The government have recently announced in latest Covid-19 road maps that schools may begin a phased reopening from the 1st of June 2020. The decision, however, has been met with significant resistance with teachers and parents alike coming forward asking that this date is pushed back further due to concerns of safety surrounding Covid-19.
A petition with 500,000 signatures was put forward calling for an immediate review of this decision. In original plans proposed last week, a phased reopening to reception, Year 1 and Year 6 was proposed.
To help ease the pressure, any parent who decides not to send their child back to school will not face any fines, according to latest government legislation. This comes as good news – however, many are still concerned.
That includes the mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, who is particularly concerned about the still relatively high infection rate in the North West – a section of the UK particularly hard hit by Covid-19 and it’s affects.
He sent out this tweet earlier, stating that he will resist the early reopening of schools on June 1st 2020. In a recent poll, over 84% of people think it’s a bad idea to open schools to these key years on the 1st of June.
Education is vital,however it does not come before the health&safety of our children & staff. We have responsibility for Safeguarding our children and so I will resist allowing schools to reopen in June. To do so risks our children’s and staff safety.
— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) May 13, 2020
He also stated that he wouldn’t consider reopening of schools until he was “convinced it’s safe for children to return to school, that we will allow it, because we have a safeguarding responsibility.”. Stay safe and alert during these difficult times.