This story by Stephen Castle appeared in the New York Times:
LONDON — When pupils return to Southend High School For Boys next week, the cafeteria will serve takeout food only and lunch will be eaten outside. Lessons will stretch to two-and-a-half hours to reduce the need to switch classrooms. And new equipment has been bought to spray the sports changing rooms with disinfectant.
“By and large, we are pretty ready to roll,” said Robin Bevan, the school’s head teacher, or principal, as he prepared to welcome 1,300 young people to a building about 40 miles east of London, constructed around a century ago without social distancing in mind.
But there is only so much anyone can do.
“The question, ‘Will schools be safe?’ is a slightly crazy question because nothing in life is safe,” said Mr. Bevan. “The real question is, ‘How far have you reduced the risk?’”
Britain is at a critical moment in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as millions of pupils return to the classrooms, many for the first time since March, when the country went into lockdown.
The resumption of schooling will be crucial for young people who have fallen behind in their studies, and the government hopes it will spur economic recovery by allowing parents to return to work in deserted town and city centers.
But the move also risks a new spike in infections, as young people and teachers mix together. And overseeing the process is an existential political test for the embattled education secretary, Gavin Williamson, who presided over the chaotic awarding of examination results this summer.
“It’s a very, very, difficult situation where you are genuinely trying to balance the needs of a younger generation with the health needs of society,” said Becky Francis, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, a research institute.
Few deny that children need to be back in school and that those from poorer backgrounds with inadequate internet access or none at all have suffered the most, deepening the country’s socio-economic divide. Policymakers worry about the psychological impact on children of the lockdown and, in some cases, their increased exposure to domestic abuse.
“There is a great deal of good will from schools, the majority of parents and most kids, keen to get back” Ms. Francis said, adding that, without a return, there is a risk of “seeing a generation of children blighted by the knock-on effects of Covid.”
Even during the lockdown schools remained open to children of essential workers and those deemed vulnerable. But not too many parents took advantage of it, and a government plan to get all younger pupils in England back before the summer break fell apart.
This time, there is cautious optimism that, despite nervousness among some parents, most children will attend, as they have done in Scotland, where schools reopened earlier in the month.
But the relationship between the government and teachers is fraught. In June, Prime Minister Boris Johnson attacked “left-wing” trade unions, accusing them of obstructing a return to the classroom.
For their part, teachers’ leaders accuse the government of serial incompetence. Repeatedly, they say, they have pointed out practical concerns, been brushed aside, then proved right.
Studies suggest that children are less susceptible to Covid-19 than adults. But there is a bigger risk to teachers and to the families of pupils who may unwittingly carry the virus, particularly people with existing medical conditions.
At Mr. Bevan’s school, pupils will sit facing forward, with groups of students kept together in “bubbles” and staggered start and finishing times for lessons. But in schools for younger children or those with special needs, that is not practical. So head teachers have had to do their best.
“At a time when the government has been dithering, what local school leaders have done is work out a pragmatic solution in their setting,” Mr. Bevan said.
It is a message echoed by Jules White, organizer of a campaign for more resources for schools and called WorthLess?
“Schools are well prepared, we do know how to follow guidance, but there are a lot of factors. If you have 30 children in a classroom, the idea that you can always have two-meter distancing — well, that isn’t going to happen,” said Mr. White, who is head teacher of Tanbridge House School in West Sussex, in the south of England.
“You can mitigate risk by having desks forward facing, having separate equipment,” Mr. White added. “The job of teachers and head teachers is to make people feel safe.”
At his school, two cleaners will work during the school day, rather than after it, to improve hygiene around the clock. Hand sanitizer has been bought at a cost of £3,500, about $4,500, and drama, sports and other extracurricular activities have been put on hold.
But Covid-19, he added, is “a multi-headed monster,” he said. “You hit one thing and another comes up.”
I am surprised that the reporter did not include the findings on Britain’s “mini term” .
“I was surprised by how low the numbers were, to be honest,” said Emily Oster, a professor of economics at Brown University, who analyzed the report. “I thought they would be higher.”
U.K. schools saw infection rates of 0.02 percent among staff members and 0.008 percent among students.
The data, collected by the country’s public health agency, comes from reports from nurseries, preschools, elementary schools and secondary schools that reopened for a “mini” summer term in June after the country’s spring shutdowns.
Pretty big N size and a lot of the infections did not come from the school but from outside of the school. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/26/health-202-british-schools-reopened-with-little-covid-19-spread-new-data-show/
“An average of 843,430 students and 519,590 staff members were at school facilities each day, according to the report. During the entire month, schools reported 70 cases among students — but 30 of those students didn’t seem to have acquired the virus at school, and none of the children were hospitalized for treatment of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Out of 128 staff cases, one of the staffers was hospitalized and required intensive care. Thirty-seven of those cases weren’t linked to a school, including a single case resulting in the death of a secondary school teacher who had acquired the virus from a household member.”
Well ….
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-in-babies-and-children
Kids do get sick from Covid-19. Some have died … here in the U.S. Maybe it’s different in Great Britain.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/11/health/covid-19-children-cases-rising-wellness/index.html
And this: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52003804
and always with the US and Covid19, comparing this country to any other
feels so much like the apples and oranges thing
Good afternoon Diane and everyone,
At my husband’s school, teachers will move and students will stay in 1 classroom most of the day. At my school kids will move from classroom to classroom like they always have. AND there will be NO staggered bells between classes. That means when the bell rings to switch classes, ALL students will be in the hallways and expected to maintain 6 feet (you can probably hear me laughing!). That means hundreds of kids in the hallways at one time. In both of our schools, students will NOT change for gym class and there will be NO lockers of any kind assigned to students. That means they take their backpacks with them all day. Some schools in my area are sending kids home BEFORE lunch so they don’t have to deal with kids taking masks off and eating. I think that’s a smart idea – IF there are any smart ideas at this point!
I haven’t eaten in a restaurant in 6 months. I might as well. In a few weeks, between my husband and I, we’ll be exposed to hundreds of people so what will it matter anymore?
Hello Diane,
Sorry to post this here but I do not know how to contact you for stories that might interest you and your audience – of which I am so happy to be part of. I respect this young activist for her great work! This happened in the town I live in – and I am honored to have been asked to run and proud to be against injustice – this has turned into an international story –
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/ec-dems-luciano-di-gregorio-condemn-mayor-kranjacs-move-demand-payment-teen-organizer-peaceful-anti-racism-protest/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/black-lives-matter-rally-nj-teen-emily-gil-billed-police-overtime-englewood-cliffs/
So far our local school opening has gone okay. It’s kind of a raw deal for kids because a lot of what they enjoy about school has been sacrificed, but they are in school which is better for them than out of school.
I fear this generation of young people are going to be very angry when they realize what a poor job we’ve done of running this country. They’re right too- we did a lousy job and they’re paying the price.
I had a safe school to go to when I was their age, because the adults who ran things made sure I did. These kids weren’t that lucky- they got irresponsible, greedy and feckless adults who can’t run anything, let alone a country.
Every place is opening amid uncertainty. At least the British appear to be making accommodations including additional disinfecting during the school day. School districts in North Florida are giving students a choice of in person, remote or virtual instruction. However, they do not have modifications for in personal instruction during the school day. Students are moving in the halls, not teachers, and some of the school districts are making wearing masks optional.