WaPo Opinion by a brave teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of what winds up happening with return to school, it is refreshing and helpful to hear the voice of a teacher who is willing to return to the classroom. All along, my disenchantment with the reopening schools dialog does not involve the real concerns teachers have about their health and the health of their families, but false narrative that DL is a fair substitute for in person learning. DL may be a necessary sacrifice made for health and safety, primarily of adult health and safety, but for children, it is not the same. Teachers are right to demand protections and that their safety be considered, but they cannot at the same time shrug off the downside of long term closures. That's the problem in a nutshell.

Yes. DL is horrible for many students. teachers are unable to effectively do their job, especially for elementary. Similar to a grocery store worker or dental assistant, it’s not a job that can be done remotely.

Neither of those jobs have anything to do with teaching.

[Anonymous]

She gets it because her kids are K and 2nd grade, and she teaches 1st. I'm a parent of a second grader and she is saying what I want to say. People who have older kids forget how their kids were at that ages 5-7 unable to read at all or unable to read more than an easy sentence, with short attention spans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have access to this that's not behind a paywall?

+1
Many of us can’t read it. Could someone copy and paste?

I can’t believe how many people live in the area and don’t get the local paper. Come on.

Umm... perhaps you’re unaware of papers like the WSJ, which is far super to the WaPo and which many people around here (and worldwide) subscribe to? Come on, indeed.

[Anonymous]

*far superior

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give teachers vaccine and then send back kids full time- no hybrid. If teachers are vaccinated kids can be in school full-time without distancing.

Uh. No. Distance is still necessary after vaccine. So are masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give teachers vaccine and then send back kids full time- no hybrid. If teachers are vaccinated kids can be in school full-time without distancing.

100% right

Absolutely not— CDC guidelines require mitigation. Kids are not vaccinated and need protection. That doesn’t mean they need to be stuck DL.

+1. Private schools are working because they are doing masks and distancing. They aren’t cramming kids into a room. The only reason they can do 5 days is because their class sizes are smaller to begin with. It’s just a reality that large public schools have to do hybrid right now.

This is correct.

Vaccinate teachers, but also maintain social distancing and mask wearing and cleaning procedures for the kids in school.

I get it, you all want kids back in school, but don't lose your heads completely.

I thought it was the inability to distance which gave rise to the need for hybrid. At my school, the kids are packed in the classrooms like sardines. Hallways between classes look like subway corridors at rush hour..

Yes. The kids can go full time in the fall because by then vaccinations will have increased to the point of reduced spread. Right now spread is VERY HIGH so the kids still have to be distanced and masked to be safe in the building. Some parents, I swear.

Still need masks and distance and ventilation. And keep your fingers crossed that we don’t get another new variant that evades most of the current vaccines’ immunological benefits. Just a few more mutations beyond the current S African version and then we’re back at Step 1 on the vaccine trail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have access to this that's not behind a paywall?

+1
Many of us can’t read it. Could someone copy and paste?

I can’t believe how many people live in the area and don’t get the local paper. Come on.

Umm... perhaps you’re unaware of papers like the WSJ, which is far super to the WaPo and which many people around here (and worldwide) subscribe to? Come on, indeed.

Just don’t read the opinion segments. It’s the literate version of Fox & Friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all those using fear mongering to justify home teaching, you have to answer this obvious question - how private schools can teach in-person classes without issue, and you are having so many problems going back to school?

Here, I’ll summarize their responses for you. They’ll say fewer kids, more space, better mask enforcement and can kick kids out.

The really answer is the school can’t afford to stay open if parents refuse to pay the tuition because of DL.

And you think those things are not true? And they don’t matter? Let me also assure you that no HOS or BOT is going to keep open a school if the risks cannot be managed. The personal and professional liability is too great. So yes they want to remain solvent but there are limits.

[Anonymous]

While I recognize the issue are different, the AWD recently put out an article. Of the 17,000 students they service 200 staff and teachers tested positive since Sept (I know, I know, they aren’t spot testing and there can by asynchronous spread). But no teacher or student has had to be hospitalized. There are 37 ES and most are in 5 days/week since Sept. HS have been hybrid. They offer DL options for families who want that choice and have both a concurrent option and a new homeschool (no brick and mortar) option. Just more information to add.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well done Mrs Downs!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/29/im-fairfax-teacher-i-want-be-back-classroom/

What is so “brave” about this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well done Mrs Downs!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/29/im-fairfax-teacher-i-want-be-back-classroom/

What is so “brave” about this?

Well she is being savaged by angry teachers in a private FB group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well done Mrs Downs!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/29/im-fairfax-teacher-i-want-be-back-classroom/

What is so “brave” about this?

Well she is being savaged by angry teachers in a private FB group.

Do you have access to that Clown Page? What are they saying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She gets it because her kids are K and 2nd grade, and she teaches 1st. I'm a parent of a second grader and she is saying what I want to say. People who have older kids forget how their kids were at that ages 5-7 unable to read at all or unable to read more than an easy sentence, with short attention spans.

Exactly - Teachers that don't have skin in the game are the ones advocating against reopening.

[Anonymous]

Wish I could thank her personally. She is brave. And my DC is in private so I have no skin the the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have access to this that's not behind a paywall?

+1
Many of us can’t read it. Could someone copy and paste?

I can’t believe how many people live in the area and don’t get the local paper. Come on.

Umm... perhaps you’re unaware of papers like the WSJ, which is far super to the WaPo and which many people around here (and worldwide) subscribe to? Come on, indeed.

The Wall Street Journal is not the LOCAL paper. The Post is the LOCAL paper.