We understand that some schools are still trying to enforce masks – either in class, or just in communal areas. This needs to be tackled by parents directly, on an individual school basis. Below are some suggestions as to how to proceed. We have also provided two template letters which you may wish to use. We would suggest banding together with other parents and either getting as many as possible to write, or sending the letter co-signed by as many parents as possible. We all know there is strength in numbers! As a parent you can write to:
● The Head of School
● Chair of Governors
● The Academy Trust
● The Local Authority
Asking why they are directly ignoring the Government’s recommendation and asking for their risk assessment. Please see this email which we received from the Department for Education on 14 May 2021 which is extremely clear:
You can also call the DfE coronavirus helpline, explain the disproportionate and wrong enforcement of masks and ask them to pass on the school details to the Regional Commissioner.
DfE coronavirus helpline
Telephone: 0800 046 8687
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm
The current guidance.
The Government have said that from the 17th May that “the current state of the pandemic and the positive progress being made, it is no longer necessary to recommend the additional precautionary face covering measures put in place from 8 March.” They go on to clarify that this means that
● Face coverings will no longer be recommended for pupils in classrooms or communal areas in all schools.
● Face coverings will also no longer be recommended for staff in classrooms.
If there is a localised outbreak, decision-making lies at ministerial level not at school level “No educational setting should move to implement restrictive measures of the kind set out in the contingency framework without the explicit approval of DfE.”
Potential harms:
A downloadable document with reviews of scientific papers can be found here.
