Majority of readers share headteachers’ concerns about reopening Portsmouth schools during pandemic

READERS have been having their say after the city’s headteachers last week expressed their ‘serious concerns’ about the proposed June return of primary schools.
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Headteacher at Medina Primary School, Howard Payne, criticised the government and said he could ‘not guarantee the safety of children and staff’ under the new guidelines for schools returning – plans which ‘accept that social distancing will not always be possible’. A parental survey carried out by the school suggested almost half of families will not be sending their children to school when doors reopen.

The majority of readers agreed with this, with many believing September to be a more realistic and safer return date. We carried out our own online poll which revealed that 52 per cent of readers were ‘not at all comfortable’ with the decision. Below is a flavour of what people said on our Facebook site.

Readers who agreed with concerns

With headteachers and the education unions expressing their 'serious concerns' about the proposed June return of primary schools, our readers have been having their say.

Picture Michael Gillen.With headteachers and the education unions expressing their 'serious concerns' about the proposed June return of primary schools, our readers have been having their say.

Picture Michael Gillen.
With headteachers and the education unions expressing their 'serious concerns' about the proposed June return of primary schools, our readers have been having their say. Picture Michael Gillen.
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Steven Mcknight: ‘Well said Mr Payne. Excellent headteacher. I completely trust he will do all he can to do what’s safest for the children and staff.’

Sumi Olson: ‘A friendly reminder that the same people who told you that people in care homes were ‘very unlikely’ to be infected with coronavirus are now telling you that your children and their teachers are safe to return to school.’

Lorraine Drinkwater: ‘Howard Payne is a well respected headteacher in Portsmouth. He knows what he's talking about and the government needs to come clean about its real agenda. Schools do not need to open till it’s safe and that time is not here yet.’

Donna Inseal: ‘No-one can guarantee anyone’s safety and it’s wrong to put all this pressure onto any teacher or headteacher. Just forget it all and go back in September.’

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Lisa Martin: ‘Social distancing is the main issue expressed. This is exactly the reason I’ve said right from the beginning that the first year group to return to school when it is safe to do so should be Year 10’s, who are due to take GCSE’s next year, and not four to six year-olds who will struggle to stay two metres apart.’

Zen Young: ‘What a crazy situation. What is the point putting everyone at risk for the sake of four to five weeks of school before the summer holidays? Surely it makes sense to start afresh in September and make sure everyone stays safe.’

With National Education Union president and Portsmouth teacher, Amanda Martin, describing the decision as ‘reckless’, many readers cited contradictions in what schools are being asked to do with the government’s own social distancing mantra and with the restrictions which remain in other aspects of life – particularly meeting family. To prove their point, a number of readers posted photographs of a near empty House of Commons.

Here’s what readers had to say.

Eddie Walshe: ‘When the House of Commons is full of MPs sitting side by side then I think the government can open the schools.’

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Melody Jones: ‘Send Boris and the MPs back to Westminster, face to face and not via IT for a month, then let's see what happens to the infection rate before sending children back to school.’

Pauline Welch: We are still not allowed to visit our own family in their house so why should teachers have to go to school, teach lots of children and then on a weekend not be allowed to visit their family because it’s not safe? Just because children apparently don't get as ill doesn't mean the people in their house won't get really sick.’

Neil Mcmaster: ‘No-one argues that children don’t get less ill. The fact is they get it and they spread it. To then say it’s safer in school where they can mix with up to 14 households but not meet grandparents as they may infect them – this is not okay.’

Catrina Shackleton: ‘Liverpool and Hartlepool authorities aren’t sending their children back’.

Readers in support of government’s plan

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However, a number of readers feel with the virus unlikely to disappear soon, it is impossible to wait for a vaccine to guarantee safety and that pupils should be gradually reintegrated back into school, highlighting the ongoing detrimental impact on children’s education and mental health.

Tina 'Watson' Atkinson: ‘You can’t wrap everyone up in cotton wool. It’s proven kids are less likely to catch it. As long as only a limited amount of kids go back at certain times then it will be fine. Obviously if any family member has underlying health issues then they’re best to not go in but we need to be sensible and get back to some sort of routine that will become the norm for some time to come.’

Ian Etheridge: ‘How can we ever guarantee a child’s safety? Can he guarantee no child will fall over in the playground?Isn't it lucky that nurses and doctors didn't have the same attitude as some teachers. The fact is, this is not going to go away. The point of the lockdown was never to eradicate the virus, it was to stop the NHS getting overwhelmed. If you think the schools should remain closed until Covid-19 is gone, you might as well just close them permanently.’

Georgina Dance: ‘It’s about minimising the risk not the elimination of it.’

Richard Salmond: ‘Headteachers should be working with the government and putting safety measures in place to make it safe rather than moaning. Our kids need normality for their mental wellbeing.’

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