DCPS Double Down on Travel Policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is it to just...not travel? I truly don't understand. I don't want to travel and risk my unvaccinated kids coming into contact with more people. All of you so excited about flying to Italy, Florida, seeing MIL in NYC - don't you understand there is risk to your kids? I am worried about my kids, why aren't you worried about yours?

DC being the kind of place it is, lots of us have family in other statues. How hard is that to understand? And what about those of us in professions where work travel is going to resume later this year? It's a bad rule, and should be withdrawn.

I agree with you, but this rule wouldn’t affect your work travel as long as you are vaccinated, since you presumably aren’t bringing your kids with you.

[Anonymous]

Because it is amusing, here is MCPS's policy on travel:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus/travel/

You can test within 72 hours of returning (meaning an hour of returning), and then once you get your (rapid, OTC) test back you can go to school. At least that's how I read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OSSE updated their FAQs today- https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/Approved_Consolidated%20School%20FAQs_07.2.21.pdf

From this document- see #39:

39. If an individual travels to any place other than Maryland or Virginia and receives a
negative COVID-19 test upon their return to the District, can they return to school?
[UPDATED]

Per DC Health’s Guidance for Travel, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals who have traveled
domestically to any place other than Maryland or Virginia must either (1) not attend school for 10 days
after returning, or (2) not attend school until tested for COVID-19 three to five days after returning AND
receive a negative COVID-19 viral test.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals who have traveled internationally must either (1) not
attend school for 10 days after returning, or (2) not attend school for seven days after returning, get
tested for COVID-19 three to five days after returning, AND receive a negative COVID-19 viral test. Even
if the test is negative, the individual must still not attend school for seven days.

osse can bite me. my elderly MIL needs regular visits in NYC and we will not be keeping my kid out of school for a single hour.

Ah yes, the entire school system exist to serve your individual family needs. Your MIL above all else. Please. I really hope all of you lying parents reveal yourselves so I know who to stay away from. The lack of values in this group is shocking. I guess your kids do need to be in school so they can learn from other people than you.

Talk about heartless and cruel. This person has a parent that needs assistance. Lots of others areas in the country have figured out all the school situation without imposing draconian rules on kids and families. Get a grip. You are the problem here.

+1. DC is encouraging tourism, bars and restaurants have been open even since pre-vaccine, and unvaccinated people of all ages can travel all across DC, VA, and MD indoors without masks yet remain exempt from testing or quarantine. These rules are arbitrary and don't support increased safety. Don't even get me started on taking away even more school from kids.

Bowser needs to eliminate this rule and just deal with the union. She only has this DOH rule to avoid more conflict with WTU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it is amusing, here is MCPS's policy on travel:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus/travel/

You can test within 72 hours of returning (meaning an hour of returning), and then once you get your (rapid, OTC) test back you can go to school. At least that's how I read it.

hilarious. and we trust these people?

[Anonymous]

Does the mayor’s ending to of public health emergency yesterday mean anything for the travel guidance? I think I remember reading somewhere that the public health emergency had to be in place to have the authority for the quarantine requirements, but I may be misremembering.

[Anonymous]

Does anywhere else in the country still have these travel rules for kids? Sincerely curious. It seems like we are the only place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anywhere else in the country still have these travel rules for kids? Sincerely curious. It seems like we are the only place.

My friend in California shared that her (rich suburban) district is doing the same - test, quarantine, etc. as directed by CDC guidelines. (I think the restrictions are nuts and unenforceable.)

[Anonymous]

Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

No idea. I'm pretty sure that DOH has just forgotten about the policy and doesn't care because, in practical terms, it only applies to 5-11 year old public school students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

No idea. I'm pretty sure that DOH has just forgotten about the policy and doesn't care because, in practical terms, it only applies to 5-11 year old public school students.

Also with noting that the DOH guidance is clearly phrased as a RECOMMENDATION. Could be that they are keeping it on the books as a best practice, not intended to be followed strictly in light of of other tradeoffs. It's only DCPS/OSSE that's taking the recommendation and converting it to a binding rule, thereby appointing themselves as enforcers and adjudicators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

No idea. I'm pretty sure that DOH has just forgotten about the policy and doesn't care because, in practical terms, it only applies to 5-11 year old public school students.

Why only starting at 5?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The camp my kids are attending only asks about international travel. Now that I can live with.

That's an inane position. All international jurisdictions are not created equal. The EU has coded every country by risk. That's a reasonable risk-based approach. Cayman Islands went a year without any community spread; that's hell of safer than the US. (see, Florida, which is higher risk than almost all on-US jurisdictions).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why we can’t have 100% in person school. Because there are so many people who won’t follow the measures designed to keep people safe. I’m going to send this thread to OSSE.

Please do so they realize how idiotic they are. Please ask then to report back to DCUM to explain why my kids can travel to high- risk areas in rural VA, can eat out at a restaurant, can hang out at the mall all day, can go to a packed summer camp MD, but can’t travel to a similarly low- risk county outside of the DMV without quarantining. I would really like to hear their response. Signed. A liberal progressive and not a Trumpie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

No idea. I'm pretty sure that DOH has just forgotten about the policy and doesn't care because, in practical terms, it only applies to 5-11 year old public school students.

Why only starting at 5?

That's when mandatory school tends to start. Younger than that and we're generally talking daycare, nursery school etc which are private entities and can make up any rules they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree this policy is asinine and not medically indicated and appears to be a neglected by-product of the beuracracy, but now that the health emergency expired DOH will have to change it's guidance, right? and that is what OSSE is relying on for its policy so that will change too?

No idea. I'm pretty sure that DOH has just forgotten about the policy and doesn't care because, in practical terms, it only applies to 5-11 year old public school students.

Why only starting at 5?

That's when mandatory school tends to start. Younger than that and we're generally talking daycare, nursery school etc which are private entities and can make up any rules they want.

Not true. DC daycares follow OSSE rules and so my 2yo can't drive to see his vaccinate grandparents without quarantine afterward.