Please close special schools in N.Ireland while mainstream schools are closed. These staff, pupils and their families are subject to the same, if not more, health risks and opportunities to spread COVID as in mainstream education. All of the other UK nations have done so, so you have precedent to follow, if needed. Parents at least have the choice to keep their children at home but staff don’t. They are happy to cover key worker children like mainstream educators do, but they should not be expected to cover the same volume as in low risk times. The school transport is still running too, which increases the risk of transmission due to mixing of class bubbles. Created by a concerned citizen, not a staff member.