Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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» Over 1,100 head teachers agree on goals » They want science advice to be shared » Union says safety must come first
BORIS Johnson does not understand schools or the nature of children, the head of Britain’s largest teaching union said yesterday.
Mary Bousted, joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, insists parents should not send their children back to school until it is absolutely safe.
She spoke out after the Government released evidence it used when creating its reopening timetable. It said the risk to pupils was “very small, but it is not zero”.
She said the Government had “failed on every test” when it came to the way they had communicated with teachers.
Ms Bousted added: “I can only think that’s happened because Boris Johnson and the Treasury, who I think are driving this, don’t understand schools.
“They don’t understand how complex they are. They don’t understand the nature of children and social distancing.” She urged parents to weigh up the facts before sending their children back.
And she told the Sunday Mirror: “If I was in that position, I’d be looking at the rate of infection in my region. Is it going up or down?
“Then I’d look at the school’s plans. Is it going to be clean? Is there going to be social distancing? Will my child be safe and what will their learning experience be like?
“Unless I could assure myself the science said it was safe and every precaution was being taken… no, my child wouldn’t be going back.
“If those criteria were met I may consider it. If not, I wouldn’t.” More than 1,100 head teachers have signed an open letter to Gavin Williamson, urging the Education Secretary to reconsider.
His plan for a June 1 reopening would see some nursery children and others from Reception, Year One and Year Six go back.
But with dozens of local authorities set to rebel and open schools later, pressure is on for a rethink.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said on Friday there were two conditions for schools to open – low levels of coronavirus in the community and a robust track and trace system. SAGE chairman Sir David King made clear the chances of those both being met by June 1 are “virtually nil”. Ms Bousted said a lack of clear Government guidance had left staff uncertain over rules around social distancing and PPE.
She said: “One real concern is for teachers in special schools, where lots of children require intimate
They don’t understand the nature of children and social distancing MARY BOUSTED UNION BOSS ON PM & TREASURY
care and don’t understand social distancing. Staff should have masks, gowns and proper protective equipment as we know the virus is likely to transmit through bodily fluids.
“We’ve been arguing that special schools must have good PPE in order to protect their staff.
“In other schools, the level of PPE will vary because the science is changing all the time. But at the very least, schools needs to be thoroughly cleaned – and deeply.
“There must be hand sanitiser. And for those who want to wear masks, they should be available.”
Ms Bousted gave Denmark as an example of a country where the government put measures in place for a safe reopening. And she compared it to the “completely inadequate” guidance here.
She said: “They’ve made sure they have thought of everything.
“In Denmark the government gave extra money for schools to have deep cleaning twice a day. If they have a tablet computer, it has to be wiped down between use. The toys have to be washed twice a day.
“There’s a really intensive cleaning programme. In England, schools are cleaned one hour in the morning, an hour in the evening.
“Where is the deep cleaning? This is absolutely crucial.
“Our schools have one sink for every 30 children. Where and how are we going to get children washing their hands? These practical things haven’t been thought through.”
Ms Bousted hit back at reports that the issue was becoming political and insisted it was about safety.
She added: “We want schools to reopen. We know how important education is. But health has to come first – children’s health, staff ’s health and the community’s health.”
Tory MP Tom Hunt accused unions of a “bizarre reverse class war”. He said: “From the heads I talk to, it’s the ones from poorer areas or with children at most need who are keenest to get back into class.”