Concerned Labour county councillors have this week raised concerns over Government plans to reopen schools to some pupils from the 1st June.

Labour leader Azhar Ali has written to LCC Chief Executive Angie Ridgewell to ask that the authority takes a position on what tests need to be met for schools to reopen safely.

The County Council has so far said that the decision as to whether to reopen schools lies with the Governing Bodies or Academy Trusts and has not given a public position statement on whether it agrees with the Government decision to ask schools to reopen for some pupils. Labour councillors are urging that LCC listen to education union’s concerns and support schools to delay further opening until the National Education Unions five tests are met. The letter also raises concerns about the readiness of testing and tracing plans, and the viability of enforcing strict enough social distancing in a school setting.

Cllr Lizzi Collinge is one of the councillors concerned at the Government plans.

She told QLocal: “As the mum of a six-year-old in Year One, I know many parents have been wrestling with the decision about whether to send their kids back to school. It’s a very personal decision based on your own family’s situation and the benefits of education and the risks of not being in school are clear.

"For me though, I can’t send my child back to school if I don’t know that the school are able to keep staff and pupils reasonably safe. Six-year-olds simply can’t keep their distance or follow strict hygiene or at least mine can’t!

"I am really concerned that staff and the wider community would be at significant risk from schools opening to more pupils. Of course, some pupils need to be in school either because their parents are key workers or they would disproportionately suffer from missing school and I support schools to serve those children.

"I just don’t trust the Government to get everything in place to enable wider reopening.”

Added Cllr Ali: “Of course as a parent I want my kids to go back but I will not be sending them back until safety in schools for teachers, staff and kids can be guaranteed.

"Teachers have been contacting worried out of their minds about their real fears that social distancing can not be maintained and therefore we could end up with a second wave of Covid-19. I have no faith in the governments promises around testing as you only need to look at the chaos around care homes.

"Lancashire County Council should be clearer in its guidance and also make clear whether head teachers and school governors would be liable to legal action if someone got infected or worse."

Shadow Cabinet member for Schools Cllr Jenny Mein commented: "I agree with the British Medical Association that it is not safe to send school kids back yet. We have to listen to the experts and reduce the risks."

The government says it’s fine to send your young children back to school.
The British Medical Association say it isn’t.
Hmmm, I think I’ll take the professionals advice.
Tories are quite literally making it up as they go along. I’d trust this shower of sh*te as far as I can throw them. They’re putting the economy first, over peoples lives.

As far as I am aware it was the Chairman of the BMA who gave this advice and wasn't the 'official' line from the BMA itself.
Even if it were this would be a case of one union advising another union to defy the bosses - who'd have thought!
Also, after his 'proclamation' other 'experts' were tripping over themselves to contradict him - all stating he had misinterpreted a German study.

Schools have been open throughout this crisis for key workers children. I've seen nothing to suggest this has led to unprecedented levels of deaths amongst those teachers and the children.

This is nothing more than shameful politicising of children and their needs by organisations following ideology not science.

The money over lives mantra has been trotted out with increasing frequency lately. Maybe there's some truth in the claim, maybe there isn't. The only certainty is that the truth is increasingly difficult to arrive at when buried beneath polarized ideology.

Has anyone got an angle on how many deaths are projected as a result of the inevitable economic downturn?

If that information is available - how do the figures stack up when viewed against the potential deaths resulting from return to work?

if they cant reopen a school then stop paying all staff... including teaching staff that operate them...they will all soon get off their deckchairs and do the job they are being paid for...

Originally Posted by muddyboots

if they cant reopen a school then stop paying all staff... including teaching staff that operate them...they will all soon get off their deckchairs and do the job they are being paid for...

That’s not how we do things in this country d*ckweed.
They don’t have to go back to school. The NASUWT has written a strongly worded letter to local authorities threatening legal action if there are any attempts at forcing them back on June 1st. Teachers won’t be receiving the same levels of protection against Coronavirus as other frontline workers.
‘ The NASUWT believes that teachers and other school staff have the right to the same consideration and protection, and to be confident that their health and welfare, as well as that of the pupils, is at the heart of any planning for future opening’.
Thank god for unions. Maggot Maggie and successive tory governments have tried to stamp on them before, but the unions still have plenty of power. Rightly so!

'...........................but the unions still have plenty of power'

Thankfully, that comment is pure fantasy and - normal, thinking people, will be glad the unions have been so emasculated it prevents the 'comrades' from dragging this country back to the dark ages or - as I remember them - the 1970's.

As I said before - the situation where limited numbers of children go to school is already in place with no ill effects.
Denmark and other European countries have shown it can and does work. So - what is the beef about a phased and cautious return to some form of normality?
The answer is blindingly simple - the conspiracy of the left, aided and abetted by their cheerleaders in chief (the BBC), would sooner chew their own feet off than support a Tory Government in anything.
That goes no matter what the detriment might be to the country - the hostility over cooperating
on schools opening has little to do with safety, but much to do with class war ideology.
The left still can't get over and, are demonstrably bitter about, the country preferring a Bunteresque public school twit to the terrorist loving 'harmless' old uncle.
If it weren't so serious it would be laughably pathetic.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

'...........................but the unions still have plenty of power'

Thankfully, that comment is pure fantasy and - normal, thinking people, will be glad the unions have been so emasculated it prevents the 'comrades' from dragging this country back to the dark ages or - as I remember them - the 1970's.

As I said before - the situation where limited numbers of children go to school is already in place with no ill effects.
Denmark and other European countries have shown it can and does work. So - what is the beef about a phased and cautious return to some form of normality?
The answer is blindingly simple - the conspiracy of the left, aided and abetted by their cheerleaders in chief (the BBC), would sooner chew their own feet off than support a Tory Government in anything.
That goes no matter what the detriment might be to the country - the hostility over cooperating
on schools opening has little to do with safety, but much to do with class war ideology.
The left still can't get over and, are demonstrably bitter about, the country preferring a Bunteresque public school twit to the terrorist loving 'harmless' old uncle.
If it weren't so serious it would be laughably pathetic.

I think sir it is you that’s living in cloud cuckoo land. For an example on a local level, just cast your mind back a couple of years ago when Arriva bus drivers went on strike over pay. The unions helped fund drivers lost wages, and eventually Arriva caved in to and actually ended up increasing the pay rise over and above the unions demands.
Oh, and while we’re at it. Remember merseyrail drivers initiating a strike when the removal of guards was proposed?
A SERIES of strikes on Merseyrail has been suspended by the RMT, after what the union described as a 'breakthrough' offer from management. The union said 'the company tabled an offer that guarantees both a guard on the train and the safety-critical role of that guard in the despatch process'.17 Oct 2019
https://www.railnews.co.uk › 2019/10

Yes brother, they seem really emasculated lol.