I'm so tired of the "think of the teachers and administrators" rhetoric on every thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And what if it happens multiple times? And then flu season comes along and there are so many teachers calling out that they can’t run the school? I don’t understand this magical thinking that if things just open as usual, the problem disappears. That isn’t the case.

Nobody has said that the problem will disappear.

What people have said is that the schools need to be open. The schools need to not be closed. If something comes up after that, deal with it then. Do not close all of the schools pre-emptively and indefinitely on grounds that something might happen in the future that might require some of the schools to close for a limited period of time.

Right? Honestly I don't understand why this is so hard to understand. Closing schools for "a possible" problem is simply ridiculous.

I could totally get behind every student and staff member as well as siblings/parents/grandparents that dwell in the household being required to have a full medical work up to return to school. That way we are being responsible at least doing the best we can to start with everyone "healthy". Obviously heath can change in a moments notice but other than doing the best we can we can't do anything about that. Schools need to be open and educating our children. In person.

[Anonymous]

I’m thinking you are short of empathy and compassion, totally self centered. The world revolves around you and what you think and want, no concern for the bigger picture. Hire a private nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And what if it happens multiple times? And then flu season comes along and there are so many teachers calling out that they can’t run the school? I don’t understand this magical thinking that if things just open as usual, the problem disappears. That isn’t the case.

Nobody has said that the problem will disappear.

What people have said is that the schools need to be open. The schools need to not be closed. If something comes up after that, deal with it then. Do not close all of the schools pre-emptively and indefinitely on grounds that something might happen in the future that might require some of the schools to close for a limited period of time.

And I’m sure parents won’t be absolutely furious that they planned around open schools when it turns out not to be feasible.
The fact is that the schools aren’t going to open at full capacity because they were never meant to house so many students. Class sizes should have never been allowed to get out of control. Buildings shouldn’t have hundreds or thousands of kids passing in close quarters between periods. Elementary students can’t get individualized attention in a class of thirty. If we actually prioritized education in this country then maybe we’d be in a better position right now. The countries that have opened schools have done so with testing, health assessments, sanitation, masks, and dramatically reduced student populations (some countries all of the above, and some a few). Parents here seem to think we will just go back to “normal” in the fall. It’s not happening.

[Anonymous]

Just do what they did with those air traffic controllers in the 80s. Like airports, schools serve an important social function that can't just be put on hold indefinitely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the crux of this debate. If schools do not open full-time but parents are told they need to go to the office full time, they fear they will get fired.

First, I don’t think this will happen. If you run your own business I’m sure there is a lot to worry about, but if all the major school systems are doing distance learning then employers are not going to get away with simply firing all the parents.

Second, I think this is a fear that is based on relatively recent generational change. We are now living in a time when most people think it’s necessary for both parents to work in order to survive financially. Obviously this was not always the case. But given that we live in these times, we have come to assume schools are the social support that makes this possible. It turns out this was not a reliable assumption in these historic times. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care that you have to go to work to pay the bills.

No parents will be expected to spend even more money to get a babysitter/nanny and return to work or lose their job.

As a woman and a mom I have already had to quit my job since March to stay at Home with my two younger elementary school kids. And of course camp was canceled so there is that. So I can't even begin to look for another job until school goes back to normal.

It sucks. And it's reality. But the school systems don't seem to care about the crappy education that is being provided through DL especially to young elementary kids. They certainly don't care about parents. I just don't know what the solution is but I have never been so stressed in my life.

It’s really an awful situation, and I’m sorry to hear it. But what is your evidence that the school system doesn’t care about students and/or parents? A significant majority of teachers and administrators are themselves parents of MCPS students. They’re in the same boat as us. Half the posts on here claim DL is too hard and the other half claim it’s too easy. How is MCPS supposed to do this “right”? And they can’t even just decide to open if they want to, because the state of MD makes that call. We all want to blame people, but all we have to blame is the virus.

Teachers are NOT in the same boat. They're getting paid to stay home with their kids.

Just like the millions of other people currently working from home. Are you angry at all of those people, too? Or just the teachers? Because a lot of people are being paid a lot more to work from home than we are.

I'm not angry at teachers. They're not able to work from home. But that means they're getting paid to not work from home. Whereas people working from home are actually working. Other people in their situation (working jobs that practically cannot be done from home) were furloughed. I'm not saying they should have been, but they're in a special class.

Okay Karen. I’m sure you work so much harder than everyone else. I work from home all day every day but I know my work isn’t valuable to you anymore, since it doesn’t provide you with full time childcare. Just admit that and be honest.

A) No, you not teaching (but still getting paid) while at home - as nice as that may feel for you - isn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars or useful for kids who need education. It also happens to be incredibly disruptive to parents and children who need it the most; middle and working class families who depend on paychecks in exchange for hours worked. It speaks VOLUMES that teachers don’t think about the fact that not everyone gets paid if they don’t work and can’t afford a nanny or babysitter. Sure, education isn’t babysitting but it’s a long-standing social construct that allows parents, particularly women, a consistent space in time to earn an income.

B) Cut the “Karen” crap. It’s misogynistic AF. Either we are for not sh*ting on humans because of race/gender identity/sex identity/religion/ethnicity - or you’re not. Pick one. If it’s not right for women, then it is not right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just do what they did with those air traffic controllers in the 80s. Like airports, schools serve an important social function that can't just be put on hold indefinitely.

And if you terminate thousands of teachers on Friday, WTF happens the next Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the crux of this debate. If schools do not open full-time but parents are told they need to go to the office full time, they fear they will get fired.

First, I don’t think this will happen. If you run your own business I’m sure there is a lot to worry about, but if all the major school systems are doing distance learning then employers are not going to get away with simply firing all the parents.

Second, I think this is a fear that is based on relatively recent generational change. We are now living in a time when most people think it’s necessary for both parents to work in order to survive financially. Obviously this was not always the case. But given that we live in these times, we have come to assume schools are the social support that makes this possible. It turns out this was not a reliable assumption in these historic times. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care that you have to go to work to pay the bills.

No parents will be expected to spend even more money to get a babysitter/nanny and return to work or lose their job.

As a woman and a mom I have already had to quit my job since March to stay at Home with my two younger elementary school kids. And of course camp was canceled so there is that. So I can't even begin to look for another job until school goes back to normal.

It sucks. And it's reality. But the school systems don't seem to care about the crappy education that is being provided through DL especially to young elementary kids. They certainly don't care about parents. I just don't know what the solution is but I have never been so stressed in my life.

It’s really an awful situation, and I’m sorry to hear it. But what is your evidence that the school system doesn’t care about students and/or parents? A significant majority of teachers and administrators are themselves parents of MCPS students. They’re in the same boat as us. Half the posts on here claim DL is too hard and the other half claim it’s too easy. How is MCPS supposed to do this “right”? And they can’t even just decide to open if they want to, because the state of MD makes that call. We all want to blame people, but all we have to blame is the virus.

Teachers are NOT in the same boat. They're getting paid to stay home with their kids.

Just like the millions of other people currently working from home. Are you angry at all of those people, too? Or just the teachers? Because a lot of people are being paid a lot more to work from home than we are.

I'm not angry at teachers. They're not able to work from home. But that means they're getting paid to not work from home. Whereas people working from home are actually working. Other people in their situation (working jobs that practically cannot be done from home) were furloughed. I'm not saying they should have been, but they're in a special class.

Okay Karen. I’m sure you work so much harder than everyone else. I work from home all day every day but I know my work isn’t valuable to you anymore, since it doesn’t provide you with full time childcare. Just admit that and be honest.

A) No, you not teaching (but still getting paid) while at home - as nice as that may feel for you - isn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars or useful for kids who need education. It also happens to be incredibly disruptive to parents and children who need it the most; middle and working class families who depend on paychecks in exchange for hours worked. It speaks VOLUMES that teachers don’t think about the fact that not everyone gets paid if they don’t work and can’t afford a nanny or babysitter. Sure, education isn’t babysitting but it’s a long-standing social construct that allows parents, particularly women, a consistent space in time to earn an income.

B) Cut the “Karen” crap. It’s misogynistic AF. Either we are for not sh*ting on humans because of race/gender identity/sex identity/religion/ethnicity - or you’re not. Pick one. If it’s not right for women, then it is not right.

So you think you can simultaneously tell me that I’m not working (you have absolutely no idea what I do, so thanks for that assessment! Very valuable and I’m absolutely devastated) while demanding that other people respect you. Got it.

You don’t respect teachers or our work, and you’ve made that abundantly clear. You also think that we should be martyrs so the “working class” can go back to their jobs. No thanks. Maybe THEIR employers and THEIR families should work out how to best provide childcare while working during a pandemic. Why can’t companies make some sacrifices, like providing on-site day care? It’s always on the schools to solve societies ills, and it really needs to stop. Schools don’t have the personnel or funding to solve every problem (poverty, childcare, food insecurity, medical care, child abuse, mental health), and it absolutely takes away from their actual purpose, which is education. There is no long standing construct that says we have to watch your kids during a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just do what they did with those air traffic controllers in the 80s. Like airports, schools serve an important social function that can't just be put on hold indefinitely.

And if you terminate thousands of teachers on Friday, WTF happens the next Monday?

Parents fill the gap. Just as they have for the last four months. We’re told this is as good as parents should expect so no need for teachers, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just do what they did with those air traffic controllers in the 80s. Like airports, schools serve an important social function that can't just be put on hold indefinitely.

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that teachers are on strike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the crux of this debate. If schools do not open full-time but parents are told they need to go to the office full time, they fear they will get fired.

First, I don’t think this will happen. If you run your own business I’m sure there is a lot to worry about, but if all the major school systems are doing distance learning then employers are not going to get away with simply firing all the parents.

Second, I think this is a fear that is based on relatively recent generational change. We are now living in a time when most people think it’s necessary for both parents to work in order to survive financially. Obviously this was not always the case. But given that we live in these times, we have come to assume schools are the social support that makes this possible. It turns out this was not a reliable assumption in these historic times. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t care that you have to go to work to pay the bills.

No parents will be expected to spend even more money to get a babysitter/nanny and return to work or lose their job.

As a woman and a mom I have already had to quit my job since March to stay at Home with my two younger elementary school kids. And of course camp was canceled so there is that. So I can't even begin to look for another job until school goes back to normal.

It sucks. And it's reality. But the school systems don't seem to care about the crappy education that is being provided through DL especially to young elementary kids. They certainly don't care about parents. I just don't know what the solution is but I have never been so stressed in my life.

It’s really an awful situation, and I’m sorry to hear it. But what is your evidence that the school system doesn’t care about students and/or parents? A significant majority of teachers and administrators are themselves parents of MCPS students. They’re in the same boat as us. Half the posts on here claim DL is too hard and the other half claim it’s too easy. How is MCPS supposed to do this “right”? And they can’t even just decide to open if they want to, because the state of MD makes that call. We all want to blame people, but all we have to blame is the virus.

Teachers are NOT in the same boat. They're getting paid to stay home with their kids.

Just like the millions of other people currently working from home. Are you angry at all of those people, too? Or just the teachers? Because a lot of people are being paid a lot more to work from home than we are.

I'm not angry at teachers. They're not able to work from home. But that means they're getting paid to not work from home. Whereas people working from home are actually working. Other people in their situation (working jobs that practically cannot be done from home) were furloughed. I'm not saying they should have been, but they're in a special class.

Okay Karen. I’m sure you work so much harder than everyone else. I work from home all day every day but I know my work isn’t valuable to you anymore, since it doesn’t provide you with full time childcare. Just admit that and be honest.

A) No, you not teaching (but still getting paid) while at home - as nice as that may feel for you - isn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars or useful for kids who need education. It also happens to be incredibly disruptive to parents and children who need it the most; middle and working class families who depend on paychecks in exchange for hours worked. It speaks VOLUMES that teachers don’t think about the fact that not everyone gets paid if they don’t work and can’t afford a nanny or babysitter. Sure, education isn’t babysitting but it’s a long-standing social construct that allows parents, particularly women, a consistent space in time to earn an income.

B) Cut the “Karen” crap. It’s misogynistic AF. Either we are for not sh*ting on humans because of race/gender identity/sex identity/religion/ethnicity - or you’re not. Pick one. If it’s not right for women, then it is not right.

So you think you can simultaneously tell me that I’m not working (you have absolutely no idea what I do, so thanks for that assessment! Very valuable and I’m absolutely devastated) while demanding that other people respect you. Got it.

You don’t respect teachers or our work, and you’ve made that abundantly clear. You also think that we should be martyrs so the “working class” can go back to their jobs. No thanks. Maybe THEIR employers and THEIR families should work out how to best provide childcare while working during a pandemic. Why can’t companies make some sacrifices, like providing on-site day care? It’s always on the schools to solve societies ills, and it really needs to stop. Schools don’t have the personnel or funding to solve every problem (poverty, childcare, food insecurity, medical care, child abuse, mental health), and it absolutely takes away from their actual purpose, which is education. There is no long standing construct that says we have to watch your kids during a pandemic.

Companies are making sacrifices. Have you noticed how many are bankrupting, out of business, or barely surviving? Have you paid attention to the unemployment rate? It’s not just companies - many of them small businesses - but workers who are sacrificing through job loss, furloughs, pay cuts, reduced hours. Damn your privilege - that you are getting a paycheck no matter what and feel totally entitled to it. You are so absurdly out of touch.

And watch my kids? I thought you were supposed to be educating them.

[Anonymous]

People are speaking here as if distance learning is not learning. My middle schooler spent about 3 hours a day, doing all of his core subjects. My elementary schooler had hour-long daily meetings and at least an hour of homework. Sure it was not perfect, but it was something. I also had them reading and doing Khan Academy and instruments. So these people yelling that kids are going to be uneducated for years are lying. Education online is a kind of education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are speaking here as if distance learning is not learning. My middle schooler spent about 3 hours a day, doing all of his core subjects. My elementary schooler had hour-long daily meetings and at least an hour of homework. Sure it was not perfect, but it was something. I also had them reading and doing Khan Academy and instruments. So these people yelling that kids are going to be uneducated for years are lying. Education online is a kind of education.

Please stop. Online learning via MCPS was a charade. ”Not perfect” is generous, at best. Sure, there were many of us who supplemented the very limited “education” MCPS provided with Khan and other educational outlets. That is not the equivalent of a strong public school education nor is it something that families without the flexibility, means, and access can provide to their children.

School isn’t a “nice to have” - as any progressive, economically advanced country knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are speaking here as if distance learning is not learning. My middle schooler spent about 3 hours a day, doing all of his core subjects. My elementary schooler had hour-long daily meetings and at least an hour of homework. Sure it was not perfect, but it was something. I also had them reading and doing Khan Academy and instruments. So these people yelling that kids are going to be uneducated for years are lying. Education online is a kind of education.

Yes, it is. Specifically, an inadequate one, which doesn't work for most kids in most circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
And I’m sure parents won’t be absolutely furious that they planned around open schools when it turns out not to be feasible.
The fact is that the schools aren’t going to open at full capacity because they were never meant to house so many students. Class sizes should have never been allowed to get out of control. Buildings shouldn’t have hundreds or thousands of kids passing in close quarters between periods. Elementary students can’t get individualized attention in a class of thirty. If we actually prioritized education in this country then maybe we’d be in a better position right now. The countries that have opened schools have done so with testing, health assessments, sanitation, masks, and dramatically reduced student populations (some countries all of the above, and some a few). Parents here seem to think we will just go back to “normal” in the fall. It’s not happening.

My kid's school was. It's not over capacity. So can my kid go to school, please?

[Anonymous]

my middle school kid had zero interaction with teachers the last couple months of school. zoom meetings were a joke and thankfully not required because there wasnt any teaching done. no PE, no music, no science, no grading by teachers. just told to look at Kahn academy videos for math and read a book for English. my husband and I who both work had to pick up the slack. I would have thought teachers could at least live stream orbprerecord the lesson. in fact, you just need one teacher in the county to prerecord a lesson, such as algebra. but whatever was done in 4th quarter was a paid vacation for most teachers.