Well, Boris has made the Sunday headlines with his "get schools open" message but, has enough been done at the top level to make this remotely possible.
There is little doubt that schools do need to be open but, after 5/6 months to make plans for this to happen, is it really possible, without totally abandoning social distancing in schools AND what effect would full open schools have on the spread of the virus.
It's no good just saying that "we need schools open", with the veiled threat that other freedoms may have to be removed, if space constraints wont allow for every pupil to return and receive a proper level of education.
Will kids have to go in every other day or, every other week or, have we reached a point where the kids will all simply have to go back and then deal with any consequences.
What is really disappointing here is that there has been little guidance as to how schools can accommodate the same numbers of kids, in what were already overcrowded conditions and allow for ANY increase in distancing within the schools.

Over to you Boris.

It is apparently a moral requirement apparently but since when has Johnson had any morals. He is good at talking a good game but not so at following through on his promises.

do you ever stop?

Where was the morality in Labour hating Jews, illegal wars, selling gold reserves at a record low, crippling industry by backing the backdated unions, encouraging mass immigration, cosying up to hezbullah?

Do some research.

You said you would not be posting again, I guess once you support Johnson you lie just like Johnson. Stick to your principles, who sorry you are right wing so you won’t have any.
I like the idea of backdated unions what are they.

Unions who have people like mCf'ksky on £120K a year, destroying BA for reacting to a global pandemic, like Scargill and Kinnock destroying mining all to get Thatcher out of office, Unions that destroy the public transport because they don't like change, Unions that call teachers out when they are allready well paid and have more days off than anyone else, Unions that have never, ever, done anything but been self serving idealists of a failed ideology, Unions that have offices in central London and country piles, Unions that have, quite simply, held our country to ransom for decades.

It isn't 1970, Carry On and Sid James are gone, the NHS is full of pen pushers, the civil service aren't prepared fo go back to work, HMRC, DWP etc. are a joke. ÀLL BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE LEFT.

Don't know about being back in the 1970's, think we're heading back to the 1930's.

Politics of envy?

Suggestions are that spread of Covid in schools around the world is minimal - suggest teachers and their unions just get back to doing the job they are paid for. Stop their money if they don't want to return - let's see how many stick it out?

You rarely disappoint.
How about releasing the results of the recent study, which covers the risk to staff, pupils and the spread to the wider community, before Boris unloads his political rhetoric.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the results of the study dont quite back up the PM's wishes or, surely, it would have been used to add weight to his comments.

The constant blaming of the unions is pathetic. The unions are not some chaotic rabble funded by the Russians, they are the representatives of the boots on the ground, the experts, the teachers.
Maybe it would be better if the workforce, in this case the teachers, had no representation at all. That they simply did as they were told. Fine, except for the fact that no one in government appears to have the faintest idea of what to do other than “Open the Schools” – a bit reminiscent of the “Get Brexit Done” mantra.
Schools have reopened elsewhere in the world with some successes and, as in the case of Israel, tragic failures. So the government and unions should be reviewing this data - determine what does and doesn’t work and providing detailed guidance for schools.
If some schools cant achieve the requirements due to, for example, building contraints, then they will need to remain partially closed at least until solutions are found and fully funded.
This should not be some battle between left and right, it should be everyone working together to find and implement the best solution.

There is a general acceptance that young people are far less vulnerable to this virus - I think even you must agree the data suggests that to be the case. Studies in other countries like Norway also suggest that virtually no teachers are getting infections from the children. Even the government bashing media types have suggested the risks are very low e.g. the guy on GMB, and his counterpart on the BBC.

No proposition is without risk - if the teaching unions had their way no kids would go back to school until a vaccine were available - its ridiculous

On that we can agree, however it's what happens when the kids take it home to parents & grandparents & off we go again.

But they'd want a 20% pay rise! The saying 'them that can, do, them that can't, teach' rings true.Teachers get paid way more than nurses, with less qualification It's like GP's and Dentists, totally overpaid compared to the porters, cleaners etc.All the unions want is more so they can put the subs up and people like McF&sky can keep dining out at The Ivy and drinking in Soho. (and believe

me, I have seen them) Bob Crow, Mick Cash, all duplicitous!

Here we go again. Same old record. We're looking for a solution, and bashing the unions surprisingly wont affect how the virus behaves one little bit.

So, whats your proposed way forward?

Do you have a reliable reference to underpin that statement?

Not unless it's on the front of the Mail or the Express


As others have said, it doesn't appear that the kids themselves will be at significant risk but, just like everything from chickenpox to measles etc, kids are very good at bringing these viruses back home with them and Johnson & Co have done nothing to deal with this or bother to explain what happens when opening schools stokes the "R" number.
Of course kids need to be learning and of course they should be at school but, this isn't the issue here.

He hasn't got one of those. It'd require him to actually post something other than an insult.

I’m glad you noticed that. He said the same about me!

We have to get the kids back to school as safely as possible. Not only for their education but also to get parents back to work

Thought he was a top bloke you only had love for?

Are you seriously suggesting that kids are not mixing now? Risks are minimal of them going back to school - numerous reports in various countries suggest this to be the case. Have they had a big increase in Denmark/Norway since kids went back to school?

The risks are known - there are several independent reports out there yet the unions continue to advise member not to return to work. These are kids and young people you will never create the 100% safe environment that the unions are requesting until you get a vaccine. So what is the solution - its simple really - you accept the risk, minimise them wherever possible and get back to educating children - if you are not prepared to do that then perhaps a career change is for you?

So, where's the evidence that the unions are demanding a 100% safe environment?
- and whilst were at it, wheres the evidence that this government knows what they are doing wrt the virus?

Indeed, teachers (and their unions) seem to be forgetting that mpst parents work, so who looks after the kids during the day?

As tragic as every death is, it has been less than 1% of the population, we are better equipped now with social distancing and other measures, kids have precious little to look forward to in later life without a decent education, denying them that for some political upstaging is immoral.

Doctors, Nurses, Porters, Paramedics, Police, Fire, Armed Forces, Coastguard, RNLI and countless others (Supermarket Workers, Bank Staff) risk themselves in their roles, why are teachers a special case?

We need to get used to the fact that Covid is here to stay, and adapt.

The opening of schools in the US has not gone too well but why should that be the same for us because we have the in depth planning of the Johnson government.

Let's start with the EIS a quote from Larry Flannagan

"Even with full implementation of the guidelines and its mitigations, many teachers and parents will be understandably nervous about a return to the classroom"

What does that say - it says even full implementation - its not enough - go figure?

Patrick Roach - NASUWT
"He also says teachers will not return to their jobs unless the Government affords them the same employment rights as other key workers "

Would you like some more direct quotes?