PETITION: MCPS Board of Eduction - Keep Schools Open for In-Person Learning!

[Anonymous]

I’m not a Covid denier, I’m fully vaxed and boosted, my kid is vaxed. I don’t live in Bethesda. I want my kid in school. Shut everything else down, but keep the kids in school.

[Anonymous]

A couple of issues with this CHOP paper:

- 2.) emphasizes staying home with respiratory illness, which not all families will do
- 6.) encourages boosters and vaccinations, which is great, but not all kids are currently protected by these, either because they are late/didn't get them or are 12-15 and got them early; this warrants flexibility while they get things in order
- many of the recommendations are sensible but not being followed by school systems (though most are in DC) - masks being required, for example

Is this the only guidance like this? Are others joining CHOP?

Also, remember, this is population guidance, and for that it is sound. Individuals do have different needs and may need or want to make different choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Might be best to leave this decision up to public health experts.

And experts in education and child development.

Guess what? They all agree that in-person learning should be prioritized. So... yeah. No need to petition, unless you want to show your support. I'd rather email leadership directly to thank them for putting kids first, for a change.

And of course the leading experts in education have gone remote themselves during the surge:

“ the University determined the best course of action was for us all to be remote for the first three weeks of January. The hope is to reduce the risk of on-campus transmission following holiday travel and gatherings and lessen the stress on local healthcare systems. In other words, this is planned as a temporary measure designed to protect us at what is anticipated to be the height of the Omicron surge.”


https://www.gse.harvard.edu/spring-semester-2022-covid-updates-dean-bridget-long

Do you even read the things you post? They went virtual during the winter session (first three weeks of January) to promote reduced campus density. That was not a decision on a regular semester. They are starting classes January 24 in person. Also, during the three week pause, some learning did occur in person, such as those with labs and clinical requirements.

No one said semester and J Term is normally in person. I think HGSE has a huge role to play in the optics of this. As an alum, if they are promoting schools stay open right now fully in person, they should too. Dorms aren’t an issue for grad students. Actions matter.

DP, but come on. You *know* (or, you should) that K-12 education differs greatly from undergraduate and graduate school in terms of what can and cannot be done remotely and also the foundational role it plays in someone's life. It's disingenuous to claim otherwise.

It’s not about the education aspect, it’s about the health risk. And if we are telling families and teachers that it’s safe for their kids to go to school during the surge, the optics of the Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education saying that we’re switching to remote to “protect us during the height of the surge” are pretty horrible right now. My friends teaching in the Bronx are saying that it’s very Marie-Antoinette let them eat cake. Nary a nod to alum educators in trenches in that statement, and the teaching alum are watching. Some are saying it is a missed opportunity, others are saying it’s more like health for me and not for thee.

[Anonymous]

Oh my this is very slow-going compared to the last petition. Maybe it will pick up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of issues with this CHOP paper:

- 2.) emphasizes staying home with respiratory illness, which not all families will do
- 6.) encourages boosters and vaccinations, which is great, but not all kids are currently protected by these, either because they are late/didn't get them or are 12-15 and got them early; this warrants flexibility while they get things in order
- many of the recommendations are sensible but not being followed by school systems (though most are in DC) - masks being required, for example

Is this the only guidance like this? Are others joining CHOP?

Also, remember, this is population guidance, and for that it is sound. Individuals do have different needs and may need or want to make different choices.

This essay from a Harvard professor of medicine and epidemiology really captures a lot of my feelings on this issue. I echo her sentiment that voices of color are not represented as they should be in this discussion.

https://prospect.org/education/folly-of-school-openings-as-zero-sum-game-coronavirus/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Please sign this petition to keep doing what we are doing! I am an upper middle class Bethesda mom! Do the thing I say that you are already doing NOW!"

Gosh, I’m a working class mom and already lost one job because my employer would not accommodate my need to be present at home to help my young kids through virtual school and I couldn’t afford a pod or nanny. Not to mention that kindergarteners and second graders don’t necessarily thrive in virtual learning. But go ahead and be nasty and demeaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my this is very slow-going compared to the last petition. Maybe it will pick up?

In person isn’t going away. It’s the default. No one is closing schools across the system no matter how much hysterics people on this forum and the Tom Hucker crew wants to believe it. Hucker sealed the nail in his executive bid coffin by pushing this lateral round of closures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of issues with this CHOP paper:

- 2.) emphasizes staying home with respiratory illness, which not all families will do
- 6.) encourages boosters and vaccinations, which is great, but not all kids are currently protected by these, either because they are late/didn't get them or are 12-15 and got them early; this warrants flexibility while they get things in order
- many of the recommendations are sensible but not being followed by school systems (though most are in DC) - masks being required, for example

Is this the only guidance like this? Are others joining CHOP?

Also, remember, this is population guidance, and for that it is sound. Individuals do have different needs and may need or want to make different choices.

This essay from a Harvard professor of medicine and epidemiology really captures a lot of my feelings on this issue. I echo her sentiment that voices of color are not represented as they should be in this discussion.

https://prospect.org/education/folly-of-school-openings-as-zero-sum-game-coronavirus/

I don't disagree with what she says. Unfortunately, it seems to follow the same either/or structure she decries: White vs. minority families. Minority families are not a monolith, but that essay implies that they are. I know plenty of "white influencers" who demand virtual education in the name of minority children. That's not okay, either.

What's missing all around is a discussion of ALL the issues and trade-offs. Are there potential benefits to virtual instruction? Absolutely! But those benefits come with drawbacks, and frankly, too many proponents of virtual instruction seem unwilling to consider those. And at this point, we're so far gone into stress and chaos that it's hard to maintain an open mind. It's hard for me to listen honestly to people who yelled things like "school isn't childcare!" and "you just want teachers to die!"

I get that we still need to consider adults in this equation. Frankly, though, they've had their needs tended to far more than children have thus far in the pandemic and knowing as much as we do, scientifically, about the impact of chronic stress on kids, it's unconscionable to keep moving forward as we have been in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a Covid denier, I’m fully vaxed and boosted, my kid is vaxed. I don’t live in Bethesda. I want my kid in school. Shut everything else down, but keep the kids in school.

I'm exactly the same except I want schools closed and everything else open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh my this is very slow-going compared to the last petition. Maybe it will pick up?

In person isn’t going away. It’s the default. No one is closing schools across the system no matter how much hysterics people on this forum and the Tom Hucker crew wants to believe it. Hucker sealed the nail in his executive bid coffin by pushing this lateral round of closures.

I don't think we can make these blanket statements. This is better decided by public health experts based on how this plays out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a Covid denier, I’m fully vaxed and boosted, my kid is vaxed. I don’t live in Bethesda. I want my kid in school. Shut everything else down, but keep the kids in school.

I'm exactly the same except I want schools closed and everything else open.

? why? That's weird.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for starting the petition! Kids are more likely to be in a car crash than to be hospitalized for covid.

Beware of media outlets who are not distinguishing being hospitalized for covid, vs being hospitalized for something else (and incidentally testing positive for covid). @drlucymcbride's recent cnn interview does a great job of putting the risk omnicron presents in perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a Covid denier, I’m fully vaxed and boosted, my kid is vaxed. I don’t live in Bethesda. I want my kid in school. Shut everything else down, but keep the kids in school.

I'm exactly the same except I want schools closed and everything else open.

? why? That's weird.

ignore trolls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Might be best to leave this decision up to public health experts.

Which public health expert? Many many are saying schools should stay open. Which reputable public health officials are saying it should close?

[Anonymous]

Great! Signed!!