Windsor State School’s ‘high-risk’ disco cancelled
A Brisbane primary school’s “COVID SAFE DISCO” planned for Thursday despite a statewide ban on dancing has been called off by the Department of Education after concerned parents spoke out over the “stupid” event.
Education
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A SCHOOL disco planned for Thursday despite blanket bans on dancing has been cancelled by the Department of Education on the back of parental concerns over the risk of an outbreak.
Windsor State School was planning to have its “COVID SAFE DISCO” with the theme “holidays” and “where to go after iso” despite COVID-19 health guidelines deeming dancing to be too high-risk.
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A concerned parent who spoke The Courier-Mail under the condition on anonymity said going ahead with the school disco was “stupid”, sounding alarm over the risk of hundreds of children mixing at the event and questioning how you could have a school disco with no dancing.
After The Courier-Mail contacted the Department of Education yesterday a spokeswoman said the school would now postpone the event.
“After careful consideration and further advice from Queensland Health, the school has decided to postpone this event,” she said.
“The willingness of the school community to forgo this event is a clear commitment to the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders at this time.”
The department also conceded they would have to provide “further advice” to schools on compliance with stage three restrictions.
A Department of Health spokesman said in the interest of preventing unnecessary contact and potential transmission, dance floors were not allowed at any venue.
Only wedding couples themselves and with their respective parents, and students and teachers at accredited dance schools are permitted to dance with appropriate hygiene and distancing measures in place.
The school had planned two split the primary students into two groups for the event, with Prep to Year 2 pupils at the disco for about an hour-long event, and then after a 30 minute period, Years 3 – 6 could attend their disco.
The COVID-Safe plan documents outlined how the DJ for the event would be socially distanced – with tape markings ensuring physical space of 1.5 metres.
The plans also outlined provisions for managing social distancing between school staff, drop off and pick up points and physical distancing for parents, handling of cash with gloves, and availability handwashing facilities and sanitiser.
However, the plans did not include any information about whether children were permitted to dance, or how the school would prevent it.
The parent said they understood that year 12 students at a formal could be told not to dance, but you would not be able to tell primary school kids not to dance.
“Schools need to realise it’s a privilege they’re still open, they shouldn’t be because they can’t socially distance at school but we’re allowing an exception for the sake of the economy,” the parent said.
“I’d just hate for there to be a breakout and then all of us look back on it and go oh well that was stupid, a reasonable person would have said that disco was a stupid idea.”