[Thread] The recent SAGE release on safety in schools and Covid has been used by many to claim that schools are safe and teachers have nothing to fear from Covid transmissions. Many have cherry picked parts of the report without reading it, here is the rep https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tfc-children-and-transmission-4-november-2020

The document is far more nuanced, even if it still attempts to assure teachers that the risks outweigh the benefits to students. But there *are* risks, especially from older children and it's clearly stated in the report. For example,

The report states that Secondary school pupils are playing a “significantly higher role” (Pg 6) in bringing infections into households. In fact the rate of increase in 12-24 year olds is far higher than any other age group.

The report clarified that there was no direct evidence that the virus was being passed on within schools but added “neither is there direct evidence to suggest otherwise”. (p.2) This means the data is yet to be compiled. This does not back up the argument that schools are ‘safe’.

It states clearly that secondary school children played a “significantly higher role” in spreading the virus to households between September and October. (P.8)

It also uses analysis of ONS data that states "clearly that children can bring infection into the household and transmit to other household members." But transmission from younger children to one another remained low. (p.8)

It states, “There is some evidence from contact tracing studies that pre-school and primary aged children are less susceptible to infection than adults (low-medium confidence),” but it then goes onto say “The evidence is more mixed for secondary aged children...

"and older children seem to have similar rates to adults.” - This should ring alarm bells. Older children are biologically able to spread the virus like adults. Yet social distancing is relaxed in classrooms.

Certainly most teachers want to continue to do what they love, teach. But the SAGE report seems to make a case for blended learning for all older secondary school students and sixth formers.

It makes little sense for adults to be told to socially distance when meeting people not from within your household yet older students are spending hours in close proximity to one another in classrooms.