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Education Union Launches Escalation App to Support School Closure Campaign

Education Union Launches Escalation App to Further School Closure Campaign
05 November 2020
 

The National Education Union has launched a member app to raise safety concerns resulting from COVID-19.

The National Education Union (NEU) represents the majority of teachers and education professionals in the UK, and has launched the app in support of their campaign for schools to be closed over the November lockdown period.

The app can be used for teachers and school staff to report positive cases of coronavirus and other safety concerns, including increased workload. App users will be able to escalate their concerns in several ways and also request a ballot for strike action if they feel safety measures are not being met.

The launch of this app is part of NEU’s major national advertising campaign across the country, asking the constituents of MPs to ask them to put schools into lockdown.

 

“It is clear from ONS data that schools are an engine for virus transmission. It would be self-defeating for the government to impose a national lockdown, whilst ignoring the role of schools as a major contributor to the spread of the virus.”

–Kevin Courtney

Joint General Secretary, National Education Union 

 

#PutSchoolsInTheLockdown Campaign

 

The NEU argues that by including schools and colleges in the four-week lockdown, this will help to reduce the infection rate and avoid further damaging lockdowns.

“Virus levels are now 50 times higher amongst secondary pupils than they were in September. We can't ignore this and continue as normal. Boris Johnson MP needs to think again.” states the NEU’s website.

The union says that schools should remain open to the children of key workers and vulnerable children. 

 

“Schools are an Engine for Virus Transmission”

 

Pointing to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union said:

“It is clear from ONS data that schools are an engine for virus transmission. It would be self-defeating for the government to impose a national lockdown, whilst ignoring the role of schools as a major contributor to the spread of the virus.

“Such a lockdown would impose pain on the whole community - but not be as effective as it could be if schools were included. Ignoring the role of schools and colleges in the spread of the virus is likely to lead to the need for even longer lockdowns in future.”

Picture: a photograph of a desk showing a pile of books, an apple, a clock, some colouring pencils and a pair of spectacles

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 05 November 2020

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