mental health of parents trying to home-school and work at the same time means there will be a limit. March is doable I'd say.

TTLF

average_runner wrote: »

I love to be on a Dublin bus at 7.15 in the morning on a wet day:D




Oh wait!!

I will agree I do enjoy the later mornings, and not having to go brace the elements a lot.

Very funny love it :D

Icyseanfitz

I think daily numbers are pretty damn irrelevant at the moment tbh, we need to start contact tracing and testing close contacts again, we also need to get some concrete data on these new strains and how much more dangerous they are if at all, and we need to get hospital numbers down.

TTLF

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

I think daily numbers are pretty damn irrelevant at the moment tbh, we need to start contact tracing and testing close contacts again, we also need to get some concrete data on these new strains and how much more dangerous they are if at all, and we need to get hospital numbers down.

Yeah, as much as March is doable, which it certainly is, we can't just let everyone back ASAP even if we want to. This isn't September, new strains have their new issues, contact tracing might only get back by Mid-February and ICU is still in a time-lag. Patience is needed for this stuff, we'll get back when we do.

Can't wait for the announcement for 6th yrs to return and everyone in 6th yr throws a riot claiming its still not safe. I see that plan going into shambles again... :rolleyes:

Stateofyou

average_runner wrote: »

A weekend away without the kids sounds like heaven.

I'd even take a weekend away with the kids at this point! :pac:

People asking why MM isn't explaining himself and it seems things/messaging has changed from the government as regards to schools reopening and longer lockdowns - my thoughts are is that he/they are privy to the stats coming from the new UK strain, as well as data from school transmissions there especially sn schools. And now that it's becoming the dominant strain here they realise we need to be much further ahead in the vaccinations first. But there's now a delay in production right? So they literally have no good news for us, hence the holding back to prevent mutiny and mental health spirals.

Maybe trying to buy some time until more concrete data can be released and more vaccines secured.

Theboinkmaster

Wombatman wrote: »

Teachers aren't the only people who work in schools. Students doing school work are the biggest group.

Children < 18 are in the lowest risk age group hence why vaccinated last.

If they or parents feel not safe to go in, they don't have to - they can stay at home.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

The discussion around schools returning and resistance from unions.

If teachers are vaccinated it's game over - get back to school.

U funny. U seem to think we want this online nonsense

Theboinkmaster

Smacruairi wrote: »

Resistance to going back to unsafe environments is perfectly understandable. Same reason why everything non essential is shut down, people are confined to essential travel, fined for going more than 5kms from their house etc.

It's not a game man. It's public health.

When in February cases are < 500 per day and contact tracing is back up I don't see the schools as unsafe.

I never said it was a game and you know that, I simply used the phrase in the context of the "game" being played out in public between the unions and the government.