APS- 95% in person for the fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am ok with masks because ewe won’t be totally out of the woods and distancing won’t be possible. Masks are shown to help prevent spread, so it makes sense to use them.

+ 1

+2
Until my Elem kids can be vaccinated, I support them wearing a mask, particularly as schools are going to be much more crowded next year. I drove by an APS elementary this week midday and saw the kids eating outside. They were obviously unmasked and sitting in close clumps of 3-5 students. I imagine through the day they also gather closely - it is natural and I don’t think we should train them out of it. Get them vaccinated; I’m hopeful my kids will be vaccinated by fall next year - if they get the vac they can drop the mask, if not they can double mask. Regardless, I hate that in Arlington all these non-MD parents are jnsisting they give better medical advise than doctors. Or the dermatologist and anesthesiologist in AEM who have become infectious disease experts. Talk about entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Freaking idiots. The most blatant writing on the wall ever. They are literally without excuse (and have been) and should be compelled by this data to at the very least try to move elementary to in person for the remainder of this year. Every day counts!

I have no idea what connection you are attempting to draw between this survey which asked about next year and opening elementary 5 days a week for the next 6 weeks. Can you explain? Seems like 2 different things.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Not surprised.

Even the nuttiest nutters I know are sending kids back.

My concern is that, since their kids are back, those folks will push for unreasonable measures that are inconsistent with APS providing actual education.

"unreasonable measures?"

What do you consider unreasonable?

Not that PP, but--fixating on a certain amount of distance/capacity (6', 3') when we might be seeing a tiny number of COVID cases by then. I expect most MS and HS kids to be vaccinated by the start of the next school year, but I also think people will push to mandate that kids get vaccinated which I think is a bad call. (If we're heading in that direction--we should start by mandating that teachers get flu shots!!!! There is WAY more data around this and it would benefit the kids!) I also think a subset of APS parents are letting the perfect be the enemy of the good by obsessing over stuff like outdoor lunches, HVAC, and such. They have made some tweaks and improvements--I would prefer that they ALWAYS allow older kids some flexibility around where they choose to eat--but I think it's overkill to spend the next 4 months harping on the same stuff. Use that energy to do vaccine outreach!

My elementary school originally said that there would be no written work done on in person days (it would still be all on the ipad) due to the need to avoid touching contaminated surfaces/disinfecting. They walked that back -- in fact my youngest doesn't even use her ipad on in person days -- but that would be unreasonable and inconsistent with providing education. Masks, reasonable distancing during lunch, etc, all sounds good to me.

My ES kid is still on an iPad basically all day during in person days and they just removed the Plexiglass box from around the desks. We are not follow the science here. I am fine with masks in the fall if they are needed, but we don't make kids/adults wear masks during a regular flu season. Many of the precautions we're taking now are fine and I fully accept and even embrace them. I fill out the Qualtrics thing 7 days a week, we wear masks indoors, no indoor play dates, etc etc etc. But if we are at a point where we're seeing, say, a couple of COVID cases a week in Arlington, are we still going to maintain the same level of precautions? Even for kids who are fully vaccinated (as all MS and HS kids will have the option to be by then)? I'm just saying that it doesn't seem worth it to me to keep debating things now when we can't anticipate what August looks like. APS has already said they'll follow CDC and VDH guidance--if mask mandates are lifted by late August, are APS parents going to flip out if APS doesn't override and maintain them? Experience tells me that yes, they will.

People generally are not asymptomatic when they get the flu and stay home or are sent home. LOTS of people - LOTS and LOTS of kids - can be asymptomatic but have AND SPREAD COVID. This is why masks are used for COVID and not for the freekin flu.

This is just not true. Kids are *not* "generally asymptomatic" when they have COVID, though their symptoms may be mild (loss of smell, for example). But if you are basing this on serology studies, or studies on asymptomatic transmission, please make sure you are looking at reputable data. Serology studies have been widely criticized and studies have shown that asymptomatic spread of COVID is not the common scenario that was suspected/feared over a year ago. Does it happen? Yes. Just like fomite transmission happens, just like there are cases of outdoor transmission. But it is not common. Kids are being screened every single day for ANY symptoms and APS has indicated they are going to keep doing that. Again, if we are talking about a scenario in which there are a couple of cases of COVID per week--as I said--is it worth making everyone wear a mask indoors?

If wearing masks and the other precautions taken get us to a couple of cases per week, yes, it is worth continuing those precautions.

Do you think wearing masks has so far accomplished that? Or is it mainly, at this point, a combination of vaccines and the fact that kids aren’t major drivers of spread? Will your kid wear a mask until 2022?

Yes, science shows that wearing a mask can prevent spread and infection. That's why doctors, dentists, etc wear masks regularly. Goodness gracious it's concerning the false information people are willing to create to support their own narratives.

I’m a doctor. Outside of the pandemic, we were not wearing masks regularly. Covid rates are not dropping because kids are wearing masks in schools.

Um, you would be the only doctor I have ever encountered who claims masks don't reduce the transmission of respiratory illnesses. Masks do prevent the spread of respiratory disease? But you knew that, right, because you understand how respiratory illnesses spread, because you're a doctor, right? Or maybe you're just a troll. Our doctor wears a mask during cold and flu season. I've never had an unmasked dentist or dental hygienist.

[Anonymous]

All the Trumpy unvaccinated families will be coming home from their red state vacations, churches and airports right before school starts.

[Anonymous]

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In all honesty, I won’t be comfortable until there’s mandatory double masking for *all* students, teachers, etc. We need to trust the experts on this. Parents who send their children to school without proper precautions should be held accountable for putting others at risk.

Vaccinated teachers should not need to double mask.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Wait. Are people COMPLAINING that kids are wearing masks in the fall?

You can’t be serious.

No. I am in the APE facebook group and have NOT seen that. There are complaints about kids wearing masks outside for summer camp and at recess which I wholeheartedly agree! My pediatrician is also very mad about it and is hopeful CDC updates it's guidance soon because it makes NO SENSE!!! But yes, we need kids in masks in school until they are vaccinated.

Oh come on. I am also on the APE facebook group there are multiple anti mask posts including posting an article about how mask wearing is abusive to children.

I only ever saw that from the infamous lawsuit dad. And he seems to have left the group.

Interesting. I just checked and you are right. But I know I got onto a "tiff" with recently. So his departure has been recent. It was not only him but yes he was one of the biggest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am ok with masks because ewe won’t be totally out of the woods and distancing won’t be possible. Masks are shown to help prevent spread, so it makes sense to use them.

+ 1

+2
Until my Elem kids can be vaccinated, I support them wearing a mask, particularly as schools are going to be much more crowded next year. I drove by an APS elementary this week midday and saw the kids eating outside. They were obviously unmasked and sitting in close clumps of 3-5 students. I imagine through the day they also gather closely - it is natural and I don’t think we should train them out of it. Get them vaccinated; I’m hopeful my kids will be vaccinated by fall next year - if they get the vac they can drop the mask, if not they can double mask. Regardless, I hate that in Arlington all these non-MD parents are jnsisting they give better medical advise than doctors. Or the dermatologist and anesthesiologist in AEM who have become infectious disease experts. Talk about entitlement.

Why do you think schools are going to be more overcrowded next year? 2000 kids are leaving and some are doing virtual.

[Anonymous]

Why are people opposed to kids wearing masks before they are vaccinated? The kids seem to mind them least of all. And elementary kids can run and play with them just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am ok with masks because ewe won’t be totally out of the woods and distancing won’t be possible. Masks are shown to help prevent spread, so it makes sense to use them.

+ 1

+2
Until my Elem kids can be vaccinated, I support them wearing a mask, particularly as schools are going to be much more crowded next year. I drove by an APS elementary this week midday and saw the kids eating outside. They were obviously unmasked and sitting in close clumps of 3-5 students. I imagine through the day they also gather closely - it is natural and I don’t think we should train them out of it. Get them vaccinated; I’m hopeful my kids will be vaccinated by fall next year - if they get the vac they can drop the mask, if not they can double mask. Regardless, I hate that in Arlington all these non-MD parents are jnsisting they give better medical advise than doctors. Or the dermatologist and anesthesiologist in AEM who have become infectious disease experts. Talk about entitlement.

Why do you think schools are going to be more overcrowded next year? 2000 kids are leaving and some are doing virtual.

Hate to tell you but most kids are not going to double mask. I have no problem with requiring it until kids are vaccinated but people are not going to double masking their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are people opposed to kids wearing masks before they are vaccinated? The kids seem to mind them least of all. And elementary kids can run and play with them just fine.

Because they are mentally ill and always need to complain about *something*.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Freaking idiots. The most blatant writing on the wall ever. They are literally without excuse (and have been) and should be compelled by this data to at the very least try to move elementary to in person for the remainder of this year. Every day counts!

I have no idea what connection you are attempting to draw between this survey which asked about next year and opening elementary 5 days a week for the next 6 weeks. Can you explain? Seems like 2 different things.

No, PP can’t explain because PP is an irrational nutter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the Trumpy unvaccinated families will be coming home from their red state vacations, churches and airports right before school starts.

But you would never bring politics into this discussion, right? You're just following the science?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the Trumpy unvaccinated families will be coming home from their red state vacations, churches and airports right before school starts.

But you would never bring politics into this discussion, right? You're just following the science?

It’s been scientifically proven that Trump supporters are selfish a-holes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people opposed to kids wearing masks before they are vaccinated? The kids seem to mind them least of all. And elementary kids can run and play with them just fine.

Because they are mentally ill and always need to complain about *something*.

I have a 5 year old and a 7 year old, and they don't mind the masks at all. That said, logistically, would schools require masks until a vaccine is available for kindergartners and up? Or some different age range? And will the mask requirement be dropped when the vaccine is made available? Or when kids actually RECEIVE the vaccine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the Trumpy unvaccinated families will be coming home from their red state vacations, churches and airports right before school starts.

I seem to remember people predicting certain doom after spring break due to irresponsible families traveling. It didn’t happen.