A head teacher has told students that they should get used to being cold as the windows at the schools will be kept open to protect against coronavirus.
Letting the air out
Barr Beacon School in Walsall has told students that they will not be able to wear coasts in class in the winter, but they can put on a vest or t-shirt under their uniform.
Head teacher Lynsey Draycott sent a letter to parents and told them about the idea to keep windows open, and the idea came from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies or SAGE, as reported by BirminghamLive.
The parents at the school, which has 1,500 students, are divided on the new policy that the school wants to implement.
One local said that the new policy might come easy for those who are brought up with no central heating and unheated bedrooms. There are primary schools that had an outside toilet block in some areas.
Some parents who agree on the new policy even pointed out that back in the day, many young boys wore shorts in winter, and girls wore dresses with long socks.
It was a way for children to get used to snow, and since the older generation was able to survive it, they are confident the younger generation can too.
But not all parents share the same sentiment, as others are concerned about the impact of their children being exposed to cold temperatures this winter.
Worried parents said that it is possible for children to catch a cold or flu, and they may be sent home for COVID. They do not want children to sit inside a classroom for hours with no proper heating as it can be dangerous to their health.
Wear more clothes
The letter was dated September 11 and was sent to parents. It said 'The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has warned that because school windows must be left open to fight coronavirus, pupils should start wearing more clothes and 'get used to being cold." This has been widely reported in the press.
Draycott added that the government is giving grants so that schools can open doors, windows, and skylights, which means that children will have to get used to coming in wearing more clothes, as well as the staff.
Draycott also said that when she was a child, she lived in Edinburgh, and they had no central heating, and they wore several jumpers in the winter.
A spokesman for the school told MailOnline that Barr Beacon School's first priority is the safety and well-being of its students and staff. To make sure that the children are safe, the school has shared with parents the steps taken to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The spokesman added that the advice has been to encourage the through-flow of air to reduce COVID-19 transmission, and to prevent children from being cold, the school suggested that students could wear an extra vest or t-shirt under their school uniform. The implementation will begin this school year, and all parents were notified.
