There WILL (probably) be 5 days a week in-person in all districts this fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that thrilled. I think i and ii still leave it wide open for hybrid. But I’m not saying they could pass anything better.

I don't see how hybrid complies with this sentence:

"Each school board shall offer in-person instruction to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary and secondary school for at least the minimum number of required instructional hours "

The required instruction hours are 990. A full school year. And they narrowly definite in-person instruction to exclude proctoring in the classroom with a remote teacher.

I think all that is caveated by having to follow cdc guidelines in ii.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

I disagree. I think the school systems made the wrong decisions. Northam said schools could open in August and they didn’t. And our numbers were among the lowest in the state - not the highest such that might warrant being more conservative than his recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

Yep. I'm a Dem and I hope he signs it. If something happened and Covid got really terrible again, he has wiggle room. He could simply waive the requirement for 990 hours to allow for hybrid. But that gives the state the control and not the individual school districts who have proved incompetent at making plans and decisions.

+2 Northam is fairly pro school opening - or at least not pro closure - and he is expected to sign this. Remember that K-3 and kids with IEP’s and ELL are allowed to be in school even in a full on rollback to phase 2. (Which is not happening anyway, but just goes to show that even if there’s a rollback to increased closures, in person school is still allowed!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

Yep. I'm a Dem and I hope he signs it. If something happened and Covid got really terrible again, he has wiggle room. He could simply waive the requirement for 990 hours to allow for hybrid. But that gives the state the control and not the individual school districts who have proved incompetent at making plans and decisions.

Yes. I’m a conservative and agree that a little wiggle room is good. Also if something changes (the dreaded variants or whatever) and there is school spread then they can do remote or hybrid in each affected school. But I think the bill makes the wiggle room as small as reasonably possible.

As for finding teachers, how is that more concern than in a normal year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that thrilled. I think i and ii still leave it wide open for hybrid. But I’m not saying they could pass anything better.

I don't see how hybrid complies with this sentence:

"Each school board shall offer in-person instruction to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary and secondary school for at least the minimum number of required instructional hours "

The required instruction hours are 990. A full school year. And they narrowly definite in-person instruction to exclude proctoring in the classroom with a remote teacher.

I think all that is caveated by having to follow cdc guidelines in ii.

“To the maximum extent possible”

The requirement for in person trumps using mitigation methods outlined by CDC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

The problem seems to be school boards that are beholden to teachers for votes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

Yep. I'm a Dem and I hope he signs it. If something happened and Covid got really terrible again, he has wiggle room. He could simply waive the requirement for 990 hours to allow for hybrid. But that gives the state the control and not the individual school districts who have proved incompetent at making plans and decisions.

+2 Northam is fairly pro school opening - or at least not pro closure - and he is expected to sign this. Remember that K-3 and kids with IEP’s and ELL are allowed to be in school even in a full on rollback to phase 2. (Which is not happening anyway, but just goes to show that even if there’s a rollback to increased closures, in person school is still allowed!)

Exactly! Third graders could have gone to school under Phase 2 starting last summer and our district has them going in last! It's ridiculous.

I would be shocked if he didn't sign this. He has been prodding the northern va schools to open for months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder where they'll get enough teachers from to do this? I don't think it will be possible.

No ADA accommodations for vaccinated teachers. And I imagine ADA requests will be a fraction of what they were this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder where they'll get enough teachers from to do this? I don't think it will be possible.

No ADA accommodations for vaccinated teachers. And I imagine ADA requests will be a fraction of what they were this year.

yep. Not every teacher is wealthy enough to retire immediately. Some have high earning spouses, but it seems like most need the paycheck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

That crystalized how much of a sham this all was. Rules are for thee but not for me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

That crystalized how much of a sham this all was. Rules are for thee but not for me

Yep. In LCPS, I think only 2 of the 9 school board members even have kids in the system any more. One of them - her child goes to TJ. And the other one put his kids in private this year. (In his defense he has always voted in favor of reopening, but I guess he knew he was outnumbered.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

That crystalized how much of a sham this all was. Rules are for thee but not for me

No, he did it because his kid was being bullied. The apples don't roll far from the tree in that town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

That crystalized how much of a sham this all was. Rules are for thee but not for me

No, he did it because his kid was being bullied. The apples don't roll far from the tree in that town.

Or that's why he SAID he did it so it wouldn' t look so bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bad idea. I hope that Northam sees through it and doesn't sign the bill. I don't understand why they are caving to the crazies. They need to leave some room for the school systems to make choices based on their needs and what they have to work with. The PP about the teacher shortage is right to bring that up.

We saw what happened when school systems were allowed to make choices- that's the whole reason the language passed

I don't have a problem with what the school systems have done. I think they've taken the right paths, and that includes ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, etc. The legislature is hamstringing themselves with that language and it is going to bite them in the bottoms. Let the people who know what they're doing, the superintendents, make the right choices.

Well our superintendent pulled his kid from his public school and sent her to a catholic school so she could be in person. Superintendents are not making the best (right) choices for the children, they just want to appease their employees. Complete lack of leadership and civic duty in that cadre.

That crystalized how much of a sham this all was. Rules are for thee but not for me

No, he did it because his kid was being bullied. The apples don't roll far from the tree in that town.

Or that's why he SAID he did it so it wouldn' t look so bad.

It is what my kids observed.