Economist- Let them learn- The risks of keeping schools closed far outweigh the benefits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Thank you for this post. My spidey sense was tingling too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh no. teachers are—to put it simply—scared to die.

There’s a pandemic and if schools hadn’t closed in march, the death toll would have been much higher.

The political part of this is how terribly Trump has handled it for months and months, calling it a hoax, never wearing a mask, pitting states against each other for proper equipment, firing the pandemic team long before this happened, refusing to listen to top health experts.

If teachers had proper PPE and schools could have soap and paper towels, maybe they wouldn’t be so scared, but my kids in McPs —a wealthy county —often don’t even have soap in the bathrooms. How the hell can they keep the virus at bay without the proper equipment?

I’m shocked to hear schools don’t have soap in the bathrooms. That being said I am CERTAIN parents or even strangers would be more than happy to donate to the school if that’s so it takes to reopen. I don’t have kids but I’d gladly restock your school singlehandedly! Sadly I do think there are some teachers who don’t want to reopen at all if they have to take any risk whatsoever and there still getting paid. They should feel more sense of responsibility for the future of our children. Imagine if our healthcare workers refused to help patients until some long list of demands were met. Teachers play just as big a role in the (social, intellectual, emotional) health of our society as healthcare workers do.

It has been disheartening to read how many teachers don't consider themselves essential. They are scared of all the wrong things.

If by essential you meant overqualified babysitters then yeah mate... we aints no essential.

Cheers (I’m on vacay. U?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Saving lives > education.

Especially since most kids are actually still getting an education. The argument that kids are not learning at home is a myth.

+1. I posted up thread about different levels of risk tolerance parents have a right to apply, but what I didn’t mention is that I secretly think a lot of parents are just exhausted and want to use grade school as daycare. They want the kids out of the house. Plain and simple, even if the reasons are different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

+1. I suspect PP is only opposed to reopening because Trump is for it. (I despise Trump in case you’re wondering. But a broken clock is still right sometimes)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh no. teachers are—to put it simply—scared to die.

There’s a pandemic and if schools hadn’t closed in march, the death toll would have been much higher.

The political part of this is how terribly Trump has handled it for months and months, calling it a hoax, never wearing a mask, pitting states against each other for proper equipment, firing the pandemic team long before this happened, refusing to listen to top health experts.

If teachers had proper PPE and schools could have soap and paper towels, maybe they wouldn’t be so scared, but my kids in McPs —a wealthy county —often don’t even have soap in the bathrooms. How the hell can they keep the virus at bay without the proper equipment?

I’m shocked to hear schools don’t have soap in the bathrooms. That being said I am CERTAIN parents or even strangers would be more than happy to donate to the school if that’s so it takes to reopen. I don’t have kids but I’d gladly restock your school singlehandedly! Sadly I do think there are some teachers who don’t want to reopen at all if they have to take any risk whatsoever and there still getting paid. They should feel more sense of responsibility for the future of our children. Imagine if our healthcare workers refused to help patients until some long list of demands were met. Teachers play just as big a role in the (social, intellectual, emotional) health of our society as healthcare workers do.

People say that but then they oppose higher taxes. Schools didn't get this way overnight, they have been consistently underfunded by the same people who are now screaming they should be open in a pandemic. It's pretty rich to talk about a teacher's "sense of responsibility" when the PTA is holding bingo night fundraisers because public funding for schools has been inadequate for decades.

We have the means in this country to double or triple (or more) the number of public schools and have everyone in person this fall in classes of 10 or fewer. We just lack the "sense of responsibility" to make it happen.

You’re right on the macro issues, but then you’re refusing to find solutions right now. Schools were defunded for too long. Yes. So we just give up on all kids during a pandemic? I mean why are you choosing that response to a post about finding solutions RIGHT NOW?

My point was more that the donated soap won't materialize any more than the tax dollars did, it's just empty words.
But to your point: We have the means in this country to have everyone in school, in person, this fall. That would be a solution for right now! If the safety precaution is distancing, we could do that by spending money on teachers and space. If the safety precaution is closing recreational activities and paying people a stipend to stay home, we could do that. But to not do those things, and then say teachers are irresponsible because some theoretical donated soap doesn't make them feel safe, is pretty messed up.
- not a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

+1. I suspect PP is only opposed to reopening because Trump is for it. (I despise Trump in case you’re wondering. But a broken clock is still right sometimes)

-1, unless we should all assume that you are only supportive of reopening schools because Trump is calling for it? Not PP, btw. There are several substantiated points and opinions of people that do/don’t agree with the info. This isn’t the politics forum. Though, it’s hard to keep Trump’s name out of everything when his hand is often stirring the pot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

+1. I suspect PP is only opposed to reopening because Trump is for it. (I despise Trump in case you’re wondering. But a broken clock is still right sometimes)

-1, unless we should all assume that you are only supportive of reopening schools because Trump is calling for it? Not PP, btw. There are several substantiated points and opinions of people that do/don’t agree with the info. This isn’t the politics forum. Though, it’s hard to keep Trump’s name out of everything when his hand is often stirring the pot.

I understand that you and I have legitimate differences of opinion on this. But I strongly disagree with the person above who thinks anyone who supports reopening is a paid reelection troll. (Surely they would not spend on an anonymous forum in the bluest part of America?). If you think no liberals support reopening then you need to get out more! (Assuming you are the PP who said Trump trolls are in this thread)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

+1. I suspect PP is only opposed to reopening because Trump is for it. (I despise Trump in case you’re wondering. But a broken clock is still right sometimes)

-1, unless we should all assume that you are only supportive of reopening schools because Trump is calling for it? Not PP, btw. There are several substantiated points and opinions of people that do/don’t agree with the info. This isn’t the politics forum. Though, it’s hard to keep Trump’s name out of everything when his hand is often stirring the pot.

I understand that you and I have legitimate differences of opinion on this. But I strongly disagree with the person above who thinks anyone who supports reopening is a paid reelection troll. (Surely they would not spend on an anonymous forum in the bluest part of America?). If you think no liberals support reopening then you need to get out more! (Assuming you are the PP who said Trump trolls are in this thread)

ok..gotcha. Kinda agree with some points. I def think red/blue/white voters want to reopen, or close. It’s more personal alignment than party position here. But, I also don’t doubt the presence of trolls. We know for a fact that trolls are always online, that countries have tried to troll the us, Zuckerberg testified about it, we should be on guard for that and I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the possibility. It has happened. Literally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Many many liberals (the ones that actually care about poor people, equity, and social justice) want schools to reopen.

I remember back when someone started a million threads that said "We MUST re-open all businesses NOW it's for the WORKING POOR" but then funnily enough, after they won, all that passion for economic justice and workers' rights disappeared from DCUM for some reason.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a troll. I'm a liberal socialist who lives in a sunbelt state with terrible numbers, and i'm praying and hoping 5-day a week in person school is an option in the fall.

If i were in government, i would do the following (non exhaustive list) to achieve this:

- mandate masks EVERYWHERE now. This will get the numbers down by mid August.
- Close bars and gyms.
- For elementary and middle school, offer parents either full time distance learning or full time in person.
- For elementary and middle school, give teachers the following options: (1) full time distance learning; (2) opt out of working without pay until things are back to normal (i think this one is for teachers with young kids); (3) in person teaching with a hazard bonus. I suspect a small number fall in category #2. Ideally, category #1 corresponds pretty neatly across the county with parents who opt for distance learning. I suspect it will be around 30% of kids and teachers.
- For high school, do what lots of counties are discussing: split the day in half - morning students and afternoon students. For teachers with certain high risks (age over 60, medical conditions with doctor note) allow them to do remote teaching. This might be 5% of classes that are particularly easy to do online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry we will be having our elite pod where our hand picked tutors and pod mates are all wealthy and not having to deal with silly poverty

This. I can't believe that schools are closed but people are allowed to have hand picked tutors and 8 kids in their house being home schooled in person.

I’m confused. You think this should be illegal?

I don’t have the means to do this, but people will do what they can. I think unfettered capitalism and voting for people who are out to get rich is the problem. I don’t even think it’s taxes. We have plenty of money to go around, we just spend it the wrong way. Hopefully the momentum from BLM will address the inequities in our education system and the effects of the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh no. teachers are—to put it simply—scared to die.

There’s a pandemic and if schools hadn’t closed in march, the death toll would have been much higher.

The political part of this is how terribly Trump has handled it for months and months, calling it a hoax, never wearing a mask, pitting states against each other for proper equipment, firing the pandemic team long before this happened, refusing to listen to top health experts.

If teachers had proper PPE and schools could have soap and paper towels, maybe they wouldn’t be so scared, but my kids in McPs —a wealthy county —often don’t even have soap in the bathrooms. How the hell can they keep the virus at bay without the proper equipment?

I’m shocked to hear schools don’t have soap in the bathrooms. That being said I am CERTAIN parents or even strangers would be more than happy to donate to the school if that’s so it takes to reopen. I don’t have kids but I’d gladly restock your school singlehandedly! Sadly I do think there are some teachers who don’t want to reopen at all if they have to take any risk whatsoever and there still getting paid. They should feel more sense of responsibility for the future of our children. Imagine if our healthcare workers refused to help patients until some long list of demands were met. Teachers play just as big a role in the (social, intellectual, emotional) health of our society as healthcare workers do.

It has been disheartening to read how many teachers don't consider themselves essential. They are scared of all the wrong things.

If by essential you meant overqualified babysitters then yeah mate... we aints no essential.

Cheers (I’m on vacay. U?)

Cheers colleague. I’m also on a well deserved vacation. Enjoying it to the fullest.

Oh, and guess what? Not a single minute of planning I’m doing.













Roast me.

[Anonymous]

On aggregate this economist argument makes sense, but in my specific case their arguments do not apply.
I do not need to lift my kids from poverty and they are actually learning more while being at home because they do not get distracted by other 20 kids in the class. So on and so forth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The re-election campaign desperately wants schools to reopen so they can claim there's an economic recovery by Nov 3. I suspect the people starting thread after thread on this are working to further that effort.

Some of the people responding in the threads are part of that campaign, but I assume some are just freaked-out parents who don't realize they're playing into a scam.

Thank you for this post. My spidey sense was tingling too.

The Democrats want to keep the economy closed and a large amount of the population on the government dole in order to win the election. See it is easy to make conspiracies. Although mine is probably more accurate.