MORE than 80% of parents have refused to put their children in harm’s way, scuppering the government’s plan to reopen schools yesterday, a poll released by the GMB union confirms.
A total of 1,601 members responded to a GMB survey launched last Friday with a massive 1,307 saying they were not planning on sending their children back yesterday.
During the weekend, several members of the government’s own SAGE advisory body warned against easing lockdown restrictions for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
The top scientists also said opening schools yesterday would compromise the UK’s coronavirus lockdown strategy.
They join school staff, parents, and councils in urging Ministers to defer wider school opening until the infection rate is lower.
Karen Leonard, GMB National Officer, said: ‘The government needs to show us the evidence – the public have wised up and demand open and honest transparency.
‘School staff, parents, councils and top scientists all agree – opening schools more widely today is a risk too great.
‘We still have thousands of new infections every day in the UK, and the track and trace system is nowhere near ready.
‘We all want life to get back to normal as quickly as possible – but it’s not worth putting children and staff at greater risk for the government to try and get some easy headlines
‘Ministers must immediately publish data on how many pupils and staff have been tested, how PPE is made available, who is funding it and the R rates where schools have opened more widely.’
