DC Charter School Alliance advocating for updated public health guidance
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Anonymous
| They forgot to include the absurd bathroom restrictions. |
Anonymous
| Nice someone is advocating for some updating guidelines. However, every charter school (short of maybe SELA) could be offering dozens of not hundreds of more seats and in-person learning than they are currently. Charters should be the schools doing to most, having the max seats open, using outside spaces and being creative. They are not it is frustrating. |
Anonymous
Dozens of midwest school have 25-35 kids in a classroom. Some with masks some lower grade without masks. They have had some quarantine days but for the most part it has been going fine. Of course they are mainly in schools with windows that open and larger classroom sizes. Many of the towns are doing minimal testing but, are also further behind the vaccine rollout as well. Point being it can be done reasonably safely even if it makes us uncomfortable. |
Anonymous
Yes, it's for larger spaces and could allow schools to use the library or gym or lunchroom to expand the amount of space they have for classes. It doesn't mean 30 kids though. The cohort size includes adults so a cohort of 30 could include 26 students, two teachers and two aides/paraprofessionals. This could be particularly important for getting kids multiple subjects with appropriate teachers and special education supports. |
Anonymous
hey, if the charters open full-time next year and DCPS doesn't, I will laugh my ass off. |
Anonymous
I would not bet on that. If DCPS doesn't open....the charters won't open. They have proven throughout this entire year that they are not innovators but followers. |
Anonymous
Don't worry -- it will never happen! Do you see how slow most charters are moving (looking at you TR, Stokes, ITS). I wonder if they will be FT this fall. Sigh. |
Anonymous
I'm not sure I would even call them followers! More like resistant to opening at all even when it's clear elementary schools should be open and that it's safe. I think DCPS is waaaay ahead of the charters. |
Anonymous
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yes. It's very clear sitting on endless parent calls that the reason opening is so hard is because of the mostly ridiculous restrictions. It's just so hard for the schools to figure it all out and abide by every restriction. It's frankly easier ot stay closed.
The cohort is really really hard for kids that change classes. I have to believe DC will relax their guidelines soon. PLEASE. |
Anonymous
| Glad to see it |
Anonymous
| Are schools allowed to ignore the guidance? Is it definitely binding? |
Anonymous
I think yes. I mean schools all over the country are open - not just TX and FL - (NY, MA, Chicago (IL). Mayor Bowser is either too afraid to do what is right for kids or too stupid and only seems focused on opening businesses (also important but not at the expense of kids). |
Anonymous
The issue is the city's health guidance, not CDC's. The city is capping the number of kids in class at 11, and that limit needs to go. I wonder if schools can just ignore it. |
Anonymous
Agree, folks are focusing their efforts on the wrong departments. They need to focus on advocating for DC health to modify the guidance. Otherwise, it's simply that DCPS and OSSE and the mayor are following exactly what is laid out in health dept guidance for school openings, issued in March 2021. |
Anonymous
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The mayor is responsible for both the health department and the schools. This falls on her and the DME and chancellor for not advocating to update the guidelines. If NYC can do this then so can we.
All three, the mayor, DME, and chancellor are responsible for this debacle. |