Some parents will not wait for rules on school masks
PARENTS are already sending primary school children to school with masks instead of waiting for Department of Education guidelines to be issued.
Earlier this week, teachers’ union INTO called for the Department to update its guidelines to stay in line with WHO recommendations that children over six wear face coverings in schools.
Earlier this week Una Kenny, from Baltinglass, sent her three children, Tony, 4, Grace, 7, and Holly, 9, back to school in Scoil Naomh Iósaf, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, wearing masks as her eldest daughter, Holly, has complex needs and her family want to ensure her safety during the pandemic.
Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, Ms Kenny said: ‘Holly has complex needs, she’s in a wheelchair and is non-verbal; Grace has asthma, it’s a very different start to a school year for our household. Sometimes, Holly can be very sick before she shows signs and symptoms, she uses an iPad to talk, we’ll be depending on her to communicate through that and watching her very closely.
‘But there’s the other side of it. The school has been amazing, there has been constant communication and loads of information given to us on what we can expect coming back.’
Ms Kenny said: ‘The school also has a brand-new ASD unit so
Holly will be segregated in a smaller group, which is a relief.’
Around 10% of children returning to the school this week were wearing face masks, according to principal, Mairead Hennessy.
Ms Kenny said she wouldn’t be against the Department making mask wearing a formal request for children over six: ‘Our children have their little face masks on going in and coming home from school, they understand that because of Holly, we’re much more cautious. Personally, I’d have no issue with them wearing masks in school. Children are very adaptable to rules.’
Rozemarie Seitz, a mother of two, agreed that children are very resilient when it comes to adapting to new rules and praised the school for communicating to parents throughout the summer. Her children Caitlin, 10, and Alannah, 8, also returned to Scoil Naomh Iósaf earlier this week: ‘I think they’re more resilient to the new rules and regulations than we are. They both came out and were both very happy and confidant. My two hadn’t any issues.’
Ms Seitz said her goal is to remain positive so that anxiety doesn’t transfer to her children.
‘If the school has to close, we know what we can do next, we know there will be online learning, but we’re not thinking about that at the minute.’