Schools Close Shock

[Peter Pedant]

The govt has announced that schools will close on Friday
No exams but assessments will be used to issue certificates

what do people think

(a few are going to complain this q is ever so long)

[Peter Pedant]

Nope readers
this is not a spoof - we live perhaps in unspoofable times

[Bobbisox1]

Is that all over the country Peter?

[-SharonA-]

It was expected. I have grandkids of school age and luckily (if I can say that) their parents are working from home.

[Barsel]

I read that schools will still be open for the children of Key workers such as NHS staff and the most vulnerable children. How will they decide which teachers will need to be in school for these children?

[rowanwitch]

To stay open for the children of key workers to include delivery drivers, care workers and supermarket staff. Also children with special needs or at risk care plans. Sounds a sensible compromise.

[Peter Pedant]

the ref will be on the 6 o;clock news

I thought they would keep them open - the children dont live in cupboards when they are not at school so it is just displacing a problem

and I am not sure how much the children are spreading the disease .... - yes I am if the children were superspreaders all the teachers would be off and they arent

[Mamyalynne]

It was bound to happen eventually.

[Peter Pedant]

Mama you are as old as me
they havent been closed for disease before have they?

did they close for the fifties London smogs?

[gingejbee]

Not a shock at all...it was always going to happen.

[rockyracoon]

Not a shock that they’re closing, but how are they going to do assessments if they can’t do exams?

[teacake44]

Why is it a shock??

[rowanwitch]

Schools in South London closed briefly during a typhoid outbreak in the 1960s but even back then normality was resumed with extra handwashing

[jno]

this will mean a lot of people having to work from home. Pretty soon office blocks will be covered with jungle and a refuge for endangered species.

[Peter Pedant]

'' Why is it a shock??//

because it was always touted as an activity that had no point or desired result
the kids would be out there spreading it around anyway

[gingejbee]

Some are easily shocked.

[zebo]

Eurovision Song Contest is also cancelled, who says every cloud doesn't have a silver lining?

[Peter Pedant]

the typhoid outbreak may have been this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croydon_typhoid_outbreak_of_1937

usual outcome 350 cases with 10% deaths

[woofgang]

I don't think its any kind of shock. I do think keeping them open for key worker parents and children with particular care needs is a sensible balance.

[woofgang]

they haven't yet said how qulifiactions usually decided by exams will be dealt with

[woofgang]

that's the other bit that wasn't made clear today PP although I already said it....that closed schools means isolation of children, not footy on the common, not everyone round to so and so's house and so on. Many organised activities and clubs have already been suspended.