City council voting today on bill to force school closings

[Anonymous]

When do we find out about where/when to submit testimony regarding this bill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in DC but I follow this because I'm in an area like DC. Obviously the bill is an attempt to move to virtual for months; I can't believe this is even debated. The metrics force essentially permanent closures.

It's just so sad to me. If we had been rational about school closures before, we could broach the subject of a month-long shutdown to deal with staffing shortages and a lot of sick people in the community. Not to pretend to stop community spread (closing school won't do that, especially with everything else open). Not to pretend that virtual is education except for a small group of privileged kids. But just for practical reasons (staffing, etc.).

But the extended closures were so harmful and so unnecessary that people can't even have the conversation. And rationally so, nobody reasonable would believe this "only two weeks" nonsense. So here we are. It's sad.

This.

[Anonymous]

Dont look now but omicron cases in Washington are plunging, just like they did in South Africa...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When do we find out about where/when to submit testimony regarding this bill?

Contact your council person as well as the at-large council people. Email them directly. Tell them kids need to be in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When do we find out about where/when to submit testimony regarding this bill?

Contact your council person as well as the at-large council people. Email them directly. Tell them kids need to be in school.

I regularly do that, and they regularly ignore me. Whee!

Anyway, does anyone have a link to Robert White's school closure bill? I'd like to be able to respond to it directly, and my googling is not proving successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in DC but I follow this because I'm in an area like DC. Obviously the bill is an attempt to move to virtual for months; I can't believe this is even debated. The metrics force essentially permanent closures.

It's just so sad to me. If we had been rational about school closures before, we could broach the subject of a month-long shutdown to deal with staffing shortages and a lot of sick people in the community. Not to pretend to stop community spread (closing school won't do that, especially with everything else open). Not to pretend that virtual is education except for a small group of privileged kids. But just for practical reasons (staffing, etc.).

But the extended closures were so harmful and so unnecessary that people can't even have the conversation. And rationally so, nobody reasonable would believe this "only two weeks" nonsense. So here we are. It's sad.

+1

The games and pretend arguments have really gotten to me.

Also virtual isnt education for "privileged" kids either. They only didnt fall as far behind because their highly educated parents stepped into the breach to cover.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone live in Ward 2? I have gotten no reply from Brooke Pintos office on this. It is extremely concerning that all of these Councilmembers are on boatd. They only need four more to pass this.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone hear back from their council members whether they support this bill? It's really scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone hear back from their council members whether they support this bill? It's really scary.

It’s truly a terrifying bill. Teachers will get appropriate masks, awful! We will get timely updates and case notifications - a nightmare! DCPS will make sure buildings are staffed, even if it means people from central office will have to leave home and go to schools…oh the humanity!!!

If the metrics for closing see what scare you, let them know…bills can be amended. To call this bill, which would mandate basic safety and mitigation measures, isn’t “really scary”

[Anonymous]

This is the description of the bill: https://twitter.com/maustermuhle/status/1478128022561693700
Not everyone would find it scary, but I believe that a lot do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in DC but I follow this because I'm in an area like DC. Obviously the bill is an attempt to move to virtual for months; I can't believe this is even debated. The metrics force essentially permanent closures.

It's just so sad to me. If we had been rational about school closures before, we could broach the subject of a month-long shutdown to deal with staffing shortages and a lot of sick people in the community. Not to pretend to stop community spread (closing school won't do that, especially with everything else open). Not to pretend that virtual is education except for a small group of privileged kids. But just for practical reasons (staffing, etc.).

But the extended closures were so harmful and so unnecessary that people can't even have the conversation. And rationally so, nobody reasonable would believe this "only two weeks" nonsense. So here we are. It's sad.

+1

The games and pretend arguments have really gotten to me.

Also virtual isnt education for "privileged" kids either. They only didnt fall as far behind because their highly educated parents stepped into the breach to cover.

That's a good point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone hear back from their council members whether they support this bill? It's really scary.

It’s truly a terrifying bill. Teachers will get appropriate masks, awful! We will get timely updates and case notifications - a nightmare! DCPS will make sure buildings are staffed, even if it means people from central office will have to leave home and go to schools…oh the humanity!!!

If the metrics for closing see what scare you, let them know…bills can be amended. To call this bill, which would mandate basic safety and mitigation measures, isn’t “really scary”

What a relief! I was really worried, but after reading this explanation you’ve convinced me that the group that introduced CORE’s demands will totally compromise in good faith. Maybe they will adjust the metrics so that schools are only in virtual through May. Gosh I feel silly - just like I did when I was told that learning loss is fake news but we should also adjust expectations downward this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone hear back from their council members whether they support this bill? It's really scary.

It’s truly a terrifying bill. Teachers will get appropriate masks, awful! We will get timely updates and case notifications - a nightmare! DCPS will make sure buildings are staffed, even if it means people from central office will have to leave home and go to schools…oh the humanity!!!

If the metrics for closing see what scare you, let them know…bills can be amended. To call this bill, which would mandate basic safety and mitigation measures, isn’t “really scary”

What a relief! I was really worried, but after reading this explanation you’ve convinced me that the group that introduced CORE’s demands will totally compromise in good faith. Maybe they will adjust the metrics so that schools are only in virtual through May. Gosh I feel silly - just like I did when I was told that learning loss is fake news but we should also adjust expectations downward this year.

Glad I was able to help

[Anonymous]

If they want to make school safer they need to have a student vaccine mandate and enforce boosters for adults and eligible kids. That would make schools, teachers, and the community safer and limit hospit admissions. Vaccines are not perfect against omicron, but for kids and many adults it makes covid manageable with at home care.

[Anonymous]

It was pretty obvious it would come to this. How long are families going to stay in DC? Even private school isn’t safe in terms of closures.

DC is going to experience a world of hurt. A year from now, the stimulus money will be gone, businesses still won’t be back in downtown full force and kids will have not received an education for a good part of three years.

If you’re a normal family and value safety and education, I would leave DC this coming spring. Sooner if you can sell your house assuming you own.

This is not going to end well for places like NYC, DC and SF.