School closure after break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone advocating shut downs needs answer for the negative effects of last year. You also need to provide, in detail, how reopening is going to happen. You all saw the games that the WTU played to keep schools closed once they were shut down. Why would it be different this time?

Also, you need to recognize that what you are doing is having severe negative effects on a generation of children:

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/587041-officials-warn-crisis-over-childrens-mental-health-worsens-amid-pandemic?rl=1

In short, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

I am a teacher and I am not advocating for a shut down (every teacher I know HATED virtual teaching) - however, as staff gets sick and classes need simulcasting there might not be enough adults to actually keep school open. That is what I am worried about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last month, a grand total of four people in Washington DC died from coronavirus. Try to keep things in perspective.

If it's just about deaths then why is 70% of DCPS central office staff still working remotely?

this argument is dumb.

It is so tired. We are still in a pandemic, and people who can effectively work remotely should continue to do so. Teaching can’t be done effectively from home, but a lot of administrative jobs can. I have been on the teachers’ side for almost everything but arguments like this just make it sound like you don’t want to teach at all. Go get an office job you can do remotely! I support you in that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone advocating shut downs needs answer for the negative effects of last year. You also need to provide, in detail, how reopening is going to happen. You all saw the games that the WTU played to keep schools closed once they were shut down. Why would it be different this time?

Also, you need to recognize that what you are doing is having severe negative effects on a generation of children:

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/587041-officials-warn-crisis-over-childrens-mental-health-worsens-amid-pandemic?rl=1

In short, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Why didn't all you education advocates pursue careers in the field?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last month, a grand total of four people in Washington DC died from coronavirus. Try to keep things in perspective.

If it's just about deaths then why is 70% of DCPS central office staff still working remotely?

this argument is dumb.

It is so tired. We are still in a pandemic, and people who can effectively work remotely should continue to do so. Teaching can’t be done effectively from home, but a lot of administrative jobs can. I have been on the teachers’ side for almost everything but arguments like this just make it sound like you don’t want to teach at all. Go get an office job you can do remotely! I support you in that.

The problem is that they are doing administrative jobs, and not supporting actual teaching and learning in schools. I'm not talking about HR-types. Obviously payroll and benefits and things like that are necessary bureaucracy and can and should just remain virtual. I'm talking about all of these hundreds of people in curriculum and instructional oversight positions. Its a waste of time to be doing that this year. Everything is so chaotic. They all need to be re-tasked to schools to fill in vacant positions, or to provide coverage for absent teachers. They are supposedly so much better than us at teaching, they should come do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone advocating shut downs needs answer for the negative effects of last year. You also need to provide, in detail, how reopening is going to happen. You all saw the games that the WTU played to keep schools closed once they were shut down. Why would it be different this time?

Also, you need to recognize that what you are doing is having severe negative effects on a generation of children:

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/587041-officials-warn-crisis-over-childrens-mental-health-worsens-amid-pandemic?rl=1

In short, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Why didn't all you education advocates pursue careers in the field?

+1000 We sure could use more teachers especially all the brainiacs on this listserve

[Anonymous]

With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last month, a grand total of four people in Washington DC died from coronavirus. Try to keep things in perspective.

If it's just about deaths then why is 70% of DCPS central office staff still working remotely?

this argument is dumb.

It is so tired. We are still in a pandemic, and people who can effectively work remotely should continue to do so. Teaching can’t be done effectively from home, but a lot of administrative jobs can. I have been on the teachers’ side for almost everything but arguments like this just make it sound like you don’t want to teach at all. Go get an office job you can do remotely! I support you in that.

The problem is that they are doing administrative jobs, and not supporting actual teaching and learning in schools. I'm not talking about HR-types. Obviously payroll and benefits and things like that are necessary bureaucracy and can and should just remain virtual. I'm talking about all of these hundreds of people in curriculum and instructional oversight positions. Its a waste of time to be doing that this year. Everything is so chaotic. They all need to be re-tasked to schools to fill in vacant positions, or to provide coverage for absent teachers. They are supposedly so much better than us at teaching, they should come do it.

+1

I completely agree. Central office is a large bureaucracy. Some people spend all day making slide decks. Just put them in schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

That is not what the CDC says. It says that schools should close last behind every other business. A two week lockdown of the whole city is one thing and in that case maybe it should include schools. However, i agree with the CDC that schools should be the last to close. This is also the opinion of the American Association of Pediatricians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

That is not what the CDC says. It says that schools should close last behind every other business. A two week lockdown of the whole city is one thing and in that case maybe it should include schools. However, i agree with the CDC that schools should be the last to close. This is also the opinion of the American Association of Pediatricians.

Agree. The students should come first this time. They already did their part. Shut the restaurants and bars and cafes and gyms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last month, a grand total of four people in Washington DC died from coronavirus. Try to keep things in perspective.

If it's just about deaths then why is 70% of DCPS central office staff still working remotely?

this argument is dumb.

It is so tired. We are still in a pandemic, and people who can effectively work remotely should continue to do so. Teaching can’t be done effectively from home, but a lot of administrative jobs can. I have been on the teachers’ side for almost everything but arguments like this just make it sound like you don’t want to teach at all. Go get an office job you can do remotely! I support you in that.

The problem is that they are doing administrative jobs, and not supporting actual teaching and learning in schools. I'm not talking about HR-types. Obviously payroll and benefits and things like that are necessary bureaucracy and can and should just remain virtual. I'm talking about all of these hundreds of people in curriculum and instructional oversight positions. Its a waste of time to be doing that this year. Everything is so chaotic. They all need to be re-tasked to schools to fill in vacant positions, or to provide coverage for absent teachers. They are supposedly so much better than us at teaching, they should come do it.

+1

I completely agree. Central office is a large bureaucracy. Some people spend all day making slide decks. Just put them in schools.

This makes sense. They should pause the curriculum development for a year and put those teachers back in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

Troll or 2020 time traveler, hard to decide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

Troll or 2020 time traveler, hard to decide

Doesn’t DC have the highest per capita numbers of Covid in the country right now? But maybe it will burn through in a few weeks. I’m just not sure what the first two weeks of January will look like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. DCPS will not go virtual citywide, maybe MAYBE they’ll continue with on a school/class basis. Schools will remain open. Central office will continue to work from home “where it’s safe” and there won’t be any parental uproar although those are the people who should be subbing in classes for their kids.

Is this a possibility? I’d happily sub in my children’s classrooms if their teachers had to quarantine. This is a good idea. Much easier to take a week or two off of work vs having kids home and distance learning indefinitely. My elementary schoolers got nothing out of distance learning and it was terrible for my work productivity.

Really?? Calling BS here. Schools have been calling out for subs all fall - complete shortage. If you would happily sub - go get certified and do it. Please!

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/substitute

Once you get certified, you can control where/when/how much you sub. Go!

PP here. Thanks! Just signed up. Hopefully background check won’t take too long. Am already background checked to do field trips and whatnot so maybe that will speed things through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. DCPS will not go virtual citywide, maybe MAYBE they’ll continue with on a school/class basis. Schools will remain open. Central office will continue to work from home “where it’s safe” and there won’t be any parental uproar although those are the people who should be subbing in classes for their kids.

Is this a possibility? I’d happily sub in my children’s classrooms if their teachers had to quarantine. This is a good idea. Much easier to take a week or two off of work vs having kids home and distance learning indefinitely. My elementary schoolers got nothing out of distance learning and it was terrible for my work productivity.

Really?? Calling BS here. Schools have been calling out for subs all fall - complete shortage. If you would happily sub - go get certified and do it. Please!

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/substitute

Once you get certified, you can control where/when/how much you sub. Go!

PP here. Thanks! Just signed up. Hopefully background check won’t take too long. Am already background checked to do field trips and whatnot so maybe that will speed things through.

Email your child’s principal and tell them you submitted an application. They can email central and expedite the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With infections dangerously high in DC and hospitalizations also increasing, DCPS should be virtual for January. No other way to slow the spread.

That is not what the CDC says. It says that schools should close last behind every other business. A two week lockdown of the whole city is one thing and in that case maybe it should include schools. However, i agree with the CDC that schools should be the last to close. This is also the opinion of the American Association of Pediatricians.

Agree. The students should come first this time. They already did their part. Shut the restaurants and bars and cafes and gyms.

+1. I am a teacher in NoVA with children in DCPS. Neither school division has handled COVID well. Schools need to be open and they need to be provided with the supplies to test to stay.