When should DC drop its school mask mandate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was diagnosed with speech issues during the pandemic. He's receiving services where they are both masked. Obviously I don't have access to the counterfactual here, and as was pointed out, no one has run the study on this yet so we don't have access to that as possible body of knowledge. But this obviously isn't ideal. He has trouble with certain sounds, and masks impede both comprehension and seeing each other's mouths. It's not how anyone would choose to do this if what we were trying to do was provide effective services for children.

He is vaccinated. So is the person providing services. They are both tested regularly. And no one thinks this is going to end before the end of the year even if rates plummet. No one would publicly defend this, because of course it doesn't make sense. My kid is collateral damage. Of course I am not ok with this.

Solidarity.

+2 and I don't even have a kid in speech therapy. But I have a good friend going through the same thing and it's just insane because the response of everyone involved is "oh well, this is the best we can do." Like just having these extremely low risk people voluntarily take off their masks in a room separated from other people would be the end of the world.

I feel so radicalized by this experience. I don't even know how it's going to shake out, like who I'm going to be when it's all over. This is fundamentally changing my politics and how I see the world.

You should get some counseling for that it. It's not normal, to feel radicalized by 'masks', soon you could get triggered by bandaids or sunglasses. It's not rational.

DP. My issue isn't "masks" writ large or anything like that -- it is the ignoring of research, experts, science from the people who I would have expected to support research, experts, and science. Plus, an amazing lack of empathy for the real issues caused by the mitigation efforts. The continued moralizing of the pandemic, the need to vilify and shame. The Republican party is grotesque and I would never vote for them, but I feel completely appalled by many of the local Democrats I know who spout some amazingly unnuanced garbage continuously.

Well said. Yes, masks are not the end of the world, but continued masking of kids is infuriating because it is just another expression of the same evidence-free, overly cautious attitude that closed schools for over a year. People have eaten up the alarmist fear-mongering from public health officials and Twitter experts that has given them a totally overinflated sense of the virus' risk to children and healthy young people (clearly designed to get them on board with school closures and other restrictions), and now they can't let go of masks, and have to adamantly deny their obvious downsides and try to ridicule the people who point them out. It's pathetic and shameful, because it's done at the expense of kids.

[Anonymous]

It won't matter how loud you get. The golden carrot is driving these restrictions.

https://www.budgetchallenge.com/ESSERFunding.aspx?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Get_your_ESSER_Funds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After masks, we must get rid of hand sanitizer in schools, and uniforms - my kids hate them.

+1000

To all of these. I stopped putting hand sanitizer when I walk through the door at school a long time ago. That stuff is disgusting, smells awful and dries my hands out. I’ll just use soap in the bathroom. Let’s also get rid of the people who sit at the door all day and ask if we feel sick when we walk in the door. Let’s get more reading specialists or technology in the classroom that works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After masks, we must get rid of hand sanitizer in schools, and uniforms - my kids hate them.

+1000

To all of these. I stopped putting hand sanitizer when I walk through the door at school a long time ago. That stuff is disgusting, smells awful and dries my hands out. I’ll just use soap in the bathroom. Let’s also get rid of the people who sit at the door all day and ask if we feel sick when we walk in the door. Let’s get more reading specialists or technology in the classroom that works.

And soap! There is no reason why we should have to wash our hands in this day in age!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Getting rid of masks also has to come with stopping draconian quarantine policies. I want my kid to mask so she doesn’t get COVID so she doesn’t end of being out for a week or more. I’m not worried about COVID given what we now know that it is mild for those who are vaxxed.

Yes. And, if it was forced choice, I would drop testing and mandatory quarantine times (stay home when sick, like other illnesses) before masks.

This is absolutely the only reasonable answer that takes into account the needs of kids (especially ECE) and working parents.

[Anonymous]

I just want to say that I find the rhetoric on this thread disheartening.

For the record I have a child undergoing chemotherapy. The entire world is a scary place right now--add COVID to the mix and it's a downright nightmare.

I also have another child with a speech issue who gets virtual speech therapy. I get the shortcomings, I get the frustration and I get the desire to help minimize the impact of this speech issue on their life.

As I see my children struggle in different ways, I am in pain and feel despair and anxiety and I want to find some way to make it better. As I read the threads, I would venture to say that these are the sentiments driving many of the posts. I just don't see the point in the parent on parent aggression to promote one's needs over another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just want to say that I find the rhetoric on this thread disheartening.

For the record I have a child undergoing chemotherapy. The entire world is a scary place right now--add COVID to the mix and it's a downright nightmare.

I also have another child with a speech issue who gets virtual speech therapy. I get the shortcomings, I get the frustration and I get the desire to help minimize the impact of this speech issue on their life.

As I see my children struggle in different ways, I am in pain and feel despair and anxiety and I want to find some way to make it better. As I read the threads, I would venture to say that these are the sentiments driving many of the posts. I just don't see the point in the parent on parent aggression to promote one's needs over another.

I’m so sorry for what your child is going through. I can’t imagine having that fear right now. Wishing them, and your entire family, peace and good health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just want to say that I find the rhetoric on this thread disheartening.

For the record I have a child undergoing chemotherapy. The entire world is a scary place right now--add COVID to the mix and it's a downright nightmare.

I also have another child with a speech issue who gets virtual speech therapy. I get the shortcomings, I get the frustration and I get the desire to help minimize the impact of this speech issue on their life.

As I see my children struggle in different ways, I am in pain and feel despair and anxiety and I want to find some way to make it better. As I read the threads, I would venture to say that these are the sentiments driving many of the posts. I just don't see the point in the parent on parent aggression to promote one's needs over another.

I’m so sorry for what your child is going through. I can’t imagine having that fear right now. Wishing them, and your entire family, peace and good health.

Same. I wish you all the best. I can’t even begin to imagine how challenging that is.

[Anonymous]

DCPS should at the very least DROP THE MASK REQUIREMENT FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I don’t wear a mask. My kids are fine. I’m as Left as they come and would vote for every Democrat from here to California if I could. It’s getting ridiculous.

One of my students couldn’t even get breakfast because he was late to school dropping off his little brother. He went to a 7-11 for a honey bun and was told he was a “hoodlum” for not wearing his mask and he forgot to photograph is vaccination card on his phone. He’s 12.

I agree with the other posters.

#nomoremasks

You’re not a teacher in DCPS, I’m guessing? Because if you were you are masked up the entire time you’re at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS should at the very least DROP THE MASK REQUIREMENT FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. FFS.

+1000

And stop the ban on out of the District field trips. And in person extracurricular programming other than sports. It’s total theater and BS and frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I don’t wear a mask. My kids are fine. I’m as Left as they come and would vote for every Democrat from here to California if I could. It’s getting ridiculous.

One of my students couldn’t even get breakfast because he was late to school dropping off his little brother. He went to a 7-11 for a honey bun and was told he was a “hoodlum” for not wearing his mask and he forgot to photograph is vaccination card on his phone. He’s 12.

I agree with the other posters.

#nomoremasks

You’re not a teacher in DCPS, I’m guessing? Because if you were you are masked up the entire time you’re at school.

Agree. Something is off with these comments in this thread…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was diagnosed with speech issues during the pandemic. He's receiving services where they are both masked. Obviously I don't have access to the counterfactual here, and as was pointed out, no one has run the study on this yet so we don't have access to that as possible body of knowledge. But this obviously isn't ideal. He has trouble with certain sounds, and masks impede both comprehension and seeing each other's mouths. It's not how anyone would choose to do this if what we were trying to do was provide effective services for children.

He is vaccinated. So is the person providing services. They are both tested regularly. And no one thinks this is going to end before the end of the year even if rates plummet. No one would publicly defend this, because of course it doesn't make sense. My kid is collateral damage. Of course I am not ok with this.

Solidarity.

+2 and I don't even have a kid in speech therapy. But I have a good friend going through the same thing and it's just insane because the response of everyone involved is "oh well, this is the best we can do." Like just having these extremely low risk people voluntarily take off their masks in a room separated from other people would be the end of the world.

I feel so radicalized by this experience. I don't even know how it's going to shake out, like who I'm going to be when it's all over. This is fundamentally changing my politics and how I see the world.

You should get some counseling for that it. It's not normal, to feel radicalized by 'masks', soon you could get triggered by bandaids or sunglasses. It's not rational.

You are reading posts from parents of kids who are struggling and your takeaway is that they are triggered and need counseling? Did you work in comms for the McAuliffe campaign? This is why they are radicalized dumb dumb.

[Anonymous]

I’m a teacher and I have all of my shots. 2 vaccinations, 1 booster, and 1 flu shot.

I no longer wear my mask. If you or your kids want to, cool. Just keep all of comments 6 feet away from me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and I have all of my shots. 2 vaccinations, 1 booster, and 1 flu shot.

I no longer wear my mask. If you or your kids want to, cool. Just keep all of comments 6 feet away from me.

LOL!