Organizing to lobby DC to allow larger class sizes under Phase 2/3

[Anonymous]

Do some of you get a high from blaming teachers and asking why we are an 'exception.'
I suppose lawyers, therapists, office workers, bank tellers, social workers, etc are 'different' because they may not be dealing with YOUR specific child?

If we had nearly as much power as you seem to think the school system would be a different place. Seriously, teachers don't get into this job for endless praise and money.

I think it's trashy and heartless to blame teachers for your frustrations. The majority of us want to help children but also feel safe during this time. This isn't Sweden or Germany, it's the United States and I believe we have a longer way to go.

No one wants hybrid, in fact to me in makes no sense, I HATE Canvas. But that's what the DISTRICT decided. WE as teachers did not, I promise you.

All teachers have asked for are thoughts about BOTH student and teacher safety. Less platforms and more consistency.

SO please stop with the shaming, it's so disheartening to think parents are out to get teachers or that you think we are trying to be lazy somehow. I hate DL, I had to work more than usual.

[Anonymous]

Parent here.
I have only loved our kids’ teachers in DCPS.

Keep it up. You’re doing good.

[Anonymous]

Doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks - these are the guidelines today. Based on the information (misinformation?) provided by the CDC at the time.

There is new information about COVID published from real researched studies (not Trump medicine) that:
1. Spread from asymptomatic individuals is minimal
2. Spread from touching stuff is minimal

So this is new information this week - think about what this means.

In my mind the 2 most important elements are:
1. check everyone daily before entering the building.
2. Wear masks to limit spread from airborne transmission

of course lots of handwashing.

I expect the numbers will change for how many children can be in a room safely given precautions and this will align with new guidance received from the CDC.

#1 and #2 are false. There is no new study and both claims were back tracked. They just said they believe majority was transmitted by airborne droplets, but without much more contact tracing there is no certainty.

There is sufficient evidence that surfaces are less important than previously thought and that child transmission and risk is relatively low to shape public policy, in part, around those facts. If it were about kids, kids would be back in school. It’s clearly about teachers and, while teachers are important, I just don’t understand why public policy is being shaped around prioritizing their interests over Chikdrens’ interest when they are doing a paid, voluntary job. No one said doctors, nurses, policemen,, mailmen, delivery workers, firemen, EMS, grocery store workers, garbage man, metro employees, bus drivers, etc didn’t have to deliver the service for which they are paid.

+1

Oh STFU. Those jobs MUST be in person. The ones that aren't are all online. And yes distance learning doesn't work for everyone but at the time it's what we had to do. You don't care about kids, you're just mad at your assumptions about the decision as to why DL was put in place.
I'm sorry you guys are too stupid to realize if all the teachers quit there won't be replacements so soon. You know we already have a teacher shortage right?

I wish it could only be hybrid for parents like this. The rest of the students whose parent's hearts aren't trash can return to full time, I'll glad teach them in person everyday since I am not at risk.

DP. You seem angry and vicious, and you are reading a lot into what the PP said. Who is talking about not caring if all teachers quit, or thinking that it wouldn't be problem? How can you claim he/she doesn't care about kids, just because you feel they are attacking teachers unfairly?

It is not false to assert that

a) the continued (not the initial) school shutdown will be to protect the teachers and other staff (as well as potentially the students' family members) at the expense of the kids
b) DL is not remotely equivalent to school (no pun intended), and therefore you cannot claim that a teacher's job can really be done online
b) school should be considered essential, similar to other essential functions of society.

I bet a LOT of parents feel that way, and you think their hearts are "trash" and they all deserve the hybrid model? You sound like gem of a person. I get that everybody is stressed out in this situation, but flying off the handle like that doesn't advance the conversation in a productive way.

Yes, if you keep blaming teachers your heart is absolute trash.

There is already teaching online way before this virus lmao, even for kids with special needs. Don't get mad at teachers for DCPS' lack of funds and efforts!

What are you talking about? Blaming teachers for what? Saying that a teacher’s job is essential isn’t the same as blaming them for anything. You must be reacting to other PPs’ comments that I have nothing to do with.

I’ve loved most of my kids’ teachers, and while I have no idea where they stand on the issue of reopening, but I suspect they are eager to return to the classroom and have found DL very dissatisfying.

I hope you have more composure and kindness in the classroom, if you return to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent here.
I have only loved our kids’ teachers in DCPS.

Keep it up. You’re doing good.

+1

[Anonymous]

If smaller class sizes happen, that's pretty much the only positive side effect I can think of from the entire pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do some of you get a high from blaming teachers and asking why we are an 'exception.'
I suppose lawyers, therapists, office workers, bank tellers, social workers, etc are 'different' because they may not be dealing with YOUR specific child?

If we had nearly as much power as you seem to think the school system would be a different place. Seriously, teachers don't get into this job for endless praise and money.

I think it's trashy and heartless to blame teachers for your frustrations. The majority of us want to help children but also feel safe during this time. This isn't Sweden or Germany, it's the United States and I believe we have a longer way to go.

No one wants hybrid, in fact to me in makes no sense, I HATE Canvas. But that's what the DISTRICT decided. WE as teachers did not, I promise you.

All teachers have asked for are thoughts about BOTH student and teacher safety. Less platforms and more consistency.

SO please stop with the shaming, it's so disheartening to think parents are out to get teachers or that you think we are trying to be lazy somehow. I hate DL, I had to work more than usual.

Anything just teacher bashing is off topic (until someone creates a designated teacher bashing thread at least). Sans any other on topic posting with the bashing, if it’s bashing just report it. Jeff has deleted all the ones I’ve reported.

[Anonymous]

Has the city given teachers and other school staff & daycare staff the label of "essential" ?? If they do wouldn't that help them get in line for a childcare spot if they wanted one? Really not trying to be dismissive of teachers or anything. My spouse is essential so we got a letter & list of childcare providers from her employer. For the time being we decided to just juggle hours. But, having that label is the only way we could get a daycare spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the best way to do it is to open the schools in wards 7 and 8 and redeploy all teachers to those schools to bring the ratios within the cdc guidelines. Then have the remainder of the Wards do distance learning with older/ pre existing condition teachers. That way we can take care of the “poor” kids and leave the higher ses kids to do DL since it doesn’t make as much of an impact on them.

This is a brilliant idea, and one that should be supported by all the hysterical parents using the excuse "but what about the poor kids and the FARMS kids??!!" They should all be totally in agreement with this plan, because they're totally not being disingenuous with their claims of sudden concern for "the poor" and we should take their claims at face value, because it's not really about THEIR child not having DL and THEIR own need for childcare.

That wouldn't happen, though. Oh, the screaming and foot-stomping that would ensue...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doing well.

Grammar is descriptive, not prescriptive.

[Anonymous]

And all working parents need childcare. It’s a societal thing. It’s universal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has the city given teachers and other school staff & daycare staff the label of "essential" ?? If they do wouldn't that help them get in line for a childcare spot if they wanted one? Really not trying to be dismissive of teachers or anything. My spouse is essential so we got a letter & list of childcare providers from her employer. For the time being we decided to just juggle hours. But, having that label is the only way we could get a daycare spot.

Teacher here- this works unless your child has severe & profound special needs. He can’t go to a group/daycare setting.
I say do it for other teachers- but I’ll either have to burn leave/quit or gamble with paying my salary in childcare hoping this BS won’t go on forever

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has the city given teachers and other school staff & daycare staff the label of "essential" ?? If they do wouldn't that help them get in line for a childcare spot if they wanted one? Really not trying to be dismissive of teachers or anything. My spouse is essential so we got a letter & list of childcare providers from her employer. For the time being we decided to just juggle hours. But, having that label is the only way we could get a daycare spot.

Teacher here- this works unless your child has severe & profound special needs. He can’t go to a group/daycare setting.
I say do it for other teachers- but I’ll either have to burn leave/quit or gamble with paying my salary in childcare hoping this BS won’t go on forever

To be honest, I don't think it would work for my child with mild special needs and anxiety either. It would be too hard to have to get to know a whole new staff and group of people. So I don't think you would be alone in having to consider burning leave or quitting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks - these are the guidelines today. Based on the information (misinformation?) provided by the CDC at the time.

There is new information about COVID published from real researched studies (not Trump medicine) that:
1. Spread from asymptomatic individuals is minimal
2. Spread from touching stuff is minimal

So this is new information this week - think about what this means.

In my mind the 2 most important elements are:
1. check everyone daily before entering the building.
2. Wear masks to limit spread from airborne transmission

of course lots of handwashing.

I expect the numbers will change for how many children can be in a room safely given precautions and this will align with new guidance received from the CDC.

#1 and #2 are false. There is no new study and both claims were back tracked. They just said they believe majority was transmitted by airborne droplets, but without much more contact tracing there is no certainty.

There is sufficient evidence that surfaces are less important than previously thought and that child transmission and risk is relatively low to shape public policy, in part, around those facts. If it were about kids, kids would be back in school. It’s clearly about teachers and, while teachers are important, I just don’t understand why public policy is being shaped around prioritizing their interests over Chikdrens’ interest when they are doing a paid, voluntary job. No one said doctors, nurses, policemen,, mailmen, delivery workers, firemen, EMS, grocery store workers, garbage man, metro employees, bus drivers, etc didn’t have to deliver the service for which they are paid.

+1

Oh STFU. Those jobs MUST be in person. The ones that aren't are all online. And yes distance learning doesn't work for everyone but at the time it's what we had to do. You don't care about kids, you're just mad at your assumptions about the decision as to why DL was put in place.
I'm sorry you guys are too stupid to realize if all the teachers quit there won't be replacements so soon. You know we already have a teacher shortage right?

I wish it could only be hybrid for parents like this. The rest of the students whose parent's hearts aren't trash can return to full time, I'll glad teach them in person everyday since I am not at risk.

DP. You seem angry and vicious, and you are reading a lot into what the PP said. Who is talking about not caring if all teachers quit, or thinking that it wouldn't be problem? How can you claim he/she doesn't care about kids, just because you feel they are attacking teachers unfairly?

It is not false to assert that

a) the continued (not the initial) school shutdown will be to protect the teachers and other staff (as well as potentially the students' family members) at the expense of the kids
b) DL is not remotely equivalent to school (no pun intended), and therefore you cannot claim that a teacher's job can really be done online
b) school should be considered essential, similar to other essential functions of society.

I bet a LOT of parents feel that way, and you think their hearts are "trash" and they all deserve the hybrid model? You sound like gem of a person. I get that everybody is stressed out in this situation, but flying off the handle like that doesn't advance the conversation in a productive way.

Yes, if you keep blaming teachers your heart is absolute trash.

There is already teaching online way before this virus lmao, even for kids with special needs. Don't get mad at teachers for DCPS' lack of funds and efforts!

I posted the bolded PP above (though not the one you're directly responding to, although I agree with it). I am not blaming teachers. I don't think teachers are responsible for the current policy decision to prioritize their interests. Even if they have some limited responsibility in the sense that they or their unions are lobbying for it, I don't blame them for looking out for their own interests. That's different than criticizing the current policy, which I think unfairly and incorrectly prioritizes the health of teachers above the educational needs of students. I'm not teacher bashing, I'm criticizing the mayor & chancellor's policy decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm here for a regular school year. This isn't sustainable for working parents with no support systems around. It will crush our economy.

THIS. I cannot telework indefinitely! I hope the DC Mayor of Education and staff (ahem you know who are you) realize this! Not everybody has a support system to watch their kids while they go to work! We need schools to OPEN in September.