Why are you demanding 5 day in-person school now that the pandemic is getting more dangerous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you disagree and think that the pandemic is getting less dangerous? If so, are you actively monitoring epidemiology and drawing conclusions that are different from me?
Do you agree that the pandemic is getting more dangerous but think it only affects other people, not you / your loved ones?
Or do you agree that the pandemic is getting more dangerous even for you / your loved ones, but it's still worth the risk for the benefits of in-person 5 days school?

Here's why I think things are taking a turn towards the worse:

* the compilation of prediction models (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/forecasting-us.html) predicts 2700 - 9600 deaths a week. Yes, the highest prediction is still way lower than during the last surge (24000 deaths a week at its peak) but it's still higher than last August. More importantly, if you look at the underlying assumptions of these models, they aren't changing the level of transmission, beyond tying it to mobility of a population or weather. (https://github.com/cdcepi/COVID-19-Forecasts/blob/master/COVID-19_Forecast_Model_Descriptions.md). However, there's a reasonable chance that transmission rates in 2021 are not going to be the way they were in 2020.

* we are finding out that several covid variants are more transmissible -- specifically, "UK" B.1.1.7 (59% - 74% more contagious) (https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2021/03/03/science.abg3055) "South Africa" B.1.351 (50% more) (https://www.newscientist.com/definition/south-african-covid-19-variant/) and "Brazil" P.1 (200% more contagious) (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazilvariant/contagious-brazil-covid-19-variant-evades-immunity-scientists-warn-idUSKBN2AU22B).

* P.1 re-infects 25%-60% of people. Vaccines are much less effective against P.1 and B.1.351

* P.1 has been reported in 22 states, B.1.351 has been reported in 30 states, and B.1.1.7 is everywhere in the U.S. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html)

* Younger people are dying at much higher rates where P.1 is endemic - 3x case fatality rates for ages 20-29, 2x for 30-39, 40-49, 50-59. (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.24.21254046v1)

I'm not saying that I'm certain that all hell is going to break loose....but I am saying that I don't understand how the "open schools now" crowd is so absolutely certain that this isn't a likely outcome.

I am certain that children whose parents die are 10 bazillion times more likely to suffer a learning gap than children whose parents don't die.

Note: I have no formal medical education so I'm in the same boat as the rest of us, trying to figure this out the best I can

Is it getting more dangerous for school age children (I notice younger people
Is defined as 20 at the youngest) and vaccinated adults?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What person wants to go back to work when they can get paid to sit at home?

I hate working from home. I have been working from the school by choice since September so that I don't have to be stuck at home.

ES Teacher

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The sense I get is that the teachers union is just trying to run out the clock on this school year. They're not really interested in what is best for the children or their families.

They want tp get to their summer vacations. Now that they are all vaccinated and well rested from being in their homes, they are all set to travel.

I’m an APS teacher. None of us are “well rested” this year. What a stupid, ignorant remark. This year has been hell on earth. I wake up at 6, and work until 8 or 9 every night. I have my own family and kids to take care of on top of it. If this wasn’t temporary, I would leave my chosen profession, because a job that was already demanding is now off the charts. And then there’s people like you. I am so glad that my students’ parents have been supportive. You should be ashamed of yourself. I am definitely looking forward to summer, which means I will have survived this, and can go back to a normal fall. This concurrent stuff is not remotely fun for us, and we are really trying our best.

SO disparaging, to imagine anyone could think like this.

They don’t have a clue. Probably don’t even work themselves or have an easy WFH job so they assume everyone’s job is easy if it’s WFH. I have never felt lower and more defeated than teaching online at home between November / January. Like, I was looking for other jobs. That’s how awful it was. If we ever go DL again I don’t think I can stay. It was awful. And they think we were chillin at home and well rested lmao. I will teach all day in person with unvaccinated kids before I ever do DL again .

Well that’s all anyone is asking. Full time in person school for those who want it. That’s it. I’m sorry that people are calling it a “vacation” for teachers, I know that’s largely not true. But there are definitely some vocal teachers who are putting in the bare minimum and getting used to the lazy Covid lifestyle and really advocating AGAINST returning. So that’s where some of this criticism is coming from. If it doesn’t apply to you don’t take it personally.

Some of you need to understand that a handful of loud whiny teachers doesn’t represent us all and quit denigrating an entire profession by painting us all with the same wide brush . Yeah, everyone worked hard this year. I’m not special in that sense. But very few other professions besides teachers have been derided for a YEAR for “not working” or “being on vacation” or “not teaching” or “being lazy” or “not caring about kids” while busting their a** the way other working parents trying to juggle it all have been.

That’s really kind of you. I think I worked a lot harder than my Arlington WFH neighbors this year. A hell of a lot harder.

Oh here we go another whiner that is going to her imaginary gold in the misery Olympics.

You are not educating anyone. And your crybaby peers speak for you since you seem to be mute on the topic in the public platform. Parents who care are going behind you picking up slack. You simply cannot effectively do your job from behind a computer screen . I don't care how much you spin your tires. If any kid gets educated this year it's because of parents who are not only full time working, but full time.educating.

If a few teachers spoke up you'd have the respect you claim to deserve.

Personally, I’m not into public platforms because I may have students whose families feel a different way, and I don’t want them to feel alienated. Also, I have my own experience with my kids, both APS students, in hybrid, and I’m not able to help them with it. They’re not vaccinated, case numbers are going up (Virginia reported almost 2,000 yesterday), and I’m sorry, but they are learning. Even though I’m in four days, and they’re in two, I am fine with continuing this model through the year, and going back to normal in the fall. My vote counts the same as yours, my tax dollars are as good as yours, and your respect means very little to me. You are obviously not too smart, if you think teachers are on vacation, or that APS gives a hoot about two or three teachers that like DL.

[Anonymous]

I mean, school is open. Buildings are open. Kids are attending in person. Teachers are there teaching in person. I don’t know why this person thinks anyone is going to go in what, the news, and say I AGREE WITH THE STATUS QUO. We are there doing our jobs in the format they told us to do it just the way we have been all year. Not sure why you think anyone needs to be “speaking publicly” to support the thing they’re doing. Ever heard the phrase “well done is better than well said”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, school is open. Buildings are open. Kids are attending in person. Teachers are there teaching in person. I don’t know why this person thinks anyone is going to go in what, the news, and say I AGREE WITH THE STATUS QUO. We are there doing our jobs in the format they told us to do it just the way we have been all year. Not sure why you think anyone needs to be “speaking publicly” to support the thing they’re doing. Ever heard the phrase “well done is better than well said”?

+1000