DCPS seems to be doing it right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to talk with educators to “do it right”. Their level of disrespect of the union is appalling.

I can tell you their respect for the union exceeds mine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read through a lot of these chains. IMHO I think DCPS is doing it right. They are planning for an in person following guidelines and say they will go virtual if DC Health says it isn’t safe. What’s wrong with that? It sounds like the chancellor and mayor and DC Health are all working on this together. I work in a hospital and I see the doctors and nurses (and the rest of us admin types) move all day working, talking, dare I say laughing with masks on. We are not worried about it.

You might have had credibility until that last sentence. Then it all came crashing down. I hope beyond hope that you are a troll making up stories and that you don't actually work in a hospital. Because if you do and you think actual medical professionals aren't worried about COVID and spread then I would respectfully suggest that, no matter what your admin function, you may not posses the minimum level of awareness or brainpower to go anywhere near patients, medical records, or anything other than vending machines.

There are reasonable arguments and there are a lot of unknowns. But the transmission rates, impact of catching this thing and negative medical consequences (including death!) are not generally debatable.

In conclusion, I'd rather you a troll than this dumb. That is all.

I don't know -- I am close with an Anesthesiologist and an ER doctor who have been working in hospitals for the last couple months, and they are not worried about it. They are worried about COVID and society in general, and the disruption, but they are not worried about getting it.

[Anonymous]

You know who got it right, however you feel about charters and this school in particular? DCI. Everyone should learn from how they handled the situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read through a lot of these chains. IMHO I think DCPS is doing it right. They are planning for an in person following guidelines and say they will go virtual if DC Health says it isn’t safe. What’s wrong with that? It sounds like the chancellor and mayor and DC Health are all working on this together. I work in a hospital and I see the doctors and nurses (and the rest of us admin types) move all day working, talking, dare I say laughing with masks on. We are not worried about it.

You might have had credibility until that last sentence. Then it all came crashing down. I hope beyond hope that you are a troll making up stories and that you don't actually work in a hospital. Because if you do and you think actual medical professionals aren't worried about COVID and spread then I would respectfully suggest that, no matter what your admin function, you may not posses the minimum level of awareness or brainpower to go anywhere near patients, medical records, or anything other than vending machines.

There are reasonable arguments and there are a lot of unknowns. But the transmission rates, impact of catching this thing and negative medical consequences (including death!) are not generally debatable.

In conclusion, I'd rather you a troll than this dumb. That is all.

I don't know -- I am close with an Anesthesiologist and an ER doctor who have been working in hospitals for the last couple months, and they are not worried about it. They are worried about COVID and society in general, and the disruption, but they are not worried about getting it.

So you are saying they are still worried about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read through a lot of these chains. IMHO I think DCPS is doing it right. They are planning for an in person following guidelines and say they will go virtual if DC Health says it isn’t safe. What’s wrong with that? It sounds like the chancellor and mayor and DC Health are all working on this together. I work in a hospital and I see the doctors and nurses (and the rest of us admin types) move all day working, talking, dare I say laughing with masks on. We are not worried about it.

You might have had credibility until that last sentence. Then it all came crashing down. I hope beyond hope that you are a troll making up stories and that you don't actually work in a hospital. Because if you do and you think actual medical professionals aren't worried about COVID and spread then I would respectfully suggest that, no matter what your admin function, you may not posses the minimum level of awareness or brainpower to go anywhere near patients, medical records, or anything other than vending machines.

There are reasonable arguments and there are a lot of unknowns. But the transmission rates, impact of catching this thing and negative medical consequences (including death!) are not generally debatable.

In conclusion, I'd rather you a troll than this dumb. That is all.

I don't know -- I am close with an Anesthesiologist and an ER doctor who have been working in hospitals for the last couple months, and they are not worried about it. They are worried about COVID and society in general, and the disruption, but they are not worried about getting it.

My spouse is an ER doc and is really trying not to get it. A few of his colleagues got it and it's a big hassle--not only do you need to worry about getting sick, but even if you're not feeling very sick, you need to quarantine for a certain number of days, it creates holes in the schedule that others have to fill, other health protocols need to be followed, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why teaching online what you would normally teach in the classroom is so difficult... Mute everyone, tell them you are taking questions at the end, and teach.

What an amazing breakthrough in teaching! I will try it and see how long the students stay present. I give it 5 minutes and then the kids will be all yours. Teaching online is vastly different to teaching in person at the elementary level. I think OP should go visit a school and watch some lessons when it is all over. I think very few teachers had ever taught online before DL began. It was like my first day at school all over again.

[Anonymous]

I totally respect teachers. The teacher’s union on the other hand? Out of line. Not so smart. Stuck in a horrid mindset. They makes charters look good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally respect teachers. The teacher’s union on the other hand? Out of line. Not so smart. Stuck in a horrid mindset. They makes charters look good.

The same charters that are doing distance learning to start the year??? Those charters? The vaulted LAMB, DCI, Stokes?? But Union is doing something wrong by insisting on DL until conditions are safe? That makes no sense. You should be just as mad at those charters, in fact, you should be even more mad. They have significantly smaller school numbers and they couldn’t figure out a way to make it work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I heard Bowser says she’s meeting with teachers and it has been productive. Has there really been no consultation at all? Are you sure?

I'm sure. The union president has met with everyone, and the end result has been teachers are being told one thing while parents are being told another. When they assure you that ventilation is adequate, they're lying. When they tell you there will be extra cleaning, they're lying. When teachers tell you we don't always have trash bags, soap, paper towels, or air conditioning, that's the truth. When they tell you kids will be required to self-assess their own symptoms, that's the truth, and IT IS MADNESS. To be clear: there is no extra money, there is no extra staff, and the Mayor has stated she will not let anything teachers do affect her decision on schools.

As a parent who is otherwise pro schools opening, I am pissed. No extra money? Clearly we can’t just do nothing and re open it will take funds and staff. So sorry. In any case we are at a charter that already isn’t opening. This is just hell all around.

There is extra money. DCPS is receiving 22 million in CARES Act funding.

They are likely using it on all the lost revenue and unemployment. They 'can't' use enough for public schools...

Wait specifically to DCPS? I have to do more research. Where is all of that money going? Laptops?

Yes, specifically to DCPS. To the poster before, not sure what is meant by “all the lost revenue and unemployment.” DCPS hasn’t lost any revenue. They got a 3% increase to local per pupil revenue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read through a lot of these chains. IMHO I think DCPS is doing it right. They are planning for an in person following guidelines and say they will go virtual if DC Health says it isn’t safe. What’s wrong with that? It sounds like the chancellor and mayor and DC Health are all working on this together. I work in a hospital and I see the doctors and nurses (and the rest of us admin types) move all day working, talking, dare I say laughing with masks on. We are not worried about it.

You might have had credibility until that last sentence. Then it all came crashing down. I hope beyond hope that you are a troll making up stories and that you don't actually work in a hospital. Because if you do and you think actual medical professionals aren't worried about COVID and spread then I would respectfully suggest that, no matter what your admin function, you may not posses the minimum level of awareness or brainpower to go anywhere near patients, medical records, or anything other than vending machines.

There are reasonable arguments and there are a lot of unknowns. But the transmission rates, impact of catching this thing and negative medical consequences (including death!) are not generally debatable.

In conclusion, I'd rather you a troll than this dumb. That is all.

I don't know -- I am close with an Anesthesiologist and an ER doctor who have been working in hospitals for the last couple months, and they are not worried about it. They are worried about COVID and society in general, and the disruption, but they are not worried about getting it.

So you are saying they are still worried about it.

Above PP is crap. I’m a physician and parent. I screen and test patients for COVID. Everyone I know is worried about it. Everyone is worried about how fast we are going thru PPE and that there is still a shortage. Everyone is worried about giving it to our families. Our numbers are creeping up in the DMV too.

[Anonymous]

I would argue that it’s a big failure right now with DCPS.

They have had months now and even closed schools early saying they needed time to come up with an effective distance learning curriculum. Where is it? What does it entail?

When you don’t know what is going on with a pandemic, the first step is to develop the distance learning curriculum. Once you have that and if things get better, you can then start 2 day in school and just modify the DL.

It’s not rocket science really. That’s how it should have been done. Lastly, big failure from top down to think they can just tell teachers and the union this is what we are going to do without having them at the table and providing clear guidelines on safety in schools.

I as a parent have no ill will or resentment at the teachers for this mess. Everyone’s anger should be directed at the Mayor and Freebee and central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would argue that it’s a big failure right now with DCPS.

They have had months now and even closed schools early saying they needed time to come up with an effective distance learning curriculum. Where is it? What does it entail?

When you don’t know what is going on with a pandemic, the first step is to develop the distance learning curriculum. Once you have that and if things get better, you can then start 2 day in school and just modify the DL.

It’s not rocket science really. That’s how it should have been done. Lastly, big failure from top down to think they can just tell teachers and the union this is what we are going to do without having them at the table and providing clear guidelines on safety in schools.

I as a parent have no ill will or resentment at the teachers for this mess. Everyone’s anger should be directed at the Mayor and Freebee and central office.

+1. Blame rests solely on the Mayor and the Chancellor. I’m glad DCPS teachers have a union willing to fight for them. Our EOTP school doesn’t have soap in the bathroom unless parents provide it. We don’t have a FT school nurse, and we have exactly one custodian who will allegedly be deep cleaning every Wednesday with no extra help, according to the press conference on Thursday. I’m glad that the parents in Ward 3 can fund these staff positions through PTA donations, but that is not a reality for most DCPS schools. I have zero faith that DCPS will be able to provide students and teachers with the equipment and materials to keep them safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally respect teachers. The teacher’s union on the other hand? Out of line. Not so smart. Stuck in a horrid mindset. They makes charters look good.

The same charters that are doing distance learning to start the year??? Those charters? The vaulted LAMB, DCI, Stokes?? But Union is doing something wrong by insisting on DL until conditions are safe? That makes no sense. You should be just as mad at those charters, in fact, you should be even more mad. They have significantly smaller school numbers and they couldn’t figure out a way to make it work.

Yes the same charters that actually talked to their staff and communities and determined that virtual to start was the best option. Not sure why you are attacking charters for trying to find the best option for their school communities. Isn’t that the concern we hear expressed over and over for DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally respect teachers. The teacher’s union on the other hand? Out of line. Not so smart. Stuck in a horrid mindset. They makes charters look good.

The same charters that are doing distance learning to start the year??? Those charters? The vaulted LAMB, DCI, Stokes?? But Union is doing something wrong by insisting on DL until conditions are safe? That makes no sense. You should be just as mad at those charters, in fact, you should be even more mad. They have significantly smaller school numbers and they couldn’t figure out a way to make it work.

Yes the same charters that actually talked to their staff and communities and determined that virtual to start was the best option. Not sure why you are attacking charters for trying to find the best option for their school communities. Isn’t that the concern we hear expressed over and over for DCPS?

Not attacking charters at all. My kids go to a charter. But this poster is saying the Union is terrible and make charters look good. The union is asking for the same thing the charters are doing. I don’t think PPP understands that

[Anonymous]

+1. Blame rests solely on the Mayor and the Chancellor. I’m glad DCPS teachers have a union willing to fight for them. Our EOTP school doesn’t have soap in the bathroom unless parents provide it. We don’t have a FT school nurse, and we have exactly one custodian who will allegedly be deep cleaning every Wednesday with no extra help, according to the press conference on Thursday. I’m glad that the parents in Ward 3 can fund these staff positions through PTA donations, but that is not a reality for most DCPS schools. I have zero faith that DCPS will be able to provide students and teachers with the equipment and materials to keep them safe.

This. And then when I heard Bowser opposed a tax increase on the District's highest incomes to help fund schools precisely to help with staffing and cleaning to facilitate in-person learning -- we should all be livid. I stand 100% with the teachers. I'm angry that we probably won't have in-person school this fall, not because the teachers have requested anything unreasonable, but because the Mayor doesn't have the political will to do what's best for the vast majority of her constituents. As usual, she bends to the will of the city's wealthiest residents. But then poses with John Lewis and the Black Lives Matter mural for national media. Nope.