K-12 Schools & COVID

[pbiflyer]

Again, I suggest you get out of the bubble you're in.  It seems like a deep deep dark spot and not healthy at all.

Every adult with a job is being forced back into a work space that guarantees absolutely nothing when it comes to getting or not getting the virus.  If this teacher or any other teacher is uncomfortable with the safety measures in place at their school it'd be perfectly understandable for them to take the year off.  There's no shame in that.

Wow, that's some seriously deranged level bullcrap. My company is work from home through the end of the year. Many companies and government offices are that way.
Making such an obvious false statement shows we really shouldn't take anything you say seriously.

[Galway Eagle]

Again, I suggest you get out of the bubble you're in.  It seems like a deep deep dark spot and not healthy at all.

Every adult with a job is being forced back into a work space that guarantees absolutely nothing when it comes to getting or not getting the virus.  If this teacher or any other teacher is uncomfortable with the safety measures in place at their school it'd be perfectly understandable for them to take the year off.  There's no shame in that.

Load of BS my entire company fortune 300, minus sales which will be staggered, is home through the year.

Also here's a fact about MPS school system, you need a certain amount of sick days to retire. You lose sick days on maternity, so now you're going to add Covid to it, include quarantine without any plan on how this effects sick days which teachers desperately don't want to take especially female ones. You're just another person looking to screw over teachers because you can't handle your kids.

[pacearrow02]

Load of BS my entire company fortune 300, minus sales which will be staggered, is home through the year.

Also here's a fact about MPS school system, you need a certain amount of sick days to retire. You lose sick days on maternity, so now you're going to add Covid to it, include quarantine without any plan on how this effects sick days which teachers desperately don't want to take especially female ones. You're just another person looking to screw over teachers because you can't handle your kids.

And you're just another guy who is prioritizing MPS teachers sick day policy over the needs of kids, yikes.

What do you suggest a family do with two working parents and 2-3 kids enrolled in MPS, quit their jobs so teachers don't have to mess around with their sick pay and can retire earlier?

[tower912]

I sympathize with your position, PA02.   However, if the rest of the country goes the way the south is currently going, there won't be in person classes.    Pretty simple.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I'm not even sure why I'm entertaining this lunacy.  Thread started asking about what their kids school districts are doing.  Thankfully mine will be back in session and I hope for the sake of every communities kids yours are all the same.

I'll see myself out now.  Forgetful, Hards, Goooo, etc etc enjoy going back to posting on here telling each other how dumb everyone is besides you and the few other posters on here who just repeat the same crap back and forth to each other.

Bye.  Just remember, your mindset is symbolic of the problem.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

This is another way that the pandemic hits the poor.

Sure kids should be in school. Very few of them live in multi generational households so their families aren't at a great deal of risk. But In general they're not at such a great risk scholastically - many have reading and math skill above grade levels. And virtually all of them have access to a computer for online classes.

Inner city kids already behind grade level in reading and math without computers will fall further behind. But if they go back to the classroom there is a much better chance they will bring Covid home to people at greater risk.

Correct.  A small issue is the kids getting sick.  A larger issue is who they spread the virus to.

Bringing a bunch of people into small, poorly ventilated spaces is a problem.  Can it be done safely?  I'm not 100% sure it can, but IMO we have to try.  Space them out.  Mask everyone.  If there are outbreaks, shut everything down, go remote, learn and try again.  There are no good choices, but this may be the best one.

But to suggest that parents at-risk should rent other households, or dismiss the concerns of teachers, is...simply bizarre.

[pacearrow02]

Bye.  Just remember, your mindset is symbolic of the problem.

Hi.  Just remember your mindset is of the 5-10% minority

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Hi.  Just remember your mindset is of the 5-10% minority

What mindset is that?  I agree that we should try in-person teaching, but to brush off the concerns of teachers and parents is part of the problem.

And if that makes me in the 5-10% minority, well fine.  I'm not wrong though.  It is fraught with problems.  And if its not handled well, those problems will snowball and make everything worse.

[pacearrow02]

Correct.  A small issue is the kids getting sick.  A larger issue is who they spread the virus to.

Bringing a bunch of people into small, poorly ventilated spaces is a problem.  Can it be done safely?  I'm not 100% sure it can, but IMO we have to try.  Space them out.  Mask everyone.  If there are outbreaks, shut everything down, go remote, learn and try again.  There are no good choices, but this may be the best one.

But to suggest that parents at-risk should rent other households, or dismiss the concerns of teachers, is...simply bizarre.

Dismiss the concerns of teachers?  You're putting words in my mouth.

I dont think the renting of an apt is that strange if you're a parent that feels it's important for your kids to be back in school but you want to protect your own health.  But it's ok for us to disagree on that.

Glad we agree schools should be open in the fall though, good morning Fluffy!

[Hards Alumni]

This is another way that the pandemic hits the poor.

Sure kids should be in school. Very few of them live in multi generational households so their families aren't at a great deal of risk. But In general they're not at such a great risk scholastically - many have reading and math skill above grade levels. And virtually all of them have access to a computer for online classes.

Inner city kids already behind grade level in reading and math without computers will fall further behind. But if they go back to the classroom there is a much better chance they will bring Covid home to people at greater risk.

Absolutely.  Imagine being a single parent of a young child.  The financial and ethical dilemmas are terrible to think about.

[Galway Eagle]

And you're just another guy who is prioritizing MPS teachers sick day policy over the needs of kids, yikes.

What do you suggest a family do with two working parents and 2-3 kids enrolled in MPS, quit their jobs so teachers don't have to mess around with their sick pay and can retire earlier?

Lol you didn't even deny it. Not at all I'm another guy who would like to be able to take a trip with his girlfriend at some point without her feeling worried she'd never be able to because maternity time or retirement in this supposedly "great country". Or is maternity not a right to you, because teachers should be a personal nanny? And prioritizing over needs of kids? Take a step out of your office and teach the kid yourself. Hire a tutor, do Kahn academy. There's a number of ideas where you aren't forcing teachers back, paying for PPE out of a already poor salaries, to be exposed.

Well you're so cavalier about exposure and love telling other people to spend there money on apartments/RVs to "make a sacrifice" so you can send little Johnny to school then here's a response out of your book. why don't they hire an au pair or send their kids to a charter or private school where they'd have much more control over when and how they open.

You asked for my opinion regarding the inner city so here it is. Public school teachers should not be forced into these front lines without many of those questions hards_alumni listed being answered correctly. PPE should be a right if you're a teacher it's not an expense, quarantine or getting Covid should not be coming out of sick days. Classes should be staggered by two days a week in person, next week three days to create social distancing. Set up the class room using various partitions as well. Lastly, teachers are not nanny's or caretakers. Your mindset seems to focused on them being essentially nanny's, if a kid isn't there to learn then this year there should be harsher penalties that get that kid out of school.

[wadesworld]

Dismiss the concerns of teachers?  You're putting words in my mouth.

I dont think the renting of an apt is that strange if you're a parent that feels it's important for your kids to be back in school but you want to protect your own health.  But it's ok for us to disagree on that.

Glad we agree schools should be open in the fall though, good morning Fluffy!

I mean I guess you aren't "dismissing the concerns of the teachers," but when your solution to their concerns is, "Hey, if you're concerned then you should take the year off. Everyone would understand!" Well, you're dismissing the concerns of the teachers. How many teachers do you think have the luxury of being able to make $0.00 for a full year?

I do appreciate that you didn't know "why you're entertaining this lunacy" and that your "see yourself out." That went well.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

She comes back up to the mic, says most children probably won't die.  Maybe 0.02%.  And usually the ones who die were already sick, so you parents at home may want to keep an eye on them.  Oh- and we have virtually no data on how transmissible the virus is in children because we've barely tested any of them, but let me get out of your hair. 

It boggles me that a seeming side issue that is hardly touched on by the "gotta open schools" crowd is that while the kids have lower deaths rates, they are going to be massive disease vectors. You might as well be living with several hundred families at once.

[Galway Eagle]

It boggles me that a seeming side issue that is hardly touched on by the "gotta open schools" crowd is that while the kids have lower deaths rates, they are going to be massive disease vectors. You might as well be living with several hundred families at once.

just get an apartment/RV because you know everybody can afford that

[wadesworld]

https://mobile.twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/1280923202303209472

[cheebs09]

https://mobile.twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/1280923202303209472

We've become really numb to the numbers, myself included. Scary to think about.

[GB Warrior]

We've become really numb to the numbers, myself included. Scary to think about.

That's what the administration is banking on. Important to keep the eye on the human cost, not raw % that ignore the people behind it.

[Hards Alumni]

https://mobile.twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/1280923202303209472

We STILL dont know the long term effects of infection - we know it causes organ damage, neurological damage, lung lesions, in even the asymptomatic. Does that hold true for kids? WE DON'T KNOW! This is all one big lab experiment on our nation's children.../8

most important tweet of the thread.

[pacearrow02]

Lol you didn't even deny it. Not at all I'm another guy who would like to be able to take a trip with his girlfriend at some point without her feeling worried she'd never be able to because maternity time or retirement in this supposedly "great country". Or is maternity not a right to you, because teachers should be a personal nanny? And prioritizing over needs of kids? Take a step out of your office and teach the kid yourself. Hire a tutor, do Kahn academy. There's a number of ideas where you aren't forcing teachers back, paying for PPE out of a already poor salaries, to be exposed.

Well you're so cavalier about exposure and love telling other people to spend there money on apartments/RVs to "make a sacrifice" so you can send little Johnny to school then here's a response out of your book. why don't they hire an au pair or send their kids to a charter or private school where they'd have much more control over when and how they open.

You asked for my opinion regarding the inner city so here it is. Public school teachers should not be forced into these front lines without many of those questions hards_alumni listed being answered correctly. PPE should be a right if you're a teacher it's not an expense, quarantine or getting Covid should not be coming out of sick days. Classes should be staggered by two days a week in person, next week three days to create social distancing. Set up the class room using various partitions as well. Lastly, teachers are not nanny's or caretakers. Your mindset seems to focused on them being essentially nanny's, if a kid isn't there to learn then this year there should be harsher penalties that get that kid out of school.

When have I ever suggested them as being a nanny?  I literally said it's important for kids to get back to school for learning, daily structure, social interaction, etc.  never once said damn it, I need someone to watch my kids.

You didn't answer my question about the family with 2-3 kids and both parents who work and  employer doesn't allow them to work from home.  If in person teaching doesn't happen in the fall, what should those parents do?  Jockey recommended possibly foster care?

[pacearrow02]

just get an apartment/RV because you know everybody can afford that

Again if that's not a reasonable solution for a family.  Online learning is the way to go.

I didn't say the apt solution was affordable or made sense for the majority of folks, simply an option for some to consider.  Like the healthcare workers who did it or I saw stories of truck drivers and other essential workers doing the same.  It's not a far fetched thing, lots of stories highlighted over the past few months of it happening.

[pacearrow02]

I mean I guess you aren't "dismissing the concerns of the teachers," but when your solution to their concerns is, "Hey, if you're concerned then you should take the year off. Everyone would understand!" Well, you're dismissing the concerns of the teachers. How many teachers do you think have the luxury of being able to make $0.00 for a full year?

I do appreciate that you didn't know "why you're entertaining this lunacy" and that your "see yourself out." That went well.

I didn't say they shouldn't get paid.  Teachers who aren't comfortable with classroom setting can help with the online learning program until everyone is comfortable getting back into the classroom. 

There's reasonable solutions here that if you're willing to find can allow for as normal of a fall schedule as possible with limiting risk.  Or we can just continue complaining about what if scenarios.

[Hards Alumni]

I didn't say they shouldn't get paid.  Teachers who aren't comfortable with classroom setting can help with the online learning program until everyone is comfortable getting back into the classroom. 

There's reasonable solutions here that if you're willing to find can allow for as normal of a fall schedule as possible with limiting risk.  Or we can just continue complaining about what if scenarios.

But they really aren't 'what if' scenarios.

[pbiflyer]

"If the meeting to discuss whether or not to open schools has to be held as a ZOOM call, maybe you shouldn't open the schools."

[Galway Eagle]

I didn't say they shouldn't get paid.  Teachers who aren't comfortable with classroom setting can help with the online learning program until everyone is comfortable getting back into the classroom. 

There's reasonable solutions here that if you're willing to find can allow for as normal of a fall schedule as possible with limiting risk.  Or we can just continue complaining about what if scenarios.

You literally said "take the year off" when has that ever meant anything other than unpaid? I agree there's reasonable solutions, so far you have offered few and rather than address the reasonable concerns Hards listed you brushed them away.

When have I ever suggested them as being a nanny?  I literally said it's important for kids to get back to school for learning, daily structure, social interaction, etc.  never once said damn it, I need someone to watch my kids.

You didn't answer my question about the family with 2-3 kids and both parents who work and  employer doesn't allow them to work from home.  If in person teaching doesn't happen in the fall, what should those parents do?  Jockey recommended possibly foster care?

You second paragraph saying referring to two working parents implies they have nowhere else to send their kids so send em to school. That means utilizing teachers as a nanny. The other reason I thought you were thinking that was because I misread your argument about children's activities with Hards, my bad on that front.

I don't recall you literally saying "it's important for kids to get back to school for learning, daily structure, social interaction, etc." but I do know people misusing literally, literally drives me crazy.

I don't need to answer that specific use case, they aren't my concern. it's the teachers that are my concern because that's who I'm involved with. The kids can utilize online learning, in a group setting of rotating parents or nanny with would be classmates for all I care. That way you are still exposing your family to the same amount of people without forcing an underpaid employee to a dangerous work setting. If teachers are given sponsored adequate PPE, sterilization measures are taken, Covid specific quarantine and diagnosis are not out of sick pay, and there's thinning of a class size then I'm good with going back. At this time, however, you need to realize that not every district is like the seemingly extremely prepared and well funded one that your kids attend.

[wadesworld]

But they really aren't 'what if' scenarios.

Exactly.  Kids will get sick.  They will bring it home with the and their parents and grandparents and siblings will get sick.  Teachers and administrators will get sick.  To pretend this is "what if" or "worst case" is like saying people who predict snow will come in the winter in Milwaukee are just worrying about "what if" situations and it could just stay 90 degrees year round.