Open letter from DCPS chancellor. Just too little too late. Though I hope we can make it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

WTU doesn’t have much of an argument after the CDC study published yesterday.

But that won't stop them from refusing to return to work . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC teacher here.

Why are you not stepping up and demanding we get vaccinated?

Easy solution.

It's not an easy solution, though. There are suggestions that even with teachers vaccinated, they won't go back in person.

WTU President has *already said* vaccines are not enough. Why would I want to move the goalposts now -- even if I'm sympathetic to the ask -- if it means the goalposts might just get moved again? The best way of making sure more kids get to go back is to get some kids back, so that is my #1 priority at this point. Anyone who thinks that if this gets shut down we end up with a more robust return plan is incredibly naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher who is returning because I was asked to. Guess what - my class will have 2 in-person kids. This is just nuts.

Actually DCPS has minimum class sizes in place for classes to open - i believe it's around 8. Maybe 6 for Prek3. One of the in-person classes in my school has been cancelled because not enough kids signed up. So this 2-person class is not possible.

But not for teachers to come in. DCPS teacher here is type 1 diabetes (well controlled). I had the telework accommodation for term 2 and was approved for term 3. Principal called me in anyway. Teaching using simulcast to my class from school (wearing a mask) because two kids want to come in. I asked what if no one shows and was told great then it’s safer for me. 😞

These folks really do care right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher who is returning because I was asked to. Guess what - my class will have 2 in-person kids. This is just nuts.

Actually DCPS has minimum class sizes in place for classes to open - i believe it's around 8. Maybe 6 for Prek3. One of the in-person classes in my school has been cancelled because not enough kids signed up. So this 2-person class is not possible.

But not for teachers to come in. DCPS teacher here is type 1 diabetes (well controlled). I had the telework accommodation for term 2 and was approved for term 3. Principal called me in anyway. Teaching using simulcast to my class from school (wearing a mask) because two kids want to come in. I asked what if no one shows and was told great then it’s safer for me. 😞

These folks really do care right?

This legit doesn't make sense. It is against the DCPS rules conveyed by my school's leadership, who I believe. If you're not a troll, then you're either misrepresenting facts, in a CLC or your principal is violating DCPS' rules and you should complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC teacher here.

Why are you not stepping up and demanding we get vaccinated?

Easy solution.

I'm legitimately wondering - who are you speaking to? The general public?

Is there a shortage of support for teachers getting vaccinated?

Absolutely. Do you read these threads? Loudmouthed parents and DCPS leadership are not open to allowing teachers to be fully vaccinated before returning to schools. You all are pushing for Feb. 1 when no teacher will be fully vaccinated. That is all that many DCPS teachers are asking for and we have been ignored.

Plenty of people (including my DH) go to work everyday without vaccines and with safety protocols in place. It’s fine. And asking to keep kids out of school longer when safety protocols work is an unreasonable ask.

But you are already a priority group with vaccinations underway! You have support. You are getting vaccines long before most parents on here will.

So what’s the problem exactly? You are priority for the vaccine AND it’s safe enough for you to return without the vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

I spoke to the WTU rep at my school today. Sorry that is not what WTU is doing at all.

[Anonymous]

But also it seems like at least a third of families are turning down offers. My kid was offered a spot at her title 1 school, where the majority are also ELL. We don’t fit any “high priority category” once the achool made all those offers they said they randomly selected from everyone else. There are probably a lot of seats still open in total. The problem is that each school is having to determine their own plan and the Union is making it impossible to plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But also it seems like at least a third of families are turning down offers. My kid was offered a spot at her title 1 school, where the majority are also ELL. We don’t fit any “high priority category” once the achool made all those offers they said they randomly selected from everyone else. There are probably a lot of seats still open in total. The problem is that each school is having to determine their own plan and the Union is making it impossible to plan.

+1.

It also seems like DCPS/powers-that-be are confusing "people aren't accepting seats" with "not that many people actually want in-person." I'd guess that most people actually do want and need to go back, but not under these conditions.

I'm fully on-board with in-person, but the only option at our elementary school (for my kid's grade) would be a CARES classroom that spans multiple grades, where we've been told they can sit in one place with a tablet and that's it. The options are limited, the school videos look like hospital ads, and many families are understandably afraid because DCPS hasn't invested in solid public health education around how this virus even works. Argh, so exasperating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

How do you suppose to make social distancing happen with 24+ students? Hospital, restaurants, grocery stores don't have the same 25+ people in a tiny crowded space for hours on end. Even countries that had way better government management then us have reduced class sizes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

How do you suppose to make social distancing happen with 24+ students? Hospital, restaurants, grocery stores don't have the same 25+ people in a tiny crowded space for hours on end. Even countries that had way better government management then us have reduced class sizes.

No they haven’t. Seriously. We have this weird view of Europeans as perfect. Kids are full time in school just as they always were with masks not even required until 8-12 depending on the country. Some of these schools have been closed occasionally (or in the UK are closed now) for temporary spikes, but they’ve been open 90% of the time v 0 here. Also, it’s worth noting that “closed” in the UK means in person school for key workers’ kids. The number of kids going in person in the UK during the UK closure is comparable to the reopening numbers of DC schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

I spoke to the WTU rep at my school today. Sorry that is not what WTU is doing at all.

Either your WTU rep is lying to you, or you're lying to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC teacher here.

Why are you not stepping up and demanding we get vaccinated?

Easy solution.

It's not an easy solution, though. There are suggestions that even with teachers vaccinated, they won't go back in person.

WTU President has *already said* vaccines are not enough. Why would I want to move the goalposts now -- even if I'm sympathetic to the ask -- if it means the goalposts might just get moved again? The best way of making sure more kids get to go back is to get some kids back, so that is my #1 priority at this point. Anyone who thinks that if this gets shut down we end up with a more robust return plan is incredibly naive.

This, all of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC teacher here.

Why are you not stepping up and demanding we get vaccinated?

Easy solution.

I'm legitimately wondering - who are you speaking to? The general public?

Is there a shortage of support for teachers getting vaccinated?

Absolutely. Do you read these threads? Loudmouthed parents and DCPS leadership are not open to allowing teachers to be fully vaccinated before returning to schools. You all are pushing for Feb. 1 when no teacher will be fully vaccinated. That is all that many DCPS teachers are asking for and we have been ignored.

Plenty of people (including my DH) go to work everyday without vaccines and with safety protocols in place. It’s fine. And asking to keep kids out of school longer when safety protocols work is an unreasonable ask.

So once again you've proved my point. To the person I was originally responding to...here's your proof.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

How do you suppose to make social distancing happen with 24+ students? Hospital, restaurants, grocery stores don't have the same 25+ people in a tiny crowded space for hours on end. Even countries that had way better government management then us have reduced class sizes.

No they haven’t. Seriously. We have this weird view of Europeans as perfect. Kids are full time in school just as they always were with masks not even required until 8-12 depending on the country. Some of these schools have been closed occasionally (or in the UK are closed now) for temporary spikes, but they’ve been open 90% of the time v 0 here. Also, it’s worth noting that “closed” in the UK means in person school for key workers’ kids. The number of kids going in person in the UK during the UK closure is comparable to the reopening numbers of DC schools.

Yup, I'll confirm this on this thread as well. Germany did not reduce class sizes until now, where elementary schools are still hybrid in many places. My kids now have to wear masks in class, which they didn't in the fall. The precautions the WTU is demanding (and what DCPS is offering) go way beyond what other countries have done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found this email so annoying! I was honestly shocked. In my school it is such a small handful of kids going back while the rest of us lose teachers and face increased class sizes. I thought it was so weird to disparage distance learning and take a victory lap when most of us are still faced with no options.

I have been patient and support safe reopening but found the tone incredibly annoying. Yes schools are 'open' but most students are not able to attend in-person.

This! I was very confused because Deal has just a small group returning. He made it sound like all the kids were back for in-person learning. Extremely misleading!

Agreed. Please email the Chancellor and Mayor to request schools to fully reopen for all students. If we don't push for this now, it won't happen for the Fall. WTU doesn't want teachers to return to work at all and they're lobbying hard. We need to push from our end as parents.

How do you suppose to make social distancing happen with 24+ students? Hospital, restaurants, grocery stores don't have the same 25+ people in a tiny crowded space for hours on end. Even countries that had way better government management then us have reduced class sizes.

No they haven’t. Seriously. We have this weird view of Europeans as perfect. Kids are full time in school just as they always were with masks not even required until 8-12 depending on the country. Some of these schools have been closed occasionally (or in the UK are closed now) for temporary spikes, but they’ve been open 90% of the time v 0 here. Also, it’s worth noting that “closed” in the UK means in person school for key workers’ kids. The number of kids going in person in the UK during the UK closure is comparable to the reopening numbers of DC schools.

Yup, I'll confirm this on this thread as well. Germany did not reduce class sizes until now, where elementary schools are still hybrid in many places. My kids now have to wear masks in class, which they didn't in the fall. The precautions the WTU is demanding (and what DCPS is offering) go way beyond what other countries have done.

Are churches open in Germany? Gyms? Indoor dining?