Teaching union makes last-ditch plea to teachers ahead of reopening
A LEADING teaching union was yesterday making a last-minute attempt to urge teachers not to help Derby schools reopen more widely from today.
The National Education Union (NEU) says no school is safe to open more widely and fears that it could start a second wave of infections.
This is despite the Government stating last week its own five tests have been met for primary schools to reopen today.
The NEU Derby branch was due to hold an online public meeting, jointly with local Labour and Lib Dem councillors, yesterday to explain why it thinks teachers should be cautious and children should stay at home.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he wants reception, year one and year six classes to resume from June 1 and year 10 pupils in secondary schools to have some time in school from June 15.
Since March 23, schools have only been open for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils.
Social distancing – with a maximum of 15 pupils in a class – handwashing and pupils and teachers working in “bubbles”, not mixing with other classes to prevent total closure if anyone tests positive for Covid-19, are the measures being set up.
Kieran Picken, Derby NEU branch secretary, said: “We urge our members to contact head teachers and employers individually and collectively with their concerns, to make sure that they are consulted on any plans to reopen. Legislation exists to protect workers and if schools are not safe we will support members who choose to use this.
“We have also, along with our sister unions, been asking Derby City Council directly to do what 60 other local authorities in England
Infant School
are now doing (including Derbyshire and Nottingham) and not open their schools more widely [today]. It is unfortunate that we have not received a response to this appeal.”
Mr Picken said the NEU remained committed to helping schools to open more widely when it is safe to do so.
He added: “To do this [today], when we have already had several cases of outbreaks in primary schools during the lockdown, when only around 2% of students have been attending, would be nothing short of a disaster for communities around the city.
“We are doing everything we can as a union to protect the lives of those in the communities we serve and we believe that every additional child who is not in school [today] and every school that remains open to key workers and vulnerable children only is the best way to do this, until the government can honestly say that it has met their five tests and ours.”
One school that will not be able to reopen is Cavendish Close Infant School in Chaddesden, where a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. Instead, everyone who was in the school on May 22 is selfisolating for 14 days and the school is hoping to reopen on June 10.
Ten days ago, Derby City Council said it expected most infant schools to be open from today.
Then, a few days ago, a message was issued by Councillor Evonne Williams, cabinet member for education, which said that although the council was doing everything it could to help schools reopen, it was up to individual schools to make the decision that was best for their community.
Additionally, she said parents should decide what is best for their child and whether or not they wanted to send them back to school.
She said: “We will stand by our schools and the ultimate decisions they make to manage a gradual return to school for children, which will be based on what is best for children and on public health evidence and advice.
“There is no right or wrong answer and parents must do what they feel is right for their child and family.”
A Derby Telegraph survey taken a week ago showed that 70% of parents who responded did not feel their child was safe returning to school in June.