Data today 7pm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

Okayyyy—but let’s keep restaurants bars gyms hair salons etc open bc schools are the true super spreaders.

I have literally not heard a single person say that schools should close while all of those other things stay open. I absolutely think all of those things should close now, preferably before schools, but MCPS can't order the bars closed. The only thing they *can* do is close schools (which, given staffing issues, is as much a logistical necessity as anything else).

Correct.

The fact that we keep having this same argument over and over again and the sad remain person brings up the same points every time *may* indicate there's something questionable about them besides a lack of imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe the people doubling down on "KEEP THE SCHOOLS OPEN IN THE NAME OF EDUCATION" crowd. There were so many kids who didn't get an actual education today just by being in the building bc they didn't have teachers. There were no bus drivers. Schools weren't cleaned because custodial staff have been out. Just because a school building is open doesn't mean kids are being educated. You all are the worst of the worst.

Yup. This is what I've been saying all week.

The omicron writing was already on the wall.

People kept acting like there was a real choice between "send kids to school, and maybe they get COVID, but we have to live with it now" and "go virtual*."

And I kept saying the ACTUAL choice was between "go virtual now" or "send kids into a sh!tshow, watch as numbers climb and a bunch of them get COVID, only to be forced into virtual in a week or two anyway."

But out come the shocked and horrified parents who I guess had been in some sort of denial for the past few weeks.


*And many would not consider the possibility that was actually being offered-- virtual for 2-6 weeks max. They had to build up this strawman of an evil and untrustworthy MCPS that wants to keep kids out of school for the rest of the year and would use a few weeks of virtual as cover for their nefarious plan, because... uh... teachers just love virtual, it's not a gigantic pain in their butts and... administrators eating Pringles and bonbons all day and.... reasons... yeah.

Sorry, but trust has to be earned. Our kids sat at home last year for months and months for no reason.

Wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t MCPS requiring all staff to get vaccinated?

Oh yeah, the staff didn’t want to. Now they want schools to close because of COVID cases that people caught on winter break. Go figure.

Most of them are vaccinated. Find a new talking point.

“Most” are vaccinated but not ALL. MCPS doesn’t even know of the exact percentage of vaccinated staff because some staff refused to report their vaccination status.

All students and staff who are in person should be required to be vaccinated. If it’s time for a booster, they should be required to get that as well.

Finally, get rid of all this”self report” crap. Test to stay. DCPS is demonstrating how it can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone help me understand why they are counting 14 days? Why not cases over the past 10 days?

Because 14 days is the formula from the state department of education as well as the CDC school guidance. All along they have said that 5% or more positivity rate within 14 days the kids are safer at home because community spread is too high.

But…. They are getting it at home and not at school!!! School has been closed!!! Hello!!!

You cannot be this dense.

No, they did not get it at school while they were on break.

HOWEVER, Omicron is massively contagious and they will now spread it in schools since they are no longer on break. Hello!!!!

People tell me you’re not a parent to vulnerable children. Absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it always seem like Montgomery County Schools are caught flat footed? Do they not meet and talk through scenario's? What if there is big surge after the holidays? What if we don't have enough bus driver? What do we do if a whole bunch schools turn red at the same time? How will we manage lunches during a surge and cold-weather?

The list goes on and on and on.

These are good questions. I think we all know the answer: incompetence

Parents are demanding schools stay in person. What do you really want them to do?

A few loud, annoying parents are demanding this. They see no nuance. Kids could start being hospitalized and they’d still want schools open. They don’t speak for the majority.

You're wrong - those who want schools to stay open are the majority, here and elsewhere. That's because education is an essential service. But we live in a county full of neurotics led by incompetent bureaucrats who opened "escape rooms" months before the reopened schools.

Count me firmly in the keep schools open camp. I personally know more teens who have attempted suicide during the past two years than kids who got Covid (at all, let alone in school). And very afraid my kid might be next on the list if schools shut down again. This is not the way teens are supposed to grow up.

Stop playing the But Suicide Card. It’s disgraceful and disgusting.

If your kid is going to kill themselves over two weeks of virtual, very seriously and with no snark, get them mental health professional help STAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it always seem like Montgomery County Schools are caught flat footed? Do they not meet and talk through scenario's? What if there is big surge after the holidays? What if we don't have enough bus driver? What do we do if a whole bunch schools turn red at the same time? How will we manage lunches during a surge and cold-weather?

The list goes on and on and on.

These are good questions. I think we all know the answer: incompetence

Parents are demanding schools stay in person. What do you really want them to do?

A few loud, annoying parents are demanding this. They see no nuance. Kids could start being hospitalized and they’d still want schools open. They don’t speak for the majority.

You're wrong - those who want schools to stay open are the majority, here and elsewhere. That's because education is an essential service. But we live in a county full of neurotics led by incompetent bureaucrats who opened "escape rooms" months before the reopened schools.

I'm part of the minority who studies the data and who knew we needed to pivot to virtual for January, instead of having this weird daily uncertainty. But I feel the majority of parents are NOT rabid, open-at-all-costs people like the aggressive, pitchfork-wielding trolls on this board. Most parents are reasonable and prefer to close schools rather than burden hospitals too much and prefer students stay home, doing their best to learn, rather than get babysat in schools rife with Omicron.

Most parents want schools to be the last service in the community to close. Why are bars in this county open but schools are closing? Why are malls open but schools are closing? Why are restaurants open but schools are closing?

Why doesn’t MCPS allow test to stay so healthy kids can go to school?

Why doesn’t MCPS require vaccinations for all students and staff?

There’s a lot that should be done before closing schools. Montgomery County is an embarrassment. The Democrats that have been running the show through out this pandemic will not be getting my vote in the next election and I am a registered Democrat. At this point I have been pushed to the point that there needs to be school vouchers because there needs to be an alternative to MCPS.

No one is getting vouchers no matter how much you scream and stomp.

No. One.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

Okayyyy—but let’s keep restaurants bars gyms hair salons etc open bc schools are the true super spreaders.

I have literally not heard a single person say that schools should close while all of those other things stay open. I absolutely think all of those things should close now, preferably before schools, but MCPS can't order the bars closed. The only thing they *can* do is close schools (which, given staffing issues, is as much a logistical necessity as anything else).

Correct.

The fact that we keep having this same argument over and over again and the sad remain person brings up the same points every time *may* indicate there's something questionable about them besides a lack of imagination.

MCPS does not control those things, they only control the schools. That is a county discussion which has nothing to do with MCPS. As an adult, you need to use good judgement and stop the spread. If you cannot self regulate and not go to a movie theater, bar, or indoor dining right now you have far bigger issues than covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it always seem like Montgomery County Schools are caught flat footed? Do they not meet and talk through scenario's? What if there is big surge after the holidays? What if we don't have enough bus driver? What do we do if a whole bunch schools turn red at the same time? How will we manage lunches during a surge and cold-weather?

The list goes on and on and on.

These are good questions. I think we all know the answer: incompetence

Parents are demanding schools stay in person. What do you really want them to do?

A few loud, annoying parents are demanding this. They see no nuance. Kids could start being hospitalized and they’d still want schools open. They don’t speak for the majority.

You're wrong - those who want schools to stay open are the majority, here and elsewhere. That's because education is an essential service. But we live in a county full of neurotics led by incompetent bureaucrats who opened "escape rooms" months before the reopened schools.

Count me firmly in the keep schools open camp. I personally know more teens who have attempted suicide during the past two years than kids who got Covid (at all, let alone in school). And very afraid my kid might be next on the list if schools shut down again. This is not the way teens are supposed to grow up.

I'm sorry your family is in pain. And I know this is dcurbammom, where we tell each other to toughen up and deal, and I don't want to do that. I know suicidal teens. I was one.

But this isn't about your teen. Or your family.

If there is some quiet small way you can impart that to them and find some joy in what you all have, I recommend it.

DP, but you’re wrong. For once, we need to prioritize kids. Why is someone’s grandparent more important than this poster’s teen? I lost my beloved grandparents years ago and miss them daily, still, but enough is enough. Why are you forcing children to shoulder the burden, still?

+1 This is completely about that teen and all kids who are isolated, all kids who rely on school for some semblance of structure in their life, all kids who need the socialization that being in school brings for them. Kids belong in school. They don't belong at home sitting in front of a computer separated from their peers. It is unnatural and terrible for their development. This insanity that we have to close schools to protect "other people" has to stop. It IS about that teen. It IS about their well-being. We need to stop using kids to save this pandemic. They've shouldered the burden of it and it's time to stop. School should remain open and should be the LAST to close in a pandemic. We should be doing everything we can to keep schools open and instead we treat our kids like their dispensable in all of this.

That’s nice. They don’t have the staff. Feel free to get in there and sub though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

DP. Closing schools does not stop spread. If it did, rates should be sharply down now that kids have been out of school for weeks. They are higher than ever, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

DP. Closing schools does not stop spread. If it did, rates should be sharply down now that kids have been out of school for weeks. They are higher than ever, though.

Get out of here with your facts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

Right. It's not like the last month has had anything going on that would cause people to gather in large numbers or travel.



DP. Closing schools does not stop spread. If it did, rates should be sharply down now that kids have been out of school for weeks. They are higher than ever, though.

Get out of here with your facts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

Okayyyy—but let’s keep restaurants bars gyms hair salons etc open bc schools are the true super spreaders.

I have literally not heard a single person say that schools should close while all of those other things stay open. I absolutely think all of those things should close now, preferably before schools, but MCPS can't order the bars closed. The only thing they *can* do is close schools (which, given staffing issues, is as much a logistical necessity as anything else).

Correct.

The fact that we keep having this same argument over and over again and the sad remain person brings up the same points every time *may* indicate there's something questionable about them besides a lack of imagination.

MCPS does not control those things, they only control the schools. That is a county discussion which has nothing to do with MCPS. As an adult, you need to use good judgement and stop the spread. If you cannot self regulate and not go to a movie theater, bar, or indoor dining right now you have far bigger issues than covid.

Businesses are already closing on their own. They aren’t stupid. Staff is out sick and they can only handle limited business. All Apple stores closed last week in DC and NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t MCPS requiring all staff to get vaccinated?

Oh yeah, the staff didn’t want to. Now they want schools to close because of COVID cases that people caught on winter break. Go figure.

Most of them are vaccinated. Find a new talking point.

“Most” are vaccinated but not ALL. MCPS doesn’t even know of the exact percentage of vaccinated staff because some staff refused to report their vaccination status.

All students and staff who are in person should be required to be vaccinated. If it’s time for a booster, they should be required to get that as well.

Finally, get rid of all this”self report” crap. Test to stay. DCPS is demonstrating how it can be done.

We are not DCPS and we should have weekly mandatory testing but we will not. Vaccinated people are now getting covid, majority of people in MCPS are vaccinated so you need to find a new talking point. Vaccinating everyone will not help with spread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

DP. Closing schools does not stop spread. If it did, rates should be sharply down now that kids have been out of school for weeks. They are higher than ever, though.

They were not closed long enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still boggled by a parent who thinks the right lesson here is to te their teen that everyone else having to suffer so they can have algebra is the right call.

Sure, sweetie! Baba Jean and your physics teacher died alone choking on their mucous, but the important thing here is they did it so YOU COULD GO TO EMORY!

Cases have gone up but the death rate has remained relatively low during this surge due to these things called vaccines. the risk of severe, fatal Covid is low. There’s no true benefit to closing schools right now. The 2020 playbook doesn’t apply to the 2022 virus.

The benefit is stopping the spread.

DP. Closing schools does not stop spread. If it did, rates should be sharply down now that kids have been out of school for weeks. They are higher than ever, though.

The school outbreaks started before the break and carried over during the break as student spread covid to parents, siblings and relatives.