This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/08/ebola-fears-stockport-school-cancel-charity-visit

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ebola fears prompt Stockport school to cancel Sierra Leone charity worker visit Ebola fears prompt Stockport school to cancel Sierra Leone charity worker visit
(about 2 hours later)
A school in north-west England has cancelled the visit of a charity worker and her son because of fears by parents that their children could be infected with Ebola.A school in north-west England has cancelled the visit of a charity worker and her son because of fears by parents that their children could be infected with Ebola.
Nine-year-old Kofi Mason-Sesay from Sierra Leone was due to study at St Simon’s Catholic primary school in Hazel Grove, Stockport, this month on a placement while his mother Miriam was fundraising for the charity EducAid, which runs a network of free schools for vulnerable youngsters in the west African country. Nine-year-old Kofi Mason-Sesay from Sierra Leone was due to study at St Simon’s Catholic primary school in Hazel Grove, Stockport, this month on a placement while his mother, Miriam, was fundraising for the charity EducAid, which runs a network of free schools for vulnerable youngsters in the west African country.
Last month, the school tried to reassure parents that the forthcoming visit posed no risk to the pupils of contracting the disease.Last month, the school tried to reassure parents that the forthcoming visit posed no risk to the pupils of contracting the disease.
The school took advice from health chiefs in the borough and passed on Public Health England’s guidance that anyone travelling from affected countries who were free of symptoms was not infectious.The school took advice from health chiefs in the borough and passed on Public Health England’s guidance that anyone travelling from affected countries who were free of symptoms was not infectious.
On Tuesday, the headteacher, Elizabeth Inman, wrote to parents to say that “with a very heavy heart” the school and its governors had taken “the pragmatic decision” to stop the visit despite Mason-Sesay and her son having been screened and given unrestricted movement in the UK.On Tuesday, the headteacher, Elizabeth Inman, wrote to parents to say that “with a very heavy heart” the school and its governors had taken “the pragmatic decision” to stop the visit despite Mason-Sesay and her son having been screened and given unrestricted movement in the UK.
She said: “I understand that there is a lot of misinformation about how Ebola is spread. A significant number of parents have been in touch with me to express their fears. As you know, I always listen to parents. Ebola cannot be spread as some parents have suggested.She said: “I understand that there is a lot of misinformation about how Ebola is spread. A significant number of parents have been in touch with me to express their fears. As you know, I always listen to parents. Ebola cannot be spread as some parents have suggested.
“There are many parents who believe that the visit should have gone ahead and that we are contributing to misunderstandings by cancelling it.“There are many parents who believe that the visit should have gone ahead and that we are contributing to misunderstandings by cancelling it.
“In this instance, it has been very hard to juggle justice to Miriam and the views of parents. Of course I would never endanger any child or colleague and I have to put my trust in the professionals.“In this instance, it has been very hard to juggle justice to Miriam and the views of parents. Of course I would never endanger any child or colleague and I have to put my trust in the professionals.
“It is with great sadness that we decided to cancel the visit; the misguided hysteria emerging is extremely disappointing, distracting us from our core purpose of educating your children and is not an environment that I would wish a visitor to experience.”“It is with great sadness that we decided to cancel the visit; the misguided hysteria emerging is extremely disappointing, distracting us from our core purpose of educating your children and is not an environment that I would wish a visitor to experience.”
The head suggested to parents that a sizeable donation should be made instead to EducAid to recognise its work in a country “which has received more than its share of setbacks”.The head suggested to parents that a sizeable donation should be made instead to EducAid to recognise its work in a country “which has received more than its share of setbacks”.