One thing is certain - your family members will not know where they caught the virus and how - so to blame it on schools and in particular the kids may not be accurate.

If opening schools is a priority then teachers should be the next group to be vaccinated - they could all be done in a week and in 3 weeks be reasonably immune.

Only to satisfy pedants like you. I understood what he meant. Schools are safe to me means schools are safe.

Happy to corrected but I think the SAGE advice was always that attending school is safe for children, as children only get minor symptoms if any at all. The obvious issue is that they can pass it on, this wasn't so much of an issue as the younger you are you tend to have a lower viral load. Even prior to Christmas SAGE were advising that shutting schools would be the biggest driver to reduce the R rate, but as the new variant is much more transmissible, which increases risk that they pass it onto parents and carers and so on.

But at least now Boris can argue he has now made schools safe, as hardly anyone is allowed to attend.

Education is an interesting debate.

Given that most schools are following a similar study pattern is there not a case for the public television service to deliver on line lessons - they have multiple channels not used during the day.

Could the lesson not be delivered to all at the same time - that way we don't need loads of laptops and broadband

Yet when BT offered free wi fi to poor children in spring last year the government turned it down in favour of other approaches by their friends in the private sector who have not delivered. TheTory party caring for vulnerable children since 1870 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... er-BT.html

Yet when BT offered free wi fi to poor children in spring last year the government turned it down in favour of other approaches by their friends in the private sector who have not delivered. TheTory party caring for vulnerable children since 1870 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... er-BT.html

Quote ="Durham Giant"Yet when BT offered free wi fi to poor children in spring last year the government turned it down in favour of other approaches by their friends in the private sector who have not delivered. TheTory party caring for vulnerable children since 1870 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... er-BT.html'" Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.

Quote ="Durham Giant"Yet when BT offered free wi fi to poor children in spring last year the government turned it down in favour of other approaches by their friends in the private sector who have not delivered. TheTory party caring for vulnerable children since 1870 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... er-BT.html'" Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.'" Don't go quoting facts from BT themselves, it doesn't fit the RLFans anti Conservative m.o

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.'" Don't go quoting facts from BT themselves, it doesn't fit the RLFans anti Conservative m.o

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.'" That was access to WiFi hotspots which was implemented. In addition BT was offering free wi fi vouchers which was turned down this would have increased availability to more families

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Did they really turn it down ? Below would suggest it was never turned down? https://www.btwifi.co.uk/business/secto ... education/ Could be a whole host of reasons why it wasn't successful.My instant thought is why didn't BT offer the "free" access directly to vulnerable families.'" That was access to WiFi hotspots which was implemented. In addition BT was offering free wi fi vouchers which was turned down this would have increased availability to more families

That seems a strange strategy - have the government explained why they adopted this strategy?

All I have found is that they felt it would be too slow to have an affect and wanted schools to take responsibility for adapting to existing systems .

After the first lockdown as government policy was to keep schools open at all costs their seems to have been limited planning for any further moves to on line learning hence the new problems.


It is worth noting that one of the party leaders at the last election stood ina policy that access to free internet should be a right and a necessity in modern society but this was laughed at by many. He was the same party leader who refused to meet Trump arguing he was a dangerous hate monger

I think most would agree the internet should be available to all but for the government to be the only supplier - not a great idea especially to all those firms currently employed in supplying and developing it.

Corbyn might not happy to meet with Trump but he is happy to meet with Islamic & Christian terrorists - these are hardly men that peddle unity and mutual cooperation?

the internet, a right?

it isn't snowing where I live, but there are plenty of flakes online

They’ll want free Sky next. Also, have they never heard of books?

Quote ="Durham Giant"That was access to WiFi hotspots which was implemented. In addition BT was offering free wi fi vouchers which was turned down this would have increased availability to more families'" Extract below taken from the link, what exactly did they turn down ? BT is funding the scheme to provide in-need families with six months’ access to BT’s Wi-fi estate, while distribution is being handled directly by the DfE which will issue families with the necessary voucher usernames and passwords. Local Authorities and Academy Trusts will be invited to request vouchers, working with their schools to identify those children who are most in need. For more information about this project or the pilot, please contact: COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk

Quote ="Durham Giant"That was access to WiFi hotspots which was implemented. In addition BT was offering free wi fi vouchers which was turned down this would have increased availability to more families'" Extract below taken from the link, what exactly did they turn down ? BT is funding the scheme to provide in-need families with six months’ access to BT’s Wi-fi estate, while distribution is being handled directly by the DfE which will issue families with the necessary voucher usernames and passwords. Local Authorities and Academy Trusts will be invited to request vouchers, working with their schools to identify those children who are most in need. For more information about this project or the pilot, please contact: COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Extract below taken from the link, what exactly did they turn down ? BT is funding the scheme to provide in-need families with six months’ access to BT’s Wi-fi estate, while distribution is being handled directly by the DfE which will issue families with the necessary voucher usernames and passwords. Local Authorities and Academy Trusts will be invited to request vouchers, working with their schools to identify those children who are most in need. For more information about this project or the pilot, please contact: COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk'" The vouchers were returned unused as the D of E was “unable” to distribute them. You need to look at the articles that followed the press release you are looking at from June 2020 It is no different to the government in may announcing laptops for every school then 3 months later reducing the numbers offered by 2/3rds

Quote ="TURFEDOUT"Extract below taken from the link, what exactly did they turn down ? BT is funding the scheme to provide in-need families with six months’ access to BT’s Wi-fi estate, while distribution is being handled directly by the DfE which will issue families with the necessary voucher usernames and passwords. Local Authorities and Academy Trusts will be invited to request vouchers, working with their schools to identify those children who are most in need. For more information about this project or the pilot, please contact: COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk'" The vouchers were returned unused as the D of E was “unable” to distribute them. You need to look at the articles that followed the press release you are looking at from June 2020 It is no different to the government in may announcing laptops for every school then 3 months later reducing the numbers offered by 2/3rds

Ok,so just for clarity, the offer wasn't turned down, it was unable to be implemented.
Does anyone know why it wasn't implemented,ive read a few things regarding data protection been the problem.

Do you think there will be enough book to go round, kids had to share them in the "good times", never mind when to country is on its booty.
Also, remember the cuts to education (in real terms) over the last 10+ years ??

Working from home and home schooling is great if you have space, hardware, wifi AND parents who have the ability and time to be "teacher".
The better off can do pretty well but, those at the bottom of the pile, with parents that dont give a damn, will struggle like hell and that's when they are already massively disadvantaged.
Sure, some parents should take a heap of the blame for how they live their lives but, just as with the free school meals, it's not the fault of the kids that they were born with mickey poor parents.
Mind you, some of the poor are busting a gut to improve their lot so, it's not all black and white but, the choice is to try and help or leave them to drop even further down the social pecking order.

Maybe it’s about time society forced parents to take some responsibility then.

Maybe, but it's not the kids faults they were lumbered with feckless parents.

Says the biggest snowflake around here.

That's that kind of stuff that they print in "The Mail"

Some parents just aren't up to the job and then the question is, do you and should you allow their kids to be as "bad" or, should you try and do something the break the cycle.

If you can invest in these kids and help them improve their lot, it actually helps everyone.

Sure, in an ideal world, it shouldn't be neccessary but, the sad fact is that some need a lot more help than others.

What like all the parents who are working full time and don’t earn enough to live on who then claim benefits

Or the single mother’s who were left by feckless fathers

Or the people who lost their jobs because of a pandemic

Or the parents who through no fault of their owns became ill and unable to work

Or the parents who have MH or substance abuse problems

Or the parents who are disabled

Then again why punish innocent children for the misfortunes or decisions made by their parents.

At what age do you think children should be made responsible for their parents circumstances and withdraw support from them
At birth, at 5 when they go to school, at 11 when they can get work in a mill or climb chimneys, at 13 when they become teenagers ?

That is why we have a welfare state because it saves as an insurance policy for the vulnerable, unlucky or disadvantaged in society.

It is a bit like the NHS. If you don’t like it I suggest that you stop using it’s services and just pay for everything yourself.

God forbid that you get Covid and end up in hospital and are told that your Bill for two weeks in an ICU at £2200 per day.

Wow. Seems like I managed to trigger all the snowflakes by just suggesting that parents who mistreat their kids take some responsibility.

Making yourself look like an unhinged loon to own the libs. Nice one.

If you don’t already, take up fishing - based on here you catch plenty with the bait you use