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A "concerned retired teacher and grandparent" is arguing that schools gates should stay shut to contain the virus.
Colin Lever had this to say...
"I hear with increasing concern the Education Department's rhetoric regarding opening schools on Monday.
While this is a complex issue and ingrained with statistics and emotion in equal part, I do have to point to the situation that the focus on children become infected is less of a problem than is their capacity to act as vectors, something which STAC have consistently failed to mention.
Even Boris Johnson has said as much in his address to the nation this week.
We now know that covid-19 is spread when large groups gather, when there is poor hygiene and when appropriate PPE is not worn. Most school groups do not do any of these.
That is not being critical of the sterling job colleagues are doing; it is human nature where children are concerned. This puts all school staff in danger of direct infection.
Testing is fine but it is a 'one-off' check that only has value if all are checked regularly, at least once a week. Is this likely to happen?
It would ease the situation if this were undertaken and if staff were vaccinated as a matter of urgency. They ARE key workers.
Allowing schools to re-open until this has been rolled out is asking for trouble.
The abandonment of exams in the UK will take the pressure off senior pupils so there is no longer the same urgency to get them back into class.
For the sake of a couple of weeks, I would urge unions and others to lobby the department to show some common sense."
