Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[Colleen27]

I hear what you are saying, but it is a little different in an office or other adult setting. Asking and expecting an adult to social distance and wear a mask all day and wash their hands a lot is completely different than expecting children from the age of 5 to comply. Being an adult responsible for overseeing 20 plus kids all day is a bit different than adults taking care of themselves.

I think the retail workers getting coughed and spat on for reminding customers that masks are required would have a different opinion of how much better "adult" workplaces are.

I do understand the worries teachers have during this time. But those worries aren't any different from those of a hundred other professions that have been told "go back to work or you're fired." That's the way of our economy. I don't understand why so many teachers feel like they deserve to be an exception, and I especially don't get the complaints I've read from teachers who are also posting pictures of their new haircut or long-overdue color, their first "girls night out" since before COVID, romantic dinner out with their SOs, etc.

 

[Tinijocaro]

We had a 5th grade reverse parade at one of the elementary schools that I teach. Teachers all met beforehand while getting organized and most did not put on their masks or social distance. I went into another school today to do some work and the office staff were not wearing masks. Granted, it was a ghost town but I had a mask on, and when I entered the office, no one put theirs on. I wouldn't rely on the adults in the room to be compliant with masks and social distancing. What you see online is a microcosm of what will happen in the schools. Parents will be sending in notes as to why their kids shouldn't be made to wear a mask. It's just not going to work.

 

[HeatherC]

I think the retail workers getting coughed and spat on for reminding customers that masks are required would have a different opinion of how much better "adult" workplaces are.

I do understand the worries teachers have during this time. But those worries aren't any different from those of a hundred other professions that have been told "go back to work or you're fired." That's the way of our economy. I don't understand why so many teachers feel like they deserve to be an exception, and I especially don't get the complaints I've read from teachers who are also posting pictures of their new haircut or long-overdue color, their first "girls night out" since before COVID, romantic dinner out with their SOs, etc.

You are right! I didn’t think of retail workers at all. I am also not taking away from other industries and concerns. It is all worrisome. I do think working with kids does have a different set of concerns however. It is easier to tell an adult to keep a mask in as opposed to a five year old. I guess my point is basically that teacher and faculty concerns are valid and taken into consideration. I do feel this is just as important for people working in offices, etc.

I also did hear today that Stop and Shop is now stopping g hazard pay they were giving workers during the pandemic. I so wish they would continue this at least until it is more contained. These workers are truly on the front lines.

 

[monsterkitty]

All public schools in Florida are being forced to open and to be available for all students.

Quoting you again. Sorry!

Broward County is not going to require students to return to classrooms.

From the article:

“We do not see a realistic path” to every school in the county opening five days a week this fall, Superintendent Robert Runcie said during a Broward School Board workshop on Tuesday.

“We will never compromise the health and safety of our students, teachers and staff,” he said.

Even though Gov. Ron DeSantis wants schools to operate in the fall as they did before the pandemic, the Broward and Palm Beach county school districts are looking at three alternative reopening plans:

• Full-time, in-classroom learning, with students permitted to learn from home if their families so choose.
• Full-time learning online for everyone.
• A combination, called the “hybrid,” in which students would learn online two or three days a week and in-classroom on the other days.

 

[HeatherC]

Quoting you again. Sorry!

Broward County is not going to require students to return to classrooms.

From the article:

At least there are options here.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I’ve been undecided, however we are really thinking that we will keep them home with online schooling. Our district is scheduled for Aug 10th but they haven’t clarified all of the details yet.
For example; I’m not buying uniforms that we can’t try on due to store policies and can’t return to the store for the same reasons, when schools could be canceled midway through the year.
I’ll just keep mine home.

 

[BLAZEY]

Our school has been out for 6 weeks already!

Our school year starts the day after Labour Day and the last day is the final Thursday in June generally.

 

[godisney14]

Broward County is not going to require students to return to classrooms.

In this news article, there’s a statement made by Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, highlighted the toll of the virus on Tuesday.

Over 3,000 children under 18 years old have been tested for the virus, she told county commissioners. Nearly one-third of the kids tested were infected, she said.

Alonso said the 15- to 34-year-old and 25- to 34-year-old age groups are seeing the largest increases of the disease and that chest X-rays of children with the virus ages 0 to 4 have shown changes in their lungs.

“We have no idea what the long-term effect of this will be. This is not your usual virus that goes away,” Alonso said. “It’s not a common cold. This virus has consequences to the body, and we have no idea what those consequences are going to be going forward.”

Exactly what many doctors, researchers, and other people have been reiterating.
Death toll is not the only public health metric to be concerned about. This is not a binary medical condition.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Again, what are you trying to prove? I already explained to you, twice now, that I NEVER said anything about full time in person. Why do you keep harping on that when it was never said? Also, as I’ve already explained to you, it can be given approval at the county or state level. So your county has given it and mine has not. So nothing I’ve said is untrue. My county, right now, is not letting us do 100% remote learning. Our health director released a statement about it yesterday. So you can continue to share what other areas are doing, but it doesn’t mean what I said was incorrect. The bill (which again, is not some silly law) says a) medically fragile or b) state or COUNTY. Why are you having such trouble comprehending the county part? And to be very clear, the part I said you were incorrect on was saying districts could do what they wanted without approval from the county. The only autonomy the districts have are to decide within the order from the county/state. So if both 100% distance learning and hybrid are allowed, then a district can choose which they want to do. But they can not decide on an option not given.

But here, since you don’t want to believe me, here is a summary of the changes made at the end of the June. And it clearly says that if the health director allows it, a school MUST provide some in person learning.
View attachment 506989

Now this whole thing may be a moot point because my county is expected to be put on the state watch list by the end of the week, which may change it all. But for now, MY county is telling schools to plan for a hybrid model, where only medical fragile children can do 100 % remote learning.

As a follow up to this conversation from the past few days -

Our county health advisor and county school superintendent just held a joint news conference and reiterated that the ambiguity in the state legislature does not allow a district to offer 100% distance learning without the permission of the county or state health dept. If a district wishes to do this, they should consult with their legal council to try to figure out the ambiguity better.

Our health officer gave permission today for our districts to offer multiple models (in person (for smaller schools), hybrid & distance), so I am relieved on a person level.

 

[Boopuff]

We are supposed to go back (staff Aug. 10) most students will start Aug 24. The "youngest" learners will be in the same room/class/teacher the entire day. Older kids will be in co=horts, and a hybrid mix of on-line and in person learning. I teach pre-school. I believe it will be a nightmare. My biggest concern is keeping the helicopter parents at bay! But I think the school won't allow parents inside to drop kids off anymore.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't understand why so many teachers feel like they deserve to be an exception

As a teacher, I'm not saying I personally should be treated differently.
I am saying, Schools are not like businesses. A classroom of kids is not the same as an office full of adults, and I don't see how we can safely do this. Perhaps your argument is that our kids should be treated like adults in an office?

I especially don't get the complaints I've read from teachers who are also posting pictures of their new haircut or long-overdue color, their first "girls night out" since before COVID, romantic dinner out with their SOs, etc.

Speaking only for myself, I have seen exactly zero pictures such as you describe.

For example; I’m not buying uniforms that we can’t try on due to store policies and can’t return to the store for the same reasons, when schools could be canceled midway through the year.
I’ll just keep mine home.

I usually buy myself two back-to-school outfits, and I've bought nothing this year. I think your logic is sound.
I think if my kids were still young /still in school and I had a reasonable choice, I'd keep them home for the upcoming school year. But, then, we aren't experiencing negative mental health issues at my house -- we're 90% happy here.

Nearly one-third of the kids tested were infected, she said.

This teacher finds that statistic terrifying.

 

[HeatherC]

In this news article, there’s a statement made by Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, highlighted the toll of the virus on Tuesday.

Over 3,000 children under 18 years old have been tested for the virus, she told county commissioners. Nearly one-third of the kids tested were infected, she said.

Alonso said the 15- to 34-year-old and 25- to 34-year-old age groups are seeing the largest increases of the disease and that chest X-rays of children with the virus ages 0 to 4 have shown changes in their lungs.

“We have no idea what the long-term effect of this will be. This is not your usual virus that goes away,” Alonso said. “It’s not a common cold. This virus has consequences to the body, and we have no idea what those consequences are going to be going forward.”

Exactly what many doctors, researchers, and other people have been reiterating.
Death toll is not the only public health metric to be concerned about. This is not a binary medical condition.

Very concerning.

 

[MamaLema]

 

[Frwinkley]

View attachment 507474

I was about to post the very same thing! They operate in a bubble, are tested every other day, have all the money and resources at their disposal and yet they can't make it work.

I am a 3rd grade teacher in PA; we ALL want to go back to school. We want it to be safe for EVERYONE. Why is this so difficult?

 

[ajw28]

We are supposed to go back (staff Aug. 10) most students will start Aug 24.

Just wondering, what do you usually do with so much time before the students come? I'm a teacher and we typically only go back 1-2 days before the students.

 

[Boopuff]

Just wondering, what do you usually do with so much time before the students come? I'm a teacher and we typically only go back 1-2 days before the students.

We have the most fascinating (YAWN) seminars (4 days) then about a week, interspersed with building/team /early childhood meetings.

 

[Lumpy1106]

View attachment 507474

Oh please. You cannot compare the lifestyle of a professional athlete to the average high school kid. I guess you are not old enough to remember the stories that came out when Magic Johnson contracted HIV/AIDS. Let's just say NSFW, big time, and he was the rule, not the exception. All professional sports have changed not at all since then.

 

[Colleen27]

As a teacher, I'm not saying I personally should be treated differently.
I am saying, Schools are not like businesses. A classroom of kids is not the same as an office full of adults, and I don't see how we can safely do this. Perhaps your argument is that our kids should be treated like adults in an office?

No, I think most of the people who have gone back to work don't have the luxury of being in a safe setting in an office either. I think that is a new and unavoidable reality for the foreseeable future. Office workers, around me anyway, are the only ones who can still stay home. It is the retail workers who have to deal with an increasingly irate public and the factory workers sharing one large undivided space with dozens or hundreds of other people and the waitresses and the hairdressers and the DMV clerks and all those other people doing jobs that can't be done from a distance that are back to work, whether or not they feel like it is safe to be there every day. Teaching, likewise, cannot be done effectively from a distance. But I'm hearing from a lot of teachers that because they don't feel safe, they shouldn't have to go back... which is to say that they believe they should be an exception from the conditions that all other workers are having to contend with during this time.

I'm glad you aren't seeing teachers posting about all the ways they're enjoying the reopening of other people's workplaces while demanding theirs stay closed. I was pretty shocked to see it from some of my teacher friends, honestly. Because if nothing else it is really, really tone deaf, considering that at least some of the people doing those other jobs are parents who are stressing about how to balance work with distance learning and where to find childcare if the schools aren't open in the fall.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Oh please. You cannot compare the lifestyle of a professional athlete to the average high school kid. I guess you are not old enough to remember the stories that came out when Magic Johnson contracted HIV/AIDS. Let's just say NSFW, big time, and he was the rule, not the exception. All professional sports have changed not at all since then.

HIV is not airborne. I don't understand what point you're trying to make?

 

[meghanb133]

School is slated to start for us Aug 14th in Florida. They mandated all schools offer in person learning. Not sure what our personal plan is as our county is stalling to give any info. Our DD will be in 8th but is taking several high school credit classes so I don’t want it to be an issue online. We are hoping for the best but I’m keeping an open mind and options open. I work in healthcare so I see the direct affect this virus has on people. Mostly, my DD needs the social aspect of school and seeing other kids. She hasn’t been with friends since March and I feel terrible for her and her mental health.