Here is why we should close schools now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To put things in perspective Montgomery county school system aka MCPS. has 169 000 students.. if all got sick, and death rste kept you would end up with more then 3200 dead children. What if we loose only one child.. which one.... do you see what I mean?

It is not true that kids are safe and immune. Kids with asthma, diabetes , heart issues, lung issues, obesity, smokers, vapers.. you name it.. all they are in high risk group.

I'm confused. I thought there were no documented moralities for kids under 10?

There are children ten and older in the school system, so the number would be lower, but still that’s a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am okay with closure (in fact think it is prudent) but I really wish the pro-closure posters on this thread didn't sound so much like they do not give a crap about anyone who isn't a suburban mom holing up in her giant house. They leave the impression they don't care about janitors, or restaurant workers, or bus drivers, or really anyone who faces eviction, loss of health insurance, or bankruptcy if they can't pay their rent.

Because they don’t.

That is absolutely not true. I wonder why working parents cannot creatively piece together childcare with friends/family -- surely they would be able to find a teenager or college student to watch their kids? Or pool together with another parent to coordinate childcare? Or ask their employer to help by allowing them to bring their child to their workplace? Or approach their local church for help with childcare for the days they cannot get help from other sources?

Yes, I have worked as a waitress for many years prior to marriage and kids. I know it is difficult, but this blanket statement that "noone cares about the working class" is just so irresponsible and ridiculous.

Well, you just demonstrated the point that you don't give a crap in this post, so I think the ship has sailed as far as pretending you care about anyone else. Literally every single one of your examples will have kids and teens be out and about, thus defeating the point of school closures but causing massive hardship. All you obviously want is for your kids to have excused absences so they don't ruin their GPA while holing up in your mansion, but you do not care about the working class. Ugh.

I am PP. How, exactly, did I demonstrate that I don't care? You are simply looking for a reason to be pissed off, sorry. Schools close, does not mean that people are quarantined. So noone has a teen neighbor down the street? No 2 parents from different families could coordinate/share childcare?


We are talking about closing schools with 1,000-2,000+ kids and staff who meet daily. You are selfish and ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I am not going to read through this whole thing, but I feel very strongly that schools should remain open unless and until there is a confirmed case at the school or district. That said, teachers over 60 or with underlying condition should be able to stay home with pay. We should focus on making sure our most at risk population stays home, but there needs to be a balance with keeping the economy afloat. If you close schools now people are still going to be congregating at parks or on playdates anyway so it won't serve it's intended purpose.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-cancel-everything/607675/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not going to read through this whole thing, but I feel very strongly that schools should remain open unless and until there is a confirmed case at the school or district. That said, teachers over 60 or with underlying condition should be able to stay home with pay. We should focus on making sure our most at risk population stays home, but there needs to be a balance with keeping the economy afloat. If you close schools now people are still going to be congregating at parks or on playdates anyway so it won't serve it's intended purpose.

But aren’t parks and play dates far preferable to adults being around 25 kids for an extended period of time? I’m not totally in disagreement, just trying to understand.

[Anonymous]

I lost my list of school closure predictions world wide but GREECE is the latest addition -- I didn't even have then on my list.

Their initial bid is 2 weeks closing all schools and colleges.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/03/09/two-week-closure-for-greek-schools-as-covid-19-cases-rise-to-73-cases/

two days ago: 73 cases

Greece’s Health Ministry spokesperson and infectious diseases expert Professor Sotiris Tsiodras, said on Sunday that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greece has risen to 73.

According to the Health Ministry, six out of the seven new incidents are from the group of tourists that had visited the Holy Lands in Israel and people that came into contact with them in Greece.

The government stressed that it focuses on the vulnerable groups and has taken additional measures:

The operation of Open Care Centres for the Elderly (KAPI) will be suspended for 4 weeks
No conferences will be held in the Greek territory
School excursions in the country will stop for 2 weeks while all sport events will be held behind closed doors for 2 weeks
Schools with confirmed cases will remain closed

today: they now have 89 cases

https://greece.greekreporter.com/2020/03/10/greece-closes-all-schools-and-universities-for-two-weeks-amid-coronavirus-fears/

Greek Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced on Tuesday that all of the country’s schools and universities will remain closed for the next fourteen days.

This comes as Athens intensifies its efforts to tackle the Covid19 Coronavirus outbreak, in a desperate effort to get ahead of the spread of the disease.

All levels of the country’s educational institutions, starting from kindergartens all the way up to universities, will remain closed for fourteen days, beginning on Wednesday, March 11.

The decision covers both public and private schools.

Kikilias also said that special care will be taken by the state for those parents who work as well as for the businesses affected by the emergency measures.

[Anonymous]

I am a regular sub and I worked today. This topic came up at recess, specifically extending spring break and the consensus was while great in theory, if the parents and the kids don’t stay out of airplanes, bounce houses, Starbucks, etc then there is really no point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not going to read through this whole thing, but I feel very strongly that schools should remain open unless and until there is a confirmed case at the school or district. That said, teachers over 60 or with underlying condition should be able to stay home with pay. We should focus on making sure our most at risk population stays home, but there needs to be a balance with keeping the economy afloat. If you close schools now people are still going to be congregating at parks or on playdates anyway so it won't serve it's intended purpose.

But aren’t parks and play dates far preferable to adults being around 25 kids for an extended period of time? I’m not totally in disagreement, just trying to understand.

Probably for the teachers who would not otherwise be around children. But overall, how is having kids out and about in the community going to slow down the virus spread, at least enough to justify the significant downsides of closing schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Probably for the teachers who would not otherwise be around children. But overall, how is having kids out and about in the community going to slow down the virus spread, at least enough to justify the significant downsides of closing schools?

You are absolutely right.

Shutting down schools to control spread needs to be combined with a shut down of basically any place where the children would otherwise go to congregate. And no traveling for fun either.

Probably traveling an hour or so to drop the kids off at your sister's for the duration would be acceptable though.

[Anonymous]

Just lift up Spring break and some snow days to slow down the outbreak!

The 3-year-old is among the youngest patients in the U.S. to have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The World Health Organization reported late last month that children under 18 years old made up 2.4% of reported cases.

https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/10/frisco-texas-man-spreads-coronavirus-wife-and-child/

2 Nassau County School Bus Drivers Test Positive For Coronavirus

https://710wor.iheart.com/content/2020-03-10-2-nassau-county-school-bus-drivers-test-positive-for-coronavirus/

Wake up! People. If you worried about free food from school over people's lives, ask yourself if your brain still has the basic function. The late actions cost you more!

Move up or reschedule Spring Break to reduce ahead of time the chance of the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Or, move some off days from summer break to spring.

I think this is a very reasonable solution for all. Please sign and circulate the petition. Thank you!

https://www.change.org/p/mcps-leadership-urge-mcps-leadership-to-take-actions-to-prevent-the-spread-of-deadly-covid-19

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably for the teachers who would not otherwise be around children. But overall, how is having kids out and about in the community going to slow down the virus spread, at least enough to justify the significant downsides of closing schools?

You are absolutely right.

Shutting down schools to control spread needs to be combined with a shut down of basically any place where the children would otherwise go to congregate. And no traveling for fun either.

Probably traveling an hour or so to drop the kids off at your sister's for the duration would be acceptable though.

This. If they don’t also do this there is ZERO point to closing school,

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Just lift up Spring break and some snow days to slow down the outbreak!

The 3-year-old is among the youngest patients in the U.S. to have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The World Health Organization reported late last month that children under 18 years old made up 2.4% of reported cases.

https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/10/frisco-texas-man-spreads-coronavirus-wife-and-child/

2 Nassau County School Bus Drivers Test Positive For Coronavirus

https://710wor.iheart.com/content/2020-03-10-2-nassau-county-school-bus-drivers-test-positive-for-coronavirus/

Wake up! People. If you worried about free food from school over people's lives, ask yourself if your brain still has the basic function. The late actions cost you more!

Move up or reschedule Spring Break to reduce ahead of time the chance of the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Or, move some off days from summer break to spring.

I think this is a very reasonable solution for all. Please sign and circulate the petition. Thank you!

https://www.change.org/p/mcps-leadership-urge-mcps-leadership-to-take-actions-to-prevent-the-spread-of-deadly-covid-19
[/quote]

Enough with your stupid petition. Schools are following health department advice, not petitions from hysterical community members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably for the teachers who would not otherwise be around children. But overall, how is having kids out and about in the community going to slow down the virus spread, at least enough to justify the significant downsides of closing schools?

You are absolutely right.

Shutting down schools to control spread needs to be combined with a shut down of basically any place where the children would otherwise go to congregate. And no traveling for fun either.

Probably traveling an hour or so to drop the kids off at your sister's for the duration would be acceptable though.

This. If they don’t also do this there is ZERO point to closing school,

That’s bs. There is no other scenario like school, where virtually every kid in the country is packed elbow to elbow with other kids on a daily basis. There’s no stopping this, there is only slowing it down to reduce strain on emergency services. Which closing schools and cancelling large events, in combination with good hygiene, would achieve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Probably for the teachers who would not otherwise be around children. But overall, how is having kids out and about in the community going to slow down the virus spread, at least enough to justify the significant downsides of closing schools?

You are absolutely right.

Shutting down schools to control spread needs to be combined with a shut down of basically any place where the children would otherwise go to congregate. And no traveling for fun either.

Probably traveling an hour or so to drop the kids off at your sister's for the duration would be acceptable though.

This. If they don’t also do this there is ZERO point to closing school,

That’s bs. There is no other scenario like school, where virtually every kid in the country is packed elbow to elbow with other kids on a daily basis. There’s no stopping this, there is only slowing it down to reduce strain on emergency services. Which closing schools and cancelling large events, in combination with good hygiene, would achieve.

Or prepare more hospital beds now.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Just lift up Spring break and some snow days to slow down the outbreak!

The 3-year-old is among the youngest patients in the U.S. to have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The World Health Organization reported late last month that children under 18 years old made up 2.4% of reported cases.

https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/10/frisco-texas-man-spreads-coronavirus-wife-and-child/

2 Nassau County School Bus Drivers Test Positive For Coronavirus

https://710wor.iheart.com/content/2020-03-10-2-nassau-county-school-bus-drivers-test-positive-for-coronavirus/

Wake up! People. If you worried about free food from school over people's lives, ask yourself if your brain still has the basic function. The late actions cost you more!

Move up or reschedule Spring Break to reduce ahead of time the chance of the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Or, move some off days from summer break to spring.

I think this is a very reasonable solution for all. Please sign and circulate the petition. Thank you!

https://www.change.org/p/mcps-leadership-urge-mcps-leadership-to-take-actions-to-prevent-the-spread-of-deadly-covid-19
[/quote]

Enough with your stupid petition. Schools are following health department advice, not petitions from hysterical community members.[/quote]

Don't tell me Italy does not have a health department.