Should we prepare for virtual schooling starting in January?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
High school teacher here. This is the first time in my life I have thought to call in sick before I have symptoms of illness. I have no faith in MCPS to do anything to guarantee my safety. The lack of planning is ridiculous. Opening in January is going to be a clusterF. Kids don’t wear masks reliably and lunch is basically a guaranteed superspreader event in every school. If MCPS stays open I am going to slow walk a return by taking sick leave and then wait for results from the PCR test. I honestly don’t feel that I have a better option given the situation. I know this will infuriate some here, but I expect to be treated as a valued professional. The current situation is not that allow for that. I have not spoken to other staff butI am sure most feel the same way about the lack of safety.

curious, what would you think of PGCPS's plan?

We have gone virtual for the first two weeks back; however teachers still need to report to teach from our classrooms. But no students will be there.
Would you be OK with that for going back?

Yes let’s do this.

Against the law in VA.

[Anonymous]

Just to put previous posts in context, below are the updated new case numbers per 100K after the Christmas hiatus (WaPo). The MD website says positivity rate is at 12%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
High school teacher here. This is the first time in my life I have thought to call in sick before I have symptoms of illness. I have no faith in MCPS to do anything to guarantee my safety. The lack of planning is ridiculous. Opening in January is going to be a clusterF. Kids don’t wear masks reliably and lunch is basically a guaranteed superspreader event in every school. If MCPS stays open I am going to slow walk a return by taking sick leave and then wait for results from the PCR test. I honestly don’t feel that I have a better option given the situation. I know this will infuriate some here, but I expect to be treated as a valued professional. The current situation is not that allow for that. I have not spoken to other staff butI am sure most feel the same way about the lack of safety.

Speaking as a parent, you have our family’s 100% support in this.

Maryland Courts just cancelled jury trials for January so you are in good company.

Yeah I want to do th same for my kid. We didn't travel. We took every precaution. It's not fair that everyone else gets to infect us. Let them burn it out in the first week themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to put previous posts in context, below are the updated new case numbers per 100K after the Christmas hiatus (WaPo). The MD website says positivity rate is at 12%.

I also saw the article that said N.VA hospitals are already overwhelmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
High school teacher here. This is the first time in my life I have thought to call in sick before I have symptoms of illness. I have no faith in MCPS to do anything to guarantee my safety. The lack of planning is ridiculous. Opening in January is going to be a clusterF. Kids don’t wear masks reliably and lunch is basically a guaranteed superspreader event in every school. If MCPS stays open I am going to slow walk a return by taking sick leave and then wait for results from the PCR test. I honestly don’t feel that I have a better option given the situation. I know this will infuriate some here, but I expect to be treated as a valued professional. The current situation is not that allow for that. I have not spoken to other staff butI am sure most feel the same way about the lack of safety.

Speaking as a parent, you have our family’s 100% support in this.

Maryland Courts just cancelled jury trials for January so you are in good company.

Yeah I want to do th same for my kid. We didn't travel. We took every precaution. It's not fair that everyone else gets to infect us. Let them burn it out in the first week themselves.

If it were up to me they'd go virtual for a week or two until things stabilize,l but so many of the crazies would go berserk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
High school teacher here. This is the first time in my life I have thought to call in sick before I have symptoms of illness. I have no faith in MCPS to do anything to guarantee my safety. The lack of planning is ridiculous. Opening in January is going to be a clusterF. Kids don’t wear masks reliably and lunch is basically a guaranteed superspreader event in every school. If MCPS stays open I am going to slow walk a return by taking sick leave and then wait for results from the PCR test. I honestly don’t feel that I have a better option given the situation. I know this will infuriate some here, but I expect to be treated as a valued professional. The current situation is not that allow for that. I have not spoken to other staff butI am sure most feel the same way about the lack of safety.

Speaking as a parent, you have our family’s 100% support in this.

Maryland Courts just cancelled jury trials for January so you are in good company.

Yeah I want to do th same for my kid. We didn't travel. We took every precaution. It's not fair that everyone else gets to infect us. Let them burn it out in the first week themselves.

If it were up to me they'd go virtual for a week or two until things stabilize,l but so many of the crazies would go berserk.

If you and your family are able to isolate at home for weeks, that's a huge privilege most families do not have. Cases started rising well before Christmas. most people who have it did not get it due to travel. You would do well to get off your high horse. People who act like getting Covid is a personal.failimg are part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should be strongly encouraged to remain COVID free. We should be providing them with rapid testing kits for their families and with KN95 masks all break so they can try to stay healthy and be able to come to work next week. If teachers are healthy, schools can remain open.

+1

And they should also be taking precautions in their personal lives, in the same ways healthcare workers do.

I take it you don’t know a lot of healthcare workers. My friends and family members that are doctors and nurses are among the least nervous and cautious.

It isn’t so much that I think there’s a consistent trend in that direction. It is mostly that many people in Montgomery County have lost touch with reality. Among the people I know, the healthcare workers are pretty similar with their precautions and level of worry regardless of where they are in the country. That makes them much more cautious than the average person in a place like Georgia, but much less cautious than many people in Montgomery County.

Agree completely. Married to a scientist. From a family of doctors. We are more covid cautious than most people in other areas but reckless in comparison to people we know here in Montgomery County. We live in Bethesda.

Pharmacist and dentist couple here. Never worked from home, vaccinating people in the county from the start. We are reasonable with precautions, wear a mask inside, all vaxxed and boosted, kids in sports in masks. But according to DCUM we are Trumpers and Covid deniers.

Hmm. My husband is a virologist and works on Covid-19.

We have been extremely careful during this entire pandemic, because those who can afford to do so should do so. Other doctors and pharmacists in the family have not taken so many precautions, because of the nature of their work or because they have a different risk strategy or are not experts in viral spread. One of our doctor nieces in her late 20s who works in a hospital had a very painful case of Covid-induced migraines. My Grandmother passed away from Covid complications.

Again, everyone has to do their best, and their "best" will vary from individual to individual.

So, I’m the PP who originally said teachers should be as cautious as healthcare professionals. The points above are well-taken, but the biggest difference I see is that healthcare workers show up to work regardless, and they don’t whine endlessly on social, and they do their damn jobs. If teachers will do all those things, then, fine, do what you want. But FFS, do NOT tell me what a professional you are while simultaneously griping about your students on IG and then turning around and going to boutique fitness classes and then posting about how “terrified” you are of COVID. STFU and do your job, and we’re all good. I’m a healthcare worker myself and the ones I know (including me) are pragmatic. Not reckless, not nervous, but responsible and realistic. I have a cousin who is permanently disabled from COVID; I don’t take it lightly. But for boosted teachers to be demanding time off? Nope.

ITA that most people here have poor reality testing when it comes to COVID. I have consistently worn high quality masks indoors (KN95 or N95), but not outdoors, DH and I are boosted, kids vaxxed, etc. All I’m asking is for our kids and their education to be prioritized.

[Anonymous]

F the teachers who think being treated as a "professional" means they must be insulated from all risks from Covid. F the teachers who think their lives matter more than those of other people, and who think the pandemic is something that happened to them and them alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should be strongly encouraged to remain COVID free. We should be providing them with rapid testing kits for their families and with KN95 masks all break so they can try to stay healthy and be able to come to work next week. If teachers are healthy, schools can remain open.

+1

And they should also be taking precautions in their personal lives, in the same ways healthcare workers do.

I take it you don’t know a lot of healthcare workers. My friends and family members that are doctors and nurses are among the least nervous and cautious.

It isn’t so much that I think there’s a consistent trend in that direction. It is mostly that many people in Montgomery County have lost touch with reality. Among the people I know, the healthcare workers are pretty similar with their precautions and level of worry regardless of where they are in the country. That makes them much more cautious than the average person in a place like Georgia, but much less cautious than many people in Montgomery County.

Agree completely. Married to a scientist. From a family of doctors. We are more covid cautious than most people in other areas but reckless in comparison to people we know here in Montgomery County. We live in Bethesda.

Pharmacist and dentist couple here. Never worked from home, vaccinating people in the county from the start. We are reasonable with precautions, wear a mask inside, all vaxxed and boosted, kids in sports in masks. But according to DCUM we are Trumpers and Covid deniers.

Hmm. My husband is a virologist and works on Covid-19.

We have been extremely careful during this entire pandemic, because those who can afford to do so should do so. Other doctors and pharmacists in the family have not taken so many precautions, because of the nature of their work or because they have a different risk strategy or are not experts in viral spread. One of our doctor nieces in her late 20s who works in a hospital had a very painful case of Covid-induced migraines. My Grandmother passed away from Covid complications.

Again, everyone has to do their best, and their "best" will vary from individual to individual.

So, I’m the PP who originally said teachers should be as cautious as healthcare professionals. The points above are well-taken, but the biggest difference I see is that healthcare workers show up to work regardless, and they don’t whine endlessly on social, and they do their damn jobs. If teachers will do all those things, then, fine, do what you want. But FFS, do NOT tell me what a professional you are while simultaneously griping about your students on IG and then turning around and going to boutique fitness classes and then posting about how “terrified” you are of COVID. STFU and do your job, and we’re all good. I’m a healthcare worker myself and the ones I know (including me) are pragmatic. Not reckless, not nervous, but responsible and realistic. I have a cousin who is permanently disabled from COVID; I don’t take it lightly. But for boosted teachers to be demanding time off? Nope.

ITA that most people here have poor reality testing when it comes to COVID. I have consistently worn high quality masks indoors (KN95 or N95), but not outdoors, DH and I are boosted, kids vaxxed, etc. All I’m asking is for our kids and their education to be prioritized.

Plenty of healthcare workers post to social doing the same thing you described. That’s the thing- it’s not any one job. It’s all of them. Everyone has to pitch in and stop demanding how hard they have it. This affects everyone yet everyone wants to blame someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should be strongly encouraged to remain COVID free. We should be providing them with rapid testing kits for their families and with KN95 masks all break so they can try to stay healthy and be able to come to work next week. If teachers are healthy, schools can remain open.

+1

And they should also be taking precautions in their personal lives, in the same ways healthcare workers do.

I take it you don’t know a lot of healthcare workers. My friends and family members that are doctors and nurses are among the least nervous and cautious.

It isn’t so much that I think there’s a consistent trend in that direction. It is mostly that many people in Montgomery County have lost touch with reality. Among the people I know, the healthcare workers are pretty similar with their precautions and level of worry regardless of where they are in the country. That makes them much more cautious than the average person in a place like Georgia, but much less cautious than many people in Montgomery County.

Agree completely. Married to a scientist. From a family of doctors. We are more covid cautious than most people in other areas but reckless in comparison to people we know here in Montgomery County. We live in Bethesda.

Pharmacist and dentist couple here. Never worked from home, vaccinating people in the county from the start. We are reasonable with precautions, wear a mask inside, all vaxxed and boosted, kids in sports in masks. But according to DCUM we are Trumpers and Covid deniers.

Hmm. My husband is a virologist and works on Covid-19.

We have been extremely careful during this entire pandemic, because those who can afford to do so should do so. Other doctors and pharmacists in the family have not taken so many precautions, because of the nature of their work or because they have a different risk strategy or are not experts in viral spread. One of our doctor nieces in her late 20s who works in a hospital had a very painful case of Covid-induced migraines. My Grandmother passed away from Covid complications.

Again, everyone has to do their best, and their "best" will vary from individual to individual.

So, I’m the PP who originally said teachers should be as cautious as healthcare professionals. The points above are well-taken, but the biggest difference I see is that healthcare workers show up to work regardless, and they don’t whine endlessly on social, and they do their damn jobs. If teachers will do all those things, then, fine, do what you want. But FFS, do NOT tell me what a professional you are while simultaneously griping about your students on IG and then turning around and going to boutique fitness classes and then posting about how “terrified” you are of COVID. STFU and do your job, and we’re all good. I’m a healthcare worker myself and the ones I know (including me) are pragmatic. Not reckless, not nervous, but responsible and realistic. I have a cousin who is permanently disabled from COVID; I don’t take it lightly. But for boosted teachers to be demanding time off? Nope.

ITA that most people here have poor reality testing when it comes to COVID. I have consistently worn high quality masks indoors (KN95 or N95), but not outdoors, DH and I are boosted, kids vaxxed, etc. All I’m asking is for our kids and their education to be prioritized.

+1 - At some point, do your job or quit. Schools should not close because you no longer want to do your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
High school teacher here. This is the first time in my life I have thought to call in sick before I have symptoms of illness. I have no faith in MCPS to do anything to guarantee my safety. The lack of planning is ridiculous. Opening in January is going to be a clusterF. Kids don’t wear masks reliably and lunch is basically a guaranteed superspreader event in every school. If MCPS stays open I am going to slow walk a return by taking sick leave and then wait for results from the PCR test. I honestly don’t feel that I have a better option given the situation. I know this will infuriate some here, but I expect to be treated as a valued professional. The current situation is not that allow for that. I have not spoken to other staff butI am sure most feel the same way about the lack of safety.

curious, what would you think of PGCPS's plan?

We have gone virtual for the first two weeks back; however teachers still need to report to teach from our classrooms. But no students will be there.
Would you be OK with that for going back?

Yes let’s do this.

Against the law in VA.

Then its a good thing we are in MD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should be strongly encouraged to remain COVID free. We should be providing them with rapid testing kits for their families and with KN95 masks all break so they can try to stay healthy and be able to come to work next week. If teachers are healthy, schools can remain open.

+1

And they should also be taking precautions in their personal lives, in the same ways healthcare workers do.

I take it you don’t know a lot of healthcare workers. My friends and family members that are doctors and nurses are among the least nervous and cautious.

It isn’t so much that I think there’s a consistent trend in that direction. It is mostly that many people in Montgomery County have lost touch with reality. Among the people I know, the healthcare workers are pretty similar with their precautions and level of worry regardless of where they are in the country. That makes them much more cautious than the average person in a place like Georgia, but much less cautious than many people in Montgomery County.

Agree completely. Married to a scientist. From a family of doctors. We are more covid cautious than most people in other areas but reckless in comparison to people we know here in Montgomery County. We live in Bethesda.

Pharmacist and dentist couple here. Never worked from home, vaccinating people in the county from the start. We are reasonable with precautions, wear a mask inside, all vaxxed and boosted, kids in sports in masks. But according to DCUM we are Trumpers and Covid deniers.

Hmm. My husband is a virologist and works on Covid-19.

We have been extremely careful during this entire pandemic, because those who can afford to do so should do so. Other doctors and pharmacists in the family have not taken so many precautions, because of the nature of their work or because they have a different risk strategy or are not experts in viral spread. One of our doctor nieces in her late 20s who works in a hospital had a very painful case of Covid-induced migraines. My Grandmother passed away from Covid complications.

Again, everyone has to do their best, and their "best" will vary from individual to individual.

So, I’m the PP who originally said teachers should be as cautious as healthcare professionals. The points above are well-taken, but the biggest difference I see is that healthcare workers show up to work regardless, and they don’t whine endlessly on social, and they do their damn jobs. If teachers will do all those things, then, fine, do what you want. But FFS, do NOT tell me what a professional you are while simultaneously griping about your students on IG and then turning around and going to boutique fitness classes and then posting about how “terrified” you are of COVID. STFU and do your job, and we’re all good. I’m a healthcare worker myself and the ones I know (including me) are pragmatic. Not reckless, not nervous, but responsible and realistic. I have a cousin who is permanently disabled from COVID; I don’t take it lightly. But for boosted teachers to be demanding time off? Nope.

ITA that most people here have poor reality testing when it comes to COVID. I have consistently worn high quality masks indoors (KN95 or N95), but not outdoors, DH and I are boosted, kids vaxxed, etc. All I’m asking is for our kids and their education to be prioritized.

+1 - At some point, do your job or quit. Schools should not close because you no longer want to do your job.

If they quit, who will do their job? Its not like people like you are signing up to teach or sub.

[Anonymous]

Schools aren’t closing because teachers don’t want to do their jobs.
Schools WILL close, just as airlines are cancelling flights, just as hospitals are cutting back on procedures, just as everywhere else is slowing down services, due to lack of staff to operate safely.

[Anonymous]

What I’m thankful for in Prince Georges County is that they have announced it ahead of time, so everyone at least can plan for the two weeks of virtual instruction in an unchaotic way. Parents, students and teachers all know what to expect. I’m grateful for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers should be strongly encouraged to remain COVID free. We should be providing them with rapid testing kits for their families and with KN95 masks all break so they can try to stay healthy and be able to come to work next week. If teachers are healthy, schools can remain open.

+1

And they should also be taking precautions in their personal lives, in the same ways healthcare workers do.

I take it you don’t know a lot of healthcare workers. My friends and family members that are doctors and nurses are among the least nervous and cautious.

It isn’t so much that I think there’s a consistent trend in that direction. It is mostly that many people in Montgomery County have lost touch with reality. Among the people I know, the healthcare workers are pretty similar with their precautions and level of worry regardless of where they are in the country. That makes them much more cautious than the average person in a place like Georgia, but much less cautious than many people in Montgomery County.

Agree completely. Married to a scientist. From a family of doctors. We are more covid cautious than most people in other areas but reckless in comparison to people we know here in Montgomery County. We live in Bethesda.

Pharmacist and dentist couple here. Never worked from home, vaccinating people in the county from the start. We are reasonable with precautions, wear a mask inside, all vaxxed and boosted, kids in sports in masks. But according to DCUM we are Trumpers and Covid deniers.

Hmm. My husband is a virologist and works on Covid-19.

We have been extremely careful during this entire pandemic, because those who can afford to do so should do so. Other doctors and pharmacists in the family have not taken so many precautions, because of the nature of their work or because they have a different risk strategy or are not experts in viral spread. One of our doctor nieces in her late 20s who works in a hospital had a very painful case of Covid-induced migraines. My Grandmother passed away from Covid complications.

Again, everyone has to do their best, and their "best" will vary from individual to individual.

So, I’m the PP who originally said teachers should be as cautious as healthcare professionals. The points above are well-taken, but the biggest difference I see is that healthcare workers show up to work regardless, and they don’t whine endlessly on social, and they do their damn jobs. If teachers will do all those things, then, fine, do what you want. But FFS, do NOT tell me what a professional you are while simultaneously griping about your students on IG and then turning around and going to boutique fitness classes and then posting about how “terrified” you are of COVID. STFU and do your job, and we’re all good. I’m a healthcare worker myself and the ones I know (including me) are pragmatic. Not reckless, not nervous, but responsible and realistic. I have a cousin who is permanently disabled from COVID; I don’t take it lightly. But for boosted teachers to be demanding time off? Nope.

ITA that most people here have poor reality testing when it comes to COVID. I have consistently worn high quality masks indoors (KN95 or N95), but not outdoors, DH and I are boosted, kids vaxxed, etc. All I’m asking is for our kids and their education to be prioritized.

I’m one of the scientists you quoted. You misunderstand the nature of the threat - it doesn’t matter what teachers want, or whether people whine or are stoic.

All that matters for closures is the positivity rate. When too many staff and students are positive and out (5% over 14 days for MCPS, apparently), schools pivot to virtual. It’s what they’ve decided is the point beyond which they cannot ensure consistent in-person learning.

Keep emotions out of it. It clouds your judgement.