Gavin Williamson
(Picture: PA)Gavin Williamson has failed to endear himself with the nation once more, this time by suggesting that if schools reopen and Covid spikes, that’s parents’ fault.
Droning on in an article for the Daily Mail, the education secretary claimed that parents have a responsibility to help prevent schools from closing when they reopen next week by regularly testing their children for the virus.
“School communities still need to follow Covid precautions, especially regular testing for pupils, families and staff. But it is not just a matter for schools,” he said.
“Parents too have a responsibility to make sure that their children are tested regularly.
“I know that there are many things people would rather be doing than testing but it’s really important to make time for it.
“The last thing we want is for schools to partially close again, or for whole classes of pupils to be at home self-isolating. That should only ever be the last resort.”
Reacting, while people noted that regular testing was one key way to avoid the spread of coronavirus, people couldn’t believe his implication that not doing so would be a major factor in leading to school closures and that he didn’t acknowledge the inevitability of cases rising when children mix in schools once more.
How? They can’t control ventilation in classrooms, they can’t have their children vaccinated, they aren’t allowed to have their children in bubbles anymore, there is no mask mandate. And they have no legal right to withdraw their children from school on a temporary basis.
— Kate Wilton (@KateWilton1) August 30, 2021
Gavin Williamson:
— AlmondTree💙😷 (@_almond_tree) August 31, 2021
▪ no mitigating measures at schools
▪ it's the parents' responsibility to keep children covid safe
▪ pupils shouldn't be 'carried away'
He seems completely oblivious to the fact that pandemic measures are a government's responsibility.
Gavin Williamson, to kids - "don't get carried away when you go back to school!"
— Darrylhood (@Darrylhood016) August 31, 2021
Has Gavin Williamson ever actually met children?
Personally I think they’re right, it is the parents fault, but very specifically the parents of Gavin Williamson!
— @ColinKee69 #FBPE (@TheColinKee) August 31, 2021
“Parents have a responsibility to help prevent schools from closing when they reopen next week by regularly testing their children for Covid-19, Gavin Williamson has said.” Independent. Since when does testing prevent infection?
— Steve Hills (@SRHills1) August 31, 2021
This is an abomination. An attempted abdication. How, precisely does he he think that asymptomatic children can be prevented from passing covid on to others when there are no masks, no bubbles, no distancing, no vaccination, no ventilation … and no government.
— Richard (@dikt54) August 30, 2021
Nevertheless, Williamson looked forward to schools reopening. He wrote:
“At long last, we will see children once more free to chase a football around, sing in a choir or just hang out with friends. I am absolutely delighted.”
If Gav doesn’t remember that mixing indoors in poorly ventilated spaces with no social distancing and for long periods of time can help the virus spread, no wonder he can’t remember his A-Level results.
