Press release from Brent National Education Union
Shortly
after death announced of pupil in special needs school in Waltham Forest,
meeting of Brent union reps advises members schools should not reopen
38 union reps and safety reps from
schools around Brent met tonight with their regional officials and branch
secretaries prior to the proposed wider reopening of schools.
Members were told “The NEU’s Five
tests have not been met and therefore it’s not safe yet”.
Questions were asked about transmission between children. Phil Pardoe, London officer, stated “The evidence is not there yet”. Jenny Cooper, District Secretary, said “The BMA backs us, many parents back us and other unions back us. It’s not that we’re militant for the sake of it; this is a life and death issue”. She then went on to share the news of the death of a pupil in Walthamstow and the sad news that in one street in Brent 28 people died of coronavirus.
Questions were asked about transmission between children. Phil Pardoe, London officer, stated “The evidence is not there yet”. Jenny Cooper, District Secretary, said “The BMA backs us, many parents back us and other unions back us. It’s not that we’re militant for the sake of it; this is a life and death issue”. She then went on to share the news of the death of a pupil in Walthamstow and the sad news that in one street in Brent 28 people died of coronavirus.
8 Brent schools were named which will not be reopening on 1st
June. Reps will be returning to their members in schools, teachers and support
staff, to pass on the message that their union advises them not to participate
in a wider reopening yet.
