Dear Prime Minister
We write again following your announcements yesterday and
our letter of Saturday.
In that letter we pointed to an apparent contradiction
between bans on large gatherings and a refusal to close
schools.
We also said we thought that it was important to engage
with all the science and appealed for more information to be
released on the modelling and on the effects on vulnerable
school and college teachers, other staff and
parents.
We have not yet seen that further information.
You announced yesterday that vulnerable people are to
confine themselves for 12 weeks from this weekend.
On our understanding this includes:
-
pregnant women.
-
and those who are suffering from:
-
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such
as asthma, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema
or bronchitis;
-
chronic heart disease, such as heart
failure;
-
chronic
kidney disease;
-
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis;
-
chronic neurological conditions, such
as Parkinson’s
disease, motor neurone
disease, multiple sclerosis
(MS), a learning disability or cerebral
palsy;
-
diabetes;
-
problems with their spleen – for
example, sickle
cell disease or if they have had their
spleen removed;
-
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions
such as HIV and
AIDS, or medicines such
as steroid
tablets or chemotherapy;
-
being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or
above).
We assume that on this basis teachers and other school
and college staff who have these conditions or who are caring
for people with those conditions, or who are over 70 should
self-isolate.
We intend to advise all our members in these categories
or caring for people in them to stop attending schools and
colleges from next
Monday at the latest. Some will
do so earlier.
We also assume that the children of parents with those
conditions should also avoid school or college.
This will make the running of schools all the more
complicated.
Given your failure to release modelling comparing
different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to
call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at
least in some areas.
We know that very many of our members who aren’t in the
categories of heightened risk would be willing to volunteer to
play a role in helping our society get through this
crisis.
We suggest during a period of full school closure that
teachers and school leaders could work on plans for more
limited opening to:
-
ensure that we can look after the children of parents
who must do the work our society needs - including NHS staff,
food and distribution workers, police, prison and fire
brigade staff and those who are working to produce medical
equipment, including hopefully industries being re purposed
to produce ventilators;
-
ensure that children on free school meals or otherwise
in food poverty can eat nutritious meals;
-
support other children in need.
Of course, this could not be a full opening and it would
mean substantial changes from the way schools are normally run
- but we believe schools could be important community hubs.
This in turn requires that SATs are abandoned and that you
produce proposals on the inevitable widespread disruption to
GCSE and A -level exams.
Supply teachers would also be willing to help in such
ways and in any event need your support during school closure
or self-isolation.
We look forward to your engagement with these ideas and
we remain, as before, ready to meet with you and the Secretary
of State for Education.
Given the number of staff and pupils that will now be off
school, teachers and leaders will simply have to
exercise their professional discretion about whether schools
and colleges open and what work is
undertaken - and they should do so
with your approval.
We will support them in so doing.
Dr Mary Bousted
Kevin Courtney
Joint General Secretaries, National Education Union
cc.
