Threat of government legal action forces Greenwich Council to keep schools open


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The leader of Greenwich Council has said he has “no choice” but to ask schools to remain open following threats of legal action from the government.

Threats

The local authority has agreed to withdraw its advice to schools in the south-east London borough to move to online learning for the last few days of term amid rising coronavirus (Covid-19) rates in the capital.

The decision comes after education secretary Gavin Williamson told the Labour-run council on the evening of 14 December to keep schools open to all pupils until the end of term or it will face legal action.

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In a statement, Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said:

With Covid-19 cases rising rapidly in the borough, I cannot agree that this is the correct choice for our schools.

However, I also cannot justify the use of public funds to fight the decision in the courts.

Consequently, I have no choice but to ask our schools to keep their doors open to all students rather than just continuing with online learning.

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    1. Eton College closed down four days ago. A few boys and some staff tested positive for C19. They will enjoy three day a week schooling online until the end of the term. Why then is the Criminal Cabinet insisting that thousands of children and staff remain in school? Children carry the same viral load as adults. It is not those that go to the bar/restaurant that are a danger to society, it is the thousands of children forced into a closed environment and then to go home at day’s end. Then we have Haredim Kier insisting that schools remain open…who then had to self isolate because he his children were in contact with C19 at school! The same viral load and the same percentage chance they will pass it on. We are being governed by incompetent criminals, with no hope that the opposition party will assist society in any way shape or form. Plague Island is an open prison.

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