After a British school told its parents it would require them to purchase a mask for their children, a campaign group fighting the Covid crisis’ children’s rights has called that school ‘despicable.
UsforThem received the strong-worded letter addressed to parents by the school unidentified. The letter stated that students should not arrive without their masks at school and would not be tolerated.
UsforThem published the letter via Twitter. It stated that their ‘non negotiable’ approach to child abuse, which included removing children from school if they forgot their masks, was unacceptable.
Based on guidance from local authorities, schools can decide whether or not to wear masks in public areas like corridors and classrooms.
This week it emerged that schools across England are closing as the head teachers enforce their own “circuit breaking” rules.
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Schools should listen to the advice of local authorities before making a decision regarding mask wearing. Us for Them is a campaign group for children. We shared this letter from Us for Them which was thought to have been written by a secondary schools to parents. The letter stated that there would be no compromises on wearing masks.
Some have questioned the authenticity of the letter. It states that parents must give money to charities to receive a mask. Students who fail to do so on more than one occasion will be expelled from school.
The group wrote: We’ve seen some disturbing things since we launched 18 months ago, but this might be No. 1. This is a despicable way to treat children and it’s time to start calling it what it is ~ Child abuse.’
This month’s letter to parents explains that students will be removed from school on Monday 23 November without wearing masks. It states: “If students come to school without a face mask, they are issued with one.
These cannot be given away for free. For an emergency mask we require a contribution to Young Minds (a mental healthcare charity).
It continues, “For students who continue to forget their mask, there won’t be any option to purchase another.” For the duration of their absence, students will remain in an isolated area and be required to wear a mask every day.
A Twitter user replied to the letter by asking: “Why do parents allow it to happen?” This behavior will continue for as long as parents allow it to happen. Simply say no. This is a sure bet that the author of this article hasn’t been masked for more than 8 hours per days.
Another added: ‘I’d like to see how they would deal with putting every child into isolation if they all turned up without masks. They would have to all be kept in their own rooms, I suppose.
Some people praised the rule’s firm approach. One person wrote: “Wow. It clearly outlines the rules of school. Shock! Shock!
Some schools are closing in England because of fears of a Covid crisis. Head teachers have imposed their own “circuit breaks” and sent children home for learning remotely to address Covid.
Yesterday, St Mary’s Church of England Primary, Credenhill, Hereford, was closed for one week despite having implemented a deep clean regime, more handwashing, sanitising and compulsory PPE. Separate year groups were also established and there are staggered lunches and playtimes.
Campaigners warned more schools might follow their lead this winter after St Mary’s Church of England in Hereford and Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio (Lancashire) announced that they would be closing down for at most a week due to a rise in Covid cases.
Arabella Skinner, a parent organization UsForThem that fought for children’s access to schools after being shut down in March 2013, told The Telegraph, “These isolated school closings are not permanent.
It is possible that more such examples will be seen in the weeks leading up Christmas. How long will we continue to expect our children to be second-class citizens?
Yesterday, St Mary’s Church of England Primary, Credenhill, was closed for one week despite having implemented a deep-cleaning regime, more handwashing, sanitising and compulsory PPE. Separate year groups were also created and all meals and play times are staggered.
Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio in Lancashire, which is secondary school for pupils 13-19 years of age, has told parents that their children would be studying remotely from Thursday to at most next week ‘in light the numerous cases and the advice’
Bernadette Davies, head teacher at the school, wrote to her families explaining that the break was intended to “circuit-breaker” and stop the transmission of Covid-19 in the school.
Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio is a secondary school that teaches students aged 13-19 years old. It has informed families that they will teach their children remotely up to next Thursday, “in light of the many cases and the advice received”.
The Department for Education’s current guidance states that schools might impose short-term attendance restrictions in “extreme cases” and in “last resorts where other risk mitigations do not break the chains of in school transmission”.