Chances APS goes virtual after break?
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Anonymous
I don't know what the current issue is that is making teachers feel so strongly. With the exception of masks and outdoor lunch, school has been pretty much per usual. Very few actual outbreaks. Some extra absences for illness and close contacts. But not different than what most other working adults are facing. Much of the suck factor is just 2021. It's hitting all of us. It seems extremely extremely unlikely that APS is going to pull masks with another potential wave. And while another wave may be disruptive, it shouldn't be dangerous for those who are vaccinated. All evidence shows that vaccines work and are extremely effective. Arlington schools weren't hit hard by delta despite some dire predictions from SmartRestart. Let's not start panicking. Fear mongering arm chair parent scientists had teachers at my school really upset with reopening in spring 2021, despite it being fine in the end. And then again in fall 2021, and it's been fine. Let's not keep listening to them for round 3. |
Anonymous
DP. That post doesn’t seem obsessive at all. ? |
Anonymous
You think cleaning is a safety measure? Ventilation is a safety meausure. Surface cleaning is theater |
Anonymous
Parent here. Minimizing their risk to make yourselves feel better at what you're doing to them is not the way to keep them in their jobs. I don't think many professions have people who are being asked to jeopardize their health like teachers are. At least in hospitals they have significant protocols in place to protect staff. At schools they throw 30 kids in a room, toss a teacher in and shut the door. I totally get why teachers are upset and worried about their health. Until the rest of you numbskulls start to recognize that we are expecting superhuman things from teachers and then treat them better while also compensating them for the risk, we will continue to see them leave teaching. Some will leave with no notice and some at the end of the year. It is not hard to blame them. I also think there are a few parents here sock-puppeting and pretending to be teachers when they aren't. This teacher I take at face value because what she says resonates with what I hear from teachers at my kids' school when I talk to them. It is highly doubtful we're talking about the same small school. So, parents, wise up. Stop trying to browbeat teachers. Start listening to teachers' concerns. We all recognize that all you want childcare and, news flash, you're getting it. Just don't be surprised when your childcare providers are telling you that what you're paying them and the working conditions they're living with aren't worth the risk to them. Honestly, I would prefer if we go back to virtual. It worked great for my family and my kids thrived, and I'm tired of worrying about how lax some of you dingbats are about your child's (and mine) health and safety so you can earn your piddly pay. |
Anonymous
Sigh. There are no unions in Virginia, troll. Bye bye. |
Anonymous
If they aren't then they should be. What an idiot you're responding to ... someone who doesn't want to talk about vaccinations before allowing their child to go to a party? Someone who thinks asking about vaccinations makes you a "Branch Covidian"? Like, really? What a loser. That is no family I want near mine. |
Anonymous
I’ve been a building rep for over 25 years, have served on our local’s executive board, have lobbied in Richmond and attended national conventions. I don’t know what else to tell you. I do currently serve as a building rep. |
Anonymous
| Mmmmm. Whatever. "Union." For 35 years. (!!!) LOL. Nope, not in Virginia. |
Anonymous
Oops. 25 years. Excuse my typo. The rest still stands. Go back to your cave, troll. |
Anonymous
You definitely don’t know what you are talking about. There are locals for both NEA and AFT in VA. They have building reps. I don’t know what else to say and think perhaps you are trolling me. |
Anonymous
DP. In your 8:05 post you clearly identify yourself as a "union rep." That's what she is responding to. We don't have unions in Virginia, and we certainly don't have unions in APS or any part of Northern Virginia, which you would know that if you were truly what you say you are. Please stop embarrassing yourself and go somewhere else to troll. We aren't buying any of what you're selling. |
Anonymous
As if you actually had to close your post that way. That was clear from sentence #1... |
Anonymous
Unions historically don't have bargaining rights (but did as of May 1, 2021), but unions do exist in APS https://aeava.org/ That website has a list of union reps on it (in APS). If you really want to know them. Not every school has a delegate though. |
Anonymous
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Before closing they should:
-Make outdoor lunch mandatory; open windows -Make testing mandatory and daily (rapid tests for everyone every damn day) -put a quarantine policy in place for travel out of the state -close restaurants and indoor events -send the work force back to telework as possible I realize these things wont' happen. But kids have paid the price for adults not doing enough for WAY too long. My 2nd grader can barely read because she left Kindergarten without a solid enough foundation and then was just told to do Lexia for a year during 1st grade. She made a little progress, but she is WAY BEHIND where she should be because she has not had the instruction she needs. Her teacher certainly tried, but it was a garbage year. She's young enough to catch up, and we have resources, but she needs to be IN SCHOOL. I was mostly supportive of school closures last year. I realized the tough spot we were in with so many unknowns. But now we know 2 things: kids do not suffer from covid FOR THE MOST PART and virtual school does not work FOR THE MOST PART. |
Anonymous
Yes. Kids and their education were sacrificed on the altar of hysteria for the 2020 school year. Enough already. Every possible effort should be made to keep them in school before shutting down. Anything less is unacceptable. |