Schools in Europe closing again

[Anonymous]

Battle between locals and national: Local officials in Moselle want to shut down but President Macron refuses:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1398917/Macron-news-Moselle-South-Africa-strain-coronavirus-outbreak-france-lockdown-latest-VN

François Grosdidier, the mayor of Moselle’s administrative centre Metz, called for new lockdown measures to tackle the new of new variants in the area.

But department prefect Laurent Touvet, who represents Moselle, said on Saturday: “The current measures are sufficient.”

However, there have been new rules on schools which will require immediate closure if a single variant case is discovered rather than a blanket closing down.

Self-isolation has also been increased to ten days instead of seven but local authorities are calling for more restrictions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So back to European schools....

many countries have closed schools this time around. A notable holdout has been France. They have been determined to keep schools open. When many other schools closed over Christmas break, France did not.

However, they are currently discussing whether they should extend the February holidays. Schools in France often get a February break.

https://www.thelocal.fr/20210128/france-considers-extending-school-holidays-to-counter-covid-spread

French President Emmanuel Macron and his government are considering extending the upcoming school holidays in an effort to slow down the spiralling spread of Covid-19, the government spokesperson said on Thursday.

Schools in France go on holidays at different times in February depending on where in the country they are located. Zone A schools break up on February 6th, zone B on February 20th and zone C on February 13th (see the official calendar HERE).

One of the options to halt the spread of the virus mentioned by Attal would be to move February school holidays "one way or the other" in order to keep everyone at home together at the same time.

I believe they will make this move very soon, and start everyone's holidays on Feb 6th. Give everyone three weeks vacation instead of one. It is a face saving measure, to say they aren't closing schools, they are just extending vacation.

Whelp. It took them two months, but France finally went back into lockdown.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56597319

[Anonymous]

Super depressing. Their schools are closing at a lower level of spread than what many here are calling “the end of the pandemic”. We have the CDC encouraging us to pack more kids into schools with less distancing, then days crying on television about a dangerous fourth wave. Then, they say travel is cool and lift domestic quarantine restrictions, while simultaneously stating that nonessential travel is discouraged. The messaging here is a disaster and it seems like the government’s goal is to sow confusion and distrust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Super depressing. Their schools are closing at a lower level of spread than what many here are calling “the end of the pandemic”. We have the CDC encouraging us to pack more kids into schools with less distancing, then days crying on television about a dangerous fourth wave. Then, they say travel is cool and lift domestic quarantine restrictions, while simultaneously stating that nonessential travel is discouraged. The messaging here is a disaster and it seems like the government’s goal is to sow confusion and distrust.

The United States is really 50 different countries when it comes to covid policy. It's ludicrous to compare some place like Texas where people were extremely cavalier to risk to someplace like Hawaii where they were extremely conservative about risk.

The three feet rule actually makes sense, because there isn't much of an appreciable difference in covid spread w/children sitting at 6 feet and 3 feet. The more important metrics are improved airflow and wearing masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

https://www.educationnext.org/covid-student-achievement-early-evidence-from-ohios-fall-tests/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

https://www.educationnext.org/covid-student-achievement-early-evidence-from-ohios-fall-tests/

Since that study used a test given in Fall of 2020 (when kids in Ohio were back at school to take the test!) it measured the effect of "crisis schooling" that happened in the spring of 2020.

Crisis schooling happened with almost no preparation; and truly could be considered "no school" for many students.

It didn't measure this year's Distance Learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe can afford to go back to virtual because so many of their kids have been in-person. That means there is less urgency to get back because the mental health and learning loss are much lower than here. We should have been back from the start so we could build in breaks during surges.

I'm pushing back on claims of learning loss.

What data do you have to show that virtual schooling results in learning loss? Has it ever been tried before in the US to this extent?

https://www.educationnext.org/covid-student-achievement-early-evidence-from-ohios-fall-tests/

Since that study used a test given in Fall of 2020 (when kids in Ohio were back at school to take the test!) it measured the effect of "crisis schooling" that happened in the spring of 2020.

Crisis schooling happened with almost no preparation; and truly could be considered "no school" for many students.

It didn't measure this year's Distance Learning.

You can't just pretend that the data will show what you want. We have past experience to guide us.

[Anonymous]

Schools are NOT closing because of children being 3 or 6 feet apart during a school day.

Schools are closing because all of the EU is failing at vaccine distribution. It has ZERO to do with alleged transmission in schools.

Zero. You people are absolutely, positively without a conscience to continue, above all else, advocating for school closures and celebrating them. It’s sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools are NOT closing because of children being 3 or 6 feet apart during a school day.

Schools are closing because all of the EU is failing at vaccine distribution. It has ZERO to do with alleged transmission in schools.

Zero. You people are absolutely, positively without a conscience to continue, above all else, advocating for school closures and celebrating them. It’s sick.

Lol okay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools are NOT closing because of children being 3 or 6 feet apart during a school day.

Schools are closing because all of the EU is failing at vaccine distribution. It has ZERO to do with alleged transmission in schools.

Zero. You people are absolutely, positively without a conscience to continue, above all else, advocating for school closures and celebrating them. It’s sick.

There are NO vaccines for kids. Kids still get and spread covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are NOT closing because of children being 3 or 6 feet apart during a school day.

Schools are closing because all of the EU is failing at vaccine distribution. It has ZERO to do with alleged transmission in schools.

Zero. You people are absolutely, positively without a conscience to continue, above all else, advocating for school closures and celebrating them. It’s sick.

There are NO vaccines for kids. Kids still get and spread covid.

But not at school.

[Anonymous]

Let’s review the stats on kids who have had serious health issues with Covid.

School is open and has been in the US with the exception of school districts run by idiots to appease a minority of parents, who undoubtedly have little to no education themselves.

[Anonymous]

My midwest school, which just opened full time 5 days in person is anxiously watching our rising numbers. We may have to go back to hybrid or perhaps even full remote in the next couple of weeks. This will be our 5th major change in one school year.