Good morning. Ministers and teaching unions should “stop squabbling and agree a plan” for the reopening of schools in England, the children’s commissioner for England has said. Anne Longfield said schools needed to reopen “as quickly as possible” because many disadvantaged pupils were losing out as a result of schools being closed for so long. Teachers’ leaders met the government’s scientific advisers on Friday, but no agreement was reached on how to open schools safely.
EXACTLY 30 years ago today... 177 deaths at the Public Inquiry years later.... as you were...just following the science. Of course the children of Politicians don't go to the schools where the 'other' kids go, what was it they call them oh yes the 'Blob' and 'Plant Pots'.
You forgot to turn on comments in the guardian live blog today
Really troubling headline here that echoes the right-wing press. Look at her Twitter. She’s EQUALLY talking about infection in schools AS WELL AS the need for talks & action towards ‘struggling’ schools being re-opened due to underfunding. A bit of context wouldn’t hurt here.
The Government should have had a viable plan & an agreement with all parties before they opened their mouth's about school's reopening. But of course that would take an ounce of common sense & forward thinking. Neither of which this shower of gobshites have..
Like everyone they just want clear guidance...at the min it's vague and virtually impossible to implement. My nephew's school would need 24 classrooms to house 3 classes...they 19 classrooms and not enough teachers.
I'm no expert but I wouldn't be dismissing the concerns raised by the BMA & the clear regional differences on infection rates. Thankfully, I don't have to make the difficult decision on whether to return mine to school-they are all grown but one is an early yrs practitioner 1/
This isn't squabbling, this is two different view points, and at the moment health has to come first. Also being ignored is the fact that not all children live in 'walking distance', and may have to use public transport, which at the moment is contrary to government advice.
Can’t we follow Scotland and have our school holiday sooner? Opening Aug? Re jig the holidays next year? Ah teachers don’t get paid over the summer. We’ll pay them! We are paying everyone else! Just give everyone more time!
'The British Medical Association has backed teachers' unions by saying Covid-19 infection rates are too high for England's schools to reopen.' Government is trying to speed up economic recovery, the teachers are trying to safeguard the health of children and school staff.
It isn't a squabble, to call it such is patronising and dismissive. It's life and death. A children's commissioner should think about the impact on kids of having to sit alone, play on their own in demarcated areas, eat alone, work without others and worry about catching Covid.
IndiaKillingYouth_IOK TeamISPOfficial
Asking for reassurance that one is not going to become infected, and taking it back to one's family, is not squabbling.
Kids are at virtually no risk from covid, but high risk from educational deprivation or domestic abuse. Teachers also at minimal risk unless in risk group. Will teachers refuse to teach in winter because of flu, vomitting bugs, etc?
‘Squabbling’ ? How condescending & disrespectful ...
Interesting they keep using the disadvantaged line: They couldn't give a stuff about them for the last decade and it was by and large their own policies and cut after cut that caused the disadvantage in the first place
Unions are following the science..
If Public Schools and State school go back thats fine, but guess what Public school arent going back !
Nobody is squabbling. The unions are asking for scientific evidence that children and families will be safe and aren’t being given any...can’t think why?
She's government appointed and going against the advice of doctors