Should we prepare for virtual schooling starting in January?

[Anonymous]

We have been safe and covid free for this entire pandemic until now. My 3 kids went back in person last Spring when MCPS opened back up and now one of my kids who are all fully vaccinated just tested positive for Covid today and all three went to school yesterday. I have 2 others in MCPS so it is possible they will also test positive possibly by the time schools return in Jan. This new strain is no joke and seems to be affecting even the fully vaccinated and boostered.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So with all the studies showing this is much milder than previous strains. Can we stop the stupid panic and stay open

If "much milder" meant no hospitalizations or deaths, sure, but it doesn't. What we do know for sure is that it is much more transmissible, which means that more people will get it. If more people get it, that can still strain the healthcare system and kill people even if it is milder on average. But you know all this.

Agreed, we really need to stop the panic.

The concern isn't over just hospitalizations but if that's how they want to justify their poor behavior, its ok.

Poor to you is good to me. It's about point of view.

Your good is why we are in this mess.

Okay, my fault. Well, I’ll stay in tonight. Look for the global pandemic to be over tomorrow.

No, go out, have fun. Now is the perfect time for you to catch covid while we are on break.

I’m so sad these high and mighty covidiots are putting front line workers (and all of us) at risk.
The selfishness is overwhelming. And when they talk about being good people or believers in God, the hypocrisy enrages me.

What happened to us all working together to protect the most vulnerable?

What are you doing? Outsourcing your risk to delivery drivers? Bravo.

Less of a risk to them. They mask.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:^^^ how are frontline workers at risk? They’ve all had the opportunity to get vaccinated and omricon is more mild anyway. Good grief. It’s past time to move on.

We were more at risk at the beginning of the pandemic.
I am a frontline worker. We need to move on.

Moving on means stoping the spread. How do you propose we do that?

Um that’s not what moving on means. It means get vaxxed, boosted, wear your mask indoors in public, and go about your life. You know, MOVE ON.

Right now that means getting this variant of covid. You just care and that is ok.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:^^^ how are frontline workers at risk? They’ve all had the opportunity to get vaccinated and omricon is more mild anyway. Good grief. It’s past time to move on.

We were more at risk at the beginning of the pandemic.
I am a frontline worker. We need to move on.

Moving on means stoping the spread. How do you propose we do that?

Um that’s not what moving on means. It means get vaxxed, boosted, wear your mask indoors in public, and go about your life. You know, MOVE ON.

Right now that means getting this variant of covid. You just care and that is ok.

We’re all going to get it at some point. That’s why I’m vaccinated and boosted.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:^^^ how are frontline workers at risk? They’ve all had the opportunity to get vaccinated and omricon is more mild anyway. Good grief. It’s past time to move on.

We were more at risk at the beginning of the pandemic.
I am a frontline worker. We need to move on.

Moving on means stoping the spread. How do you propose we do that?

Um that’s not what moving on means. It means get vaxxed, boosted, wear your mask indoors in public, and go about your life. You know, MOVE ON.

Right now that means getting this variant of covid. You just care and that is ok.

Finally, you're speaking reason. Not sure where that came from. Well done!

[Anonymous]

K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many colleges moving to virtual for spring, cancelling December commencement etc.. it would not be a surprise if mcps went virtual again. I certainly hope it doesn’t. Virtual has been terrible for my child. 2nd grader never got to have a full year of school since Kindergarten!

Better to go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

Why aren't privates "dropping like flies", huh? You are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

What is two weeks going to help besides "well, how about two more weeks? how about spring? how about Fall 2022?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

Covid will still be around after those two weeks. So what would success look like with this plan?

[Anonymous]

Families are going to get together over the break. Naturally, the virus will spread among these groups and infected individual will travel back to their respective communities and further the spread. The issue when it comes to the schools is staffing. I had a co-worker with COVID who was able to teach virtually but couldn't come into the building. Her whole class was quarantined and they did virtual instruction for two weeks. There were no disruptions to staffing (though I know a HUGE inconvenience to families). This potential pivot to virtual for a week would only happen if the system realizes they don't have the staff to keep a school open. This is a very real possibility given how quickly this variant is spreading.

[Anonymous]

K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

No. Last time you shut down "for two weeks to stop the spread" you remained closed for a year and a half and harmed my kid and thousands of others. Keep the schools open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Families are going to get together over the break. Naturally, the virus will spread among these groups and infected individual will travel back to their respective communities and further the spread. The issue when it comes to the schools is staffing. I had a co-worker with COVID who was able to teach virtually but couldn't come into the building. Her whole class was quarantined and they did virtual instruction for two weeks. There were no disruptions to staffing (though I know a HUGE inconvenience to families). This potential pivot to virtual for a week would only happen if the system realizes they don't have the staff to keep a school open. This is a very real possibility given how quickly this variant is spreading.

Again, I don't understand what you think success looks like. You could close schools for 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years. COVID will still be spreading in significant numbers.

The problem is that we're isolating and quarantining over non-infectious cases. No symptoms with negative antigen tests should not keep people home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

K teacher for mcps here. Even though most of my kids are vaccinated, I spend half of my day reminding students to keep their masks over their noses and mouths. Some of them are completely oblivious to their mask placement, have little spacial sense (will get right in eachothers faces) and teachers/siblings are dropping like flies at our school with covid.

We need to go virtual for two weeks to stop the spread and resume in person instruction. While in person is best, if teachers are on edge and kids are sick, no one is going to be available for actual meaningful learning.

No. Last time you shut down "for two weeks to stop the spread" you remained closed for a year and a half and harmed my kid and thousands of others. Keep the schools open.

This. And I don’t think policymakers will fall for it this time.

The fact that none of the people calling for closures can articulate an endgame for covid should make it obvious that they’re not really looking for solutions to problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many colleges moving to virtual for spring, cancelling December commencement etc.. it would not be a surprise if mcps went virtual again. I certainly hope it doesn’t. Virtual has been terrible for my child. 2nd grader never got to have a full year of school since Kindergarten!

Better to go private.

Like sidwell went virtual too?