Larry Hogan wants all school districts to be in hybrid learning by March 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The surge in Allegheny County started when indoor dining resumed. They never reopened schools fully and had only bright younger grades back when they transitioned to virtual. Case began rising every week after the Governor allowed indoor dining to resume. It is impossible given the timeline for COVID for the entire surge to have been caused by school reopening.

No, it isn't impossible.

This is how it happens:

Aug -Sept. younger Kids return to school, a few spread illness (asymptomatic students so it goes undetected)
Oct : asymptomatic cases spread, start spreading exponentially. A few spread it to older teens and parents who start to show more symptoms. People say -- see? Kids in elementary school aren't spreading it!
November -- spread is widespread in elementary schools and starts getting going with older kids and teens as well. Now we start to pay attention.
December -- starts to peak, restaurants shut down. But people gather for holdiays.

It IS impossible, as I said, because younger kids did not start returning to school in Allegheny County until early October. See? See? Perhaps you should investigate actual facts before spreading misinformation.

What did happen was indoor dining reopened BEFORE schools and case rate started to increase BEFORE schools opened.

[Anonymous]

Cool. I mean, I want a pony. <shrug>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The surge in Allegheny County started when indoor dining resumed. They never reopened schools fully and had only bright younger grades back when they transitioned to virtual. Case began rising every week after the Governor allowed indoor dining to resume. It is impossible given the timeline for COVID for the entire surge to have been caused by school reopening.

No, it isn't impossible.

This is how it happens:

Aug -Sept. younger Kids return to school, a few spread illness (asymptomatic students so it goes undetected)
Oct : asymptomatic cases spread, start spreading exponentially. A few spread it to older teens and parents who start to show more symptoms. People say -- see? Kids in elementary school aren't spreading it!
November -- spread is widespread in elementary schools and starts getting going with older kids and teens as well. Now we start to pay attention.
December -- starts to peak, restaurants shut down. But people gather for holdiays.

It IS impossible, as I said, because younger kids did not start returning to school in Allegheny County until early October. See? See? Perhaps you should investigate actual facts before spreading misinformation.

What did happen was indoor dining reopened BEFORE schools and case rate started to increase BEFORE schools opened.

They went back to school Sept 21. Spike started happening end of October, like the 29th. Indoor dining also was a problem. Probably also Frostburg U. contributed.

[Anonymous]

Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

Not a bad theory. Has he ever clarified why the metrics the State established for reopening (less than 5% positivity) no longer apply? Or is that the new understanding we for which no research has been cited?

My theory is that he felt the need to so something to nudge districts with no hybrid plans to take action and stop delaying. That's the only part I support. If DL must be available as a choice, concurrent teaching is not a possibility, and it won't be safe to return all who want in person at the same time necessitating different cohorts in school on different days, there's nothing to be done but keeping schools given current staffing. Something major would have to change to make hybrid work unless teachers agree to a concurrent model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

Not a bad theory. Has he ever clarified why the metrics the State established for reopening (less than 5% positivity) no longer apply? Or is that the new understanding we for which no research has been cited?

My theory is that he felt the need to so something to nudge districts with no hybrid plans to take action and stop delaying. That's the only part I support. If DL must be available as a choice, concurrent teaching is not a possibility, and it won't be safe to return all who want in person at the same time necessitating different cohorts in school on different days, there's nothing to be done but keeping schools given current staffing. Something major would have to change to make hybrid work unless teachers agree to a concurrent model.

THe new understanding is that getting to 15 cases per 100,000 will probably not happen anytime soon. Maybe by summer. and then you have an entire year online for many students. So he picked March 1 so there's one last quarter of school in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

Not a bad theory. Has he ever clarified why the metrics the State established for reopening (less than 5% positivity) no longer apply? Or is that the new understanding we for which no research has been cited?

My theory is that he felt the need to so something to nudge districts with no hybrid plans to take action and stop delaying. That's the only part I support. If DL must be available as a choice, concurrent teaching is not a possibility, and it won't be safe to return all who want in person at the same time necessitating different cohorts in school on different days, there's nothing to be done but keeping schools given current staffing. Something major would have to change to make hybrid work unless teachers agree to a concurrent model.

THe new understanding is that getting to 15 cases per 100,000 will probably not happen anytime soon. Maybe by summer. and then you have an entire year online for many students. So he picked March 1 so there's one last quarter of school in person.

Thanks. That makes sense. Again, I have been a critic of the Gov. and his approach to returning to school. However, the guidance about metrics are tied to mitigation measures in place - the actual measures and the extent to which the mitigation strategies in place and are being implemented. If schools remain closed indefinitely without a specific plan for return, there is no way to budget for or assess strategies or even to see if they can be implemented. I wish districts would finalize plans, start with small populations and go from there, adjusting as they go along. But without some students in school, there is no way to learn what works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

Not a bad theory. Has he ever clarified why the metrics the State established for reopening (less than 5% positivity) no longer apply? Or is that the new understanding we for which no research has been cited?

My theory is that he felt the need to so something to nudge districts with no hybrid plans to take action and stop delaying. That's the only part I support. If DL must be available as a choice, concurrent teaching is not a possibility, and it won't be safe to return all who want in person at the same time necessitating different cohorts in school on different days, there's nothing to be done but keeping schools given current staffing. Something major would have to change to make hybrid work unless teachers agree to a concurrent model.

THe new understanding is that getting to 15 cases per 100,000 will probably not happen anytime soon. Maybe by summer. and then you have an entire year online for many students. So he picked March 1 so there's one last quarter of school in person.

Thanks. That makes sense. Again, I have been a critic of the Gov. and his approach to returning to school. However, the guidance about metrics are tied to mitigation measures in place - the actual measures and the extent to which the mitigation strategies in place and are being implemented. If schools remain closed indefinitely without a specific plan for return, there is no way to budget for or assess strategies or even to see if they can be implemented. I wish districts would finalize plans, start with small populations and go from there, adjusting as they go along. But without some students in school, there is no way to learn what works.

That doesn't make any sense. We aren't anywhere close to the level we need to be, to bring kids back in school and see if mitigation measures will work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

THe new understanding is that getting to 15 cases per 100,000 will probably not happen anytime soon. Maybe by summer. and then you have an entire year online for many students. So he picked March 1 so there's one last quarter of school in person.

Where did you get that measure of 15 new cases per 100,000 per day?

You really need under 10 new cases per 100,000 per day to be able to start some in person classes for select students.

And many counties in Maryland aren't even close to 15. They are at 40, 50, 70 new cases per 100,000 per day.

He can't just decide we are never going to get to safe levels at all, so just pick a date. Safety doesn't work like that!

[Anonymous]

Every single study done has shown that schools do not increase transmission. Even in schools with full capacity and masks optional showed no changes. And all of these studies say when there is LOW community spread (approx 30-40 positives per 100,000) that school was safe to open.

Hogan is right. Enough of this nonsense. Get the kids safely back. Masked and socially distancing works. Journalists are salivating for big school outbreaks and there haven't been any. If you want your kids to stay home, they CAN. But we need to move on already

https://www.wwaytv3.com/2021/01/12/duke-unc-study-finds-low-rates-of-in-school-covid-transmission/?fbclid=IwAR3Wc7cv2GhGzG3il9Mw2MjHwxxUbm1ou9Kef4iAlKH8vHpHQ78uOGwpq0U

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-12-23/new-study-cautiously-suggests-schools-dont-increase-spread-of-coronavirus#:~:text=School%20districts%20offering%20in%2Dperson,role%20in%20the%20fraught%20debate

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/fall-school-reopenings-didnt-dramatically-increase-covid-19-hospitalizations/2021/01

https://news.tulane.edu/pr/study-reopening-k-12-schools-did-not-increase-hospitalizations-when-covid-19-cases-were-low

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every single study done has shown that schools do not increase transmission. Even in schools with full capacity and masks optional showed no changes. And all of these studies say when there is LOW community spread (approx 30-40 positives per 100,000) that school was safe to open.

Hogan is right. Enough of this nonsense. Get the kids safely back. Masked and socially distancing works. Journalists are salivating for big school outbreaks and there haven't been any. If you want your kids to stay home, they CAN. But we need to move on already

https://www.wwaytv3.com/2021/01/12/duke-unc-study-finds-low-rates-of-in-school-covid-transmission/?fbclid=IwAR3Wc7cv2GhGzG3il9Mw2MjHwxxUbm1ou9Kef4iAlKH8vHpHQ78uOGwpq0U

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-12-23/new-study-cautiously-suggests-schools-dont-increase-spread-of-coronavirus#:~:text=School%20districts%20offering%20in%2Dperson,role%20in%20the%20fraught%20debate

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/fall-school-reopenings-didnt-dramatically-increase-covid-19-hospitalizations/2021/01

https://news.tulane.edu/pr/study-reopening-k-12-schools-did-not-increase-hospitalizations-when-covid-19-cases-were-low

Nope....not going to happen until Jan 2022 at the earliest. Pandemic is raging and vaccinations are just starting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you not explain to me why Hogan wanted to prioritize teachers getting vaccinated while simultaneously saying that vaccines weren't a criteria for reopening schools? why did he prioritize teachers over other groups of people who are more vulnerable if vaccines weren't there important criteria?

Is he just basically admitting that it's not possible to get everybody vaccinated by March?

Yes. He originally though there would be enough vaccines for everyone in Tier1b and 1c and so wanted to move teachers to tier 1b so we could finally get everyone back to work.

Then realized that there was no way there would be enough vaccines, but couldn't take back moving educators to tier 1b.

So it is being used as a carrot but with the understanding that in his opinion, schools are simply not a source of COVID infection so there is no health reason to wait for teacher vaccines before reopening schools to in person instruction.

I disagree with the conception that schools aren't a source of COVID-19 infection. I've spoken to other families in other states that experiences hybrid. All them confirmed quarantine and infection occurred once the schools re-opened. As a parent of high risk child, I decided it was better off not sending DS back in person.
The only thing missing this year is social skills. However, I feel better taking the risk of health as priority.

Hope in Fall 2021 Schools staff will be more vaccinated and the vaccine for children 12 and up will be soon available. I dont expect a childs vaccine be ready that fast, however I do feel more comfortable with the idea of school staff being vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

The best thing we can do is get to herd immunity. Get the adults vaccinated and let the kids back into school.

[Anonymous]

Ya'll are so ready for your kids to be back in school to sit in front of a laptop it's sad.