Government should listen to independent scientists and pull back from 1 June start date

Commenting on the report on school safety from the committee of independent scientists chaired by Sir David King published today (Friday), UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “This is the evidence school staff and parents have been waiting for. Not only do these scientists say the government’s plans for schools in England are premature, they also suggest any risks to children would be halved by waiting a fortnight. “Ministers need to heed these concerns, stop doggedly pushing schools to meet the arbitrary 1 June deadline, and ensure proper tracking and tracing is up and running first. “There are real concerns the government is gambling with the safety of pupils, staff and the wider community. “It makes no sense for ministers to push schools to open more widely in England, while other parts of the UK take a more considered approach. “It’s time ministers took a step back and delayed any moves to increase the number of pupils in schools until it’s safer to do so.” Earlier today, UNISON – which represents caretakers, administrative staff, teaching assistants, cleaners and caterers – published the results of a survey of more than 45,000 school support staff. This found an overwhelming majority don’t feel reassured by government claims that English schools are safe to open to more pupils at the start of next month, and that ministers’ rushed back-to-the-classroom plans aren’t putting safety first. Workers’ confidence i...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release coronavirus coronavirus schools Jon Richards Source Type: news