School reopening could be DELAYED beyond June 1 as Northern towns revolt at plans
THE reopening of primary schools may be delayed beyond June 1 amid a growing revolt.
More local authorities yesterday advised their schools to stay closed on that date, including the first Tory-run council.
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It also emerged the NEU teaching union boss has threatened to wage a social media campaign against heads who defy their orders.
Conservative-controlled Solihull in the West Midlands said yesterday classrooms must be made safe and may not be ready until June 8.
Leeds City Council said a June 1 reopening would be “impossible” while Sefton Council in Merseyside urged schools to close until June 15.
Calderdale Council in West Yorks said it will defy the Government, saying: “We cannot advise our local schools it will be safe to reopen yet.”
They were joined by a string of other local authorities in the North, including Bury, Hartlepool and Blackburn and Darwen.
However Tory MPs in Bury laid into the Labour-run council over the revolt. James Daly and Christian Wakeford urged headteachers to ignore the “political grandstanding” and make their own call.
Meanwhile, NEU boss Kevin Courtney has promised to target heads who reopen without sticking to his enormous 20-page health and safety checklist.
HUGE SAFETY CHECKLIST
It includes a whopping 169 questions and calls for extra cleaners to wash paint brushes.
He told activists in a video call: “We will be talking with our regional secretaries about putting things on social media, saying this school is putting lives at risk.
“And we will be threatening heads with that if they are behaving in those bad ways.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson met union bosses yesterday in a bid to talk them round.
The Government has set out five strict tests — including getting death and infection rates down — before schools can reopen for kids in reception, year one and six.
The PM’s spokesman stressed it was only “possible” pupils will go back on June 1, adding: “That will only happen if it’s safe to do so.”
Labour’s Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham backed the growing council revolt.
He said: “There needs to be a little flexibility offered to councils like Bury to put in place the local arrangements to reassure parents, teachers and the wider community.”
He added: “If that means a week or a couple of weeks beyond June 1, I say so be it.”
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The Government’s senior scientist Angela McLean said the Sage group will assess tomorrow if kids can head back on June 1.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said schools must reopen as we start to “live alongside this virus for some time to come”.
An NEU spokesman said 64 school staff in Britain have died from the virus, adding: “It is our duty to protect our members and keep them safe at work during this awful pandemic.”
THE BARD KIDS
By Kate Docherty
KIDS are sending a big “thank you” to their heroic teachers.
Pupils posted videos and snaps on social media to mark Thank a Teacher Day today.
Grace, 12, from St Albans, Herts, penned a poem. Her verse to Samuel Ryder Academy head Matt Gauthier read: “You built a school for us to go — a place from which we could grow.
"A place we feel safe, a place to learn — a place that doesn’t make our stomachs churn.”
Charlie, eight, of Dobcross, Gtr Manchester, thanked his history teachers while bouncing on his trampoline. Kids are encouraged to post on social media with the hashtag #ThankATeacher.
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