A new balance in the post Covid order?

The shape of the post Covid-19 World is one that a number of people are talking about as in England, United Kingdom we are easing the lockdown and some of the tensions between science and political concerns are beginning to show.

One revolves very much around Women in the workplace which has been increasing since the 1970's aided by a combination of protection of employment while pregnant, reductions in the age of state schooling, the adding of both pre and post school clubs and funded nurseries for four year olds.

This then was topped up with older grandparents providing emergency cover and school holidays.

All of this is strongly affected by the virus with grandparents being instructed not look after children under ten due to higher risk and the likelihood of children being significant asymptomatic carriers.

Government and opposition for matter want schools reopened at least in part to enable working parents usually mothers to return but with a social distance of 2 metres to be maintained between in child, the resultant class sizes are at least a half and UK classrooms are fairly cramped.

What this means is you need to double the space and teaching staff to teach in a way that is safe if you are to reopen five days a week per child, per class, per school.

This needless to say isn't possible so some are having rotas that at rising 5's thru 11 equate to two days a week per group per class with additional work being set for home usually using the internet although that itself brings issues with connections and hardwear availability for a significant number of children.

The pre and after school clubs are off excepting certain "key worker children".

It hasn't dawned upon people that actually a good proportion of women will be unable to return because what made it possible isn't likly to change until a year at the very least when the crisis is actually under control.

Thus the gender balance will tilt as in the main it is then easier for men to return or take up a work placement because they do need the additional measures deemed socially necessary and of necessity those left out will need to relearn how to support children and be more mothers by what they do rather than having them for free time and relying on others to take that up.

It may be that women create anew roles and functions that are not about careers but about contributions, helping run community groups even running as until under New Labour under fives play groups rather than semi academic  nurseries with curriculums  that often cost more than £150 per week per child and to which there is little evidence children that age need academic education rather than socialization and play, parents teaching children to read themselves.

Personally I feel the experiment with artificially equalizing has been shown to be unsustainable.