Test To Return for DCPS

[Anonymous]

I’m ok with test to return. It’s the return part I’m most interested in. Parents on here are never happy. Testing is important to prevent spread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Current Covid level is green. https://twitter.com/_dchealth/status/1557478625686994953?s=21&t=GIWKzq1UzW9gKu4kIsg8ow

Who cares, why are you so bent out of shape about a test that takes 15 seconds to administer. If they had an accurate 15 second test for flu they should give that too. Why would you want your infectious kids in school? Doesn't matter if covid is "not that serious in kids." I don't want to have to take off from work and be stuck at home with a miserable kid with a fever because you have some political axe to grind about a trivial test and would rather send your sick kid to school, screwing over everyone else.

NP. The tests are not very accurate absent symptoms. No kid should go to school if sick. Making everyone without symptoms test is a waste of resources. Use the money for soap in bathrooms.

The problem is, lots of parents send their kids sick anyway. They don't care if they get other kids sick, get teachers sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous, considering CDC just dropped that guideline

Lol no they didn’t. And the current Covid level is medium/yellow in DC

CDC no longer recommends routine screening testing in K-12 schools. However, at a high COVID-19 Community Level, K-12 schools and ECE programs can consider implementing screening testing for students and staff for high-risk activities (for example, close contact sports, band, choir, theater); at key times in the year, for example before/after large events (such as prom, tournaments, group travel); and when returning from breaks (such as, holidays, spring break, at the beginning of the school year). In any screening testing program, testing should include both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Schools serving students who are at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19, such as those with moderate or severe immunocompromise or complex medical conditions, can consider implementing screening testing at a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level. The type of viral test used can vary and includes over the counter or at-home testing (self-testing), point-of-care rapid testing, or laboratory testing. Schools and ECE programs that choose to rely on at-home test kits for screening testing should ensure equal access and availability to the tests; establish accessible systems that are in place for ensuring timely reporting of positive results to the school or ECE program; and communicate with families the importance of following isolation guidance for anyone who tests positive. Communication strategies should take into account the needs of people with limited English proficiency who require language services, and individuals with disabilities who require accessible formats.


Lol, and here DC is Orange/High Risk https://covidactnow.org/us/district_of_columbia-dc/?s=38452593

Current Covid level is green. https://twitter.com/_dchealth/status/1557478625686994953?s=21&t=GIWKzq1UzW9gKu4kIsg8ow

CDC has yellow. Not sure why. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=Maryland&data-type=CommunityLevels&list_select_county=24003

Either way, the guidance is for high. We are not high.

[Anonymous]

Lol, here DC is Orange/High Risk https://covidactnow.org/us/district_of_columbia-dc/?s=38452593

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous, considering CDC just dropped that guideline

Lol no they didn’t. And the current Covid level is medium/yellow in DC

CDC no longer recommends routine screening testing in K-12 schools. However, at a high COVID-19 Community Level, K-12 schools and ECE programs can consider implementing screening testing for students and staff for high-risk activities (for example, close contact sports, band, choir, theater); at key times in the year, for example before/after large events (such as prom, tournaments, group travel); and when returning from breaks (such as, holidays, spring break, at the beginning of the school year). In any screening testing program, testing should include both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Schools serving students who are at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19, such as those with moderate or severe immunocompromise or complex medical conditions, can consider implementing screening testing at a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level. The type of viral test used can vary and includes over the counter or at-home testing (self-testing), point-of-care rapid testing, or laboratory testing. Schools and ECE programs that choose to rely on at-home test kits for screening testing should ensure equal access and availability to the tests; establish accessible systems that are in place for ensuring timely reporting of positive results to the school or ECE program; and communicate with families the importance of following isolation guidance for anyone who tests positive. Communication strategies should take into account the needs of people with limited English proficiency who require language services, and individuals with disabilities who require accessible formats.

Current Covid level is green. https://twitter.com/_dchealth/status/1557478625686994953?s=21&t=GIWKzq1UzW9gKu4kIsg8ow

CDC has yellow. Not sure why. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=Maryland&data-type=CommunityLevels&list_select_county=24003

Either way, the guidance is for high. We are not high.

[Anonymous]

The requirement is absurd and we decided last night that we will not comply. Enough is enough. Here is the email I just sent to my school principal. I encourage others who have similar views to reach out to their principals. I'll let you know what happens!

--------------------------------
Dear [XXXX]:

I hope you’re having a good summer. I know this is a busy time of year so I will get right to the point.

I saw the news yesterday that DCPS will require all students to provide proof of a negative Covid test on the first day of school.

As a family we have decided that we will not comply with this requirement. I will spare you an extended discussion of our views that this requirement is deeply silly. In case it is helpful to know, our family is fully vaccinated and takes care to isolate and mask when we know one of us has been exposed to Covid. And we keep our kids home from school when they show any sign of illness.

The bottom line is that we are no longer willing to burden our kids with public health mandates not shared by the broader society.

So here is my ask:

(1) I don’t know if you have discretion related to enforcement of this requirement. If you do, I ask that you exercise this discretion.

(2) If you do not have discretion or are not able to exercise it (either of which I respect and understand), can you please let me know how I can escalate this within DCPS? Rather than a substantive response to this email, I would welcome you simply forwarding this email on to an appropriate person in the DCPS central office.

My goal is to resolve this within the next two weeks. Please know that – in any event – I will seek to avoid embarrassing my kids or [SCHOOL] staff on the first day of school. That is, we will not simply show up and make a scene.

Thanks as always for your work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The requirement is absurd and we decided last night that we will not comply. Enough is enough. Here is the email I just sent to my school principal. I encourage others who have similar views to reach out to their principals. I'll let you know what happens!

--------------------------------
Dear [XXXX]:

I hope you’re having a good summer. I know this is a busy time of year so I will get right to the point.

I saw the news yesterday that DCPS will require all students to provide proof of a negative Covid test on the first day of school.

As a family we have decided that we will not comply with this requirement. I will spare you an extended discussion of our views that this requirement is deeply silly. In case it is helpful to know, our family is fully vaccinated and takes care to isolate and mask when we know one of us has been exposed to Covid. And we keep our kids home from school when they show any sign of illness.

The bottom line is that we are no longer willing to burden our kids with public health mandates not shared by the broader society.

So here is my ask:

(1) I don’t know if you have discretion related to enforcement of this requirement. If you do, I ask that you exercise this discretion.

(2) If you do not have discretion or are not able to exercise it (either of which I respect and understand), can you please let me know how I can escalate this within DCPS? Rather than a substantive response to this email, I would welcome you simply forwarding this email on to an appropriate person in the DCPS central office.

My goal is to resolve this within the next two weeks. Please know that – in any event – I will seek to avoid embarrassing my kids or [SCHOOL] staff on the first day of school. That is, we will not simply show up and make a scene.

Thanks as always for your work.

LOL...That's what your principal is doing right now....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The requirement is absurd and we decided last night that we will not comply. Enough is enough. Here is the email I just sent to my school principal. I encourage others who have similar views to reach out to their principals. I'll let you know what happens!

--------------------------------
Dear [XXXX]:

I hope you’re having a good summer. I know this is a busy time of year so I will get right to the point.

I saw the news yesterday that DCPS will require all students to provide proof of a negative Covid test on the first day of school.

As a family we have decided that we will not comply with this requirement. I will spare you an extended discussion of our views that this requirement is deeply silly. In case it is helpful to know, our family is fully vaccinated and takes care to isolate and mask when we know one of us has been exposed to Covid. And we keep our kids home from school when they show any sign of illness.

The bottom line is that we are no longer willing to burden our kids with public health mandates not shared by the broader society.

So here is my ask:

(1) I don’t know if you have discretion related to enforcement of this requirement. If you do, I ask that you exercise this discretion.

(2) If you do not have discretion or are not able to exercise it (either of which I respect and understand), can you please let me know how I can escalate this within DCPS? Rather than a substantive response to this email, I would welcome you simply forwarding this email on to an appropriate person in the DCPS central office.

My goal is to resolve this within the next two weeks. Please know that – in any event – I will seek to avoid embarrassing my kids or [SCHOOL] staff on the first day of school. That is, we will not simply show up and make a scene.

Thanks as always for your work.

LOL...That's what your principal is doing right now....

Omg, why bother?? If you don't want to test your kids it's not that hard to find a random pic of a negative test and upload it. Is this really the hill you want to die on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The requirement is absurd and we decided last night that we will not comply. Enough is enough. Here is the email I just sent to my school principal. I encourage others who have similar views to reach out to their principals. I'll let you know what happens!

--------------------------------
Dear [XXXX]:

I hope you’re having a good summer. I know this is a busy time of year so I will get right to the point.

I saw the news yesterday that DCPS will require all students to provide proof of a negative Covid test on the first day of school.

As a family we have decided that we will not comply with this requirement. I will spare you an extended discussion of our views that this requirement is deeply silly. In case it is helpful to know, our family is fully vaccinated and takes care to isolate and mask when we know one of us has been exposed to Covid. And we keep our kids home from school when they show any sign of illness.

The bottom line is that we are no longer willing to burden our kids with public health mandates not shared by the broader society.

So here is my ask:

(1) I don’t know if you have discretion related to enforcement of this requirement. If you do, I ask that you exercise this discretion.

(2) If you do not have discretion or are not able to exercise it (either of which I respect and understand), can you please let me know how I can escalate this within DCPS? Rather than a substantive response to this email, I would welcome you simply forwarding this email on to an appropriate person in the DCPS central office.

My goal is to resolve this within the next two weeks. Please know that – in any event – I will seek to avoid embarrassing my kids or [SCHOOL] staff on the first day of school. That is, we will not simply show up and make a scene.

Thanks as always for your work.

LOL...That's what your principal is doing right now....

Omg, why bother?? If you don't want to test your kids it's not that hard to find a random pic of a negative test and upload it. Is this really the hill you want to die on?

+1. We’re going to opt out of asymptomatic testing this year, if that’s still happening, but I’m happy to make it easy on the administration and upload a negative test for them. I’m confident we’ll be negative since we had a lot of exposure this summer and never tested positive, but those were all rapids and who knows what a PCR would have shown.

[Anonymous]

I'm not going to start the school year off by lying to the school.

We've all had to deal with a lot of silly rules, some burdensome and some not. In this case, the requirement is not warranted by the current situation. And it is arguably illegal.

[Anonymous]

We also opted out of asymptomatic testing last year and will continue to do so this year. We will no longer subject our kids to regular unnecessary invasive testing.

[Anonymous]

Oh come on. It takes like a minute and the kids have all done it a million times. Just take the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on. It takes like a minute and the kids have all done it a million times. Just take the test.

I agree. I have no problem with this. It's easy to do and if it makes teachers and staff feel safer/better then I am all for it.

It takes a few seconds and it's easy to get the tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on. It takes like a minute and the kids have all done it a million times. Just take the test.

I agree. I have no problem with this. It's easy to do and if it makes teachers and staff feel safer/better then I am all for it.

It takes a few seconds and it's easy to get the tests.

Being fully vaccinated and boosted will make teachers and staff safe. Testing my asymptomatic child will have little to no impact on their safety.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the confluence of DCPS announcing their test to return program right at the same time the CDC announces that asymptomatic testing is no longer appropriate makes DCPS look out of step. It does seem like a waste or resources at this point. I think many families will just go through the motions and submit a negative test. I agree with others that it would be way more effective if DCPS were to just come up with a plan and resources to make sure there is hand soap in all bathrooms all year long. How can it be that hard??

[Anonymous]

Our family of 5 all had covid sequentially this summer, and those rapid tests worked like a charm. Picked it up about 12 hours before we started feeling bad and staying positive until Day 9 or 10. They seem pretty solid on BA5…