How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

Why is the govt so obsessive about keeping schools open? Dozens of kids crammed in small rooms and moving from room to room for every subject? Half of the kids not wearing any face coverings. And all kids not following social distancing and not taking any special care about what they touch etc. Is there any sense in this?? How did the policy makers become so illogical and insensitive?

Blondini wrote: »

Yep.
No matter what anybody says, this has nothing to do with children missing out on education.
It's all about childcare.

I thought the same until I went back to school. And I’m horrified by the damage that has been done to my students education. They have regressed so far it’s scary. Particularly those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds or those where they don’t speak English in the home. Their concentration levels are extremely poor and they are also extremely unfit.

I don’t say this to make light of the dangers of school. It’s terrifying how little social distancing is actually realistic. The measures are tokenistic at best. But we have to do everything possible to keep school open.

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

I actually agree with both you and Blondini, and i strongly believe with a little elbow grease and hard ****ing work on the governments side we could have opened schools in a half in half out capacity with remote learning filling the outside of school part. At least for post primary students, there is so much that could have been done to open schools, get kids back into education, and do it in a safe and measured way, i find it absolutely abhorrent the way it has actually been done.

Fair point. Blended learning would be a good compromise.

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

I actually agree with both you and Blondini, and i strongly believe with a little elbow grease and hard ****ing work on the governments side we could have opened schools in a half in half out capacity with remote learning filling the outside of school part. At least for post primary students, there is so much that could have been done to open schools, get kids back into education, and do it in a safe and measured way, i find it absolutely abhorrent the way it has actually been done.

Just spoke with one of my friends back in Belgium - where they reopened the school widely more or less the same than here, at the same time. According to her, who knows people working with one of our national virologists and Covid-19 spokesperson, situation is such that they are considering going to distance learning / schools presence only a couple of days a week at least in post-primary. She expects it to come within 10 days...

Blondini wrote: »

Exactly, if that angry little boy JJ had contextualised what I said, it was that from the perspective of government it's all about childcare. Of course as a veteran educator I understand the importance of education!

Why am I not surprised to learn that you are a veteran educator?

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

At present , between staggered opening / closing , staggered breaks / “ bubbles “ for extra support and constant hand washing on arriving in the morning / before and after eating , leaving the classroom, before and after breaks , before and after PE. before home time , how much time in a class of 30 is actually spent on the curriculum?

I calculated that I'm losing approximately 1hr 20mins per day in my classroom.

Saw a twitter post from a secondary teacher who said in her experience that she is losing approximately 20-25mins per class between wiping keyboard, logging into and out of equipment and walking to/from different classrooms. Biggest issue being IT problems with older equipment taking longer to log into at the start of each lesson.

FishOnABike wrote: »

A parent and their teenage student. A parent who was referred for testing, sent their teenager to school, while the parent was waiting for the result and after the parent receiving a positive result. The teenager engaged in high risk behaviour, shared food and utensils with a number of friends all who now have been referred for testing as close contacts. All now isolating, waiting for testing + results.

I wonder is that parent open to being sued if it resulted in another kid getting it or resulted in long term illness or death for a victim of their negligence? Probably not but in such blatant cases of negligence I would be looking into it if it was me.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, our kids are due back in school next week but one of the teacher's domestic helpers has tested positive. That teacher is in quarantine after being tested. If she is positive the entire school will close and do online classes only for two weeks.

Will Yam wrote: »

Well said.

I don’t agree with tthe view that schools should be open to act as glorified babysitters.

Schools should be open because educating our kids is absolutely vital for all sorts of reasons.

In the same way it is vital that hospitals should be open (for obvious reasons).

But there are some on here who, for whatever reason, don’t want the schools open and will delight triumphantly if the day comes when they all have to close.

Ridiculous to suggest people will be delighted if schools close. Any educated person just knows that it is inevitable. And they know that the reopening was a PR exercise by the government. Still amazes me that they have primary schools open with full classes, all day, and no masks for kids. Truly laughable and shows complete ignorance/incompetence as to how the virus spreads.

Smacruairi wrote: »

Are hospitals open? Last time I checked, they weren't open to visitors, except under exceptional circumstances. People having surgeries cancelled, partners still being asked to limit hours on arrival of newborn etc.

How does that square with the necessity of cspe to be taught live?

Of course visitors aren’t allowed in a hospital. I’m not allowed into local school if I pick up the kids there.

Quite rightly so too.

Balagan1 wrote: »

And the wet pubs in the country (outside of Dublin) are all opening on Monday. What do they expect to happen as a result of that?

The Healey Raes will make money

irishblessing wrote: »

Men are fathers who are an indispensable support to their partners who are having tests and giving birth, not mere visitors. No, it's not quite right.

Or having a partner in hospital with a serious illness and not being able to comfort them or be at their side, not quite right either!