The prospect of kids not going back to school until 2021

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from AMC Theatres which says that 90% of their theatres are open on July 14th and expect 100% by the end of July. To all those of you curled up in a ball in your closet, the world is opening up around you whether you like it or not.

Also, did you see how they are reopening. They don't want to get into a "political debate," so they are not requiring masks.

In Maryland and DC, aren’t masks required for under commercial activities? How could AMC get around that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from AMC Theatres which says that 90% of their theatres are open on July 14th and expect 100% by the end of July. To all those of you curled up in a ball in your closet, the world is opening up around you whether you like it or not.

Also, did you see how they are reopening. They don't want to get into a "political debate," so they are not requiring masks.

In Maryland and DC, aren’t masks required for under commercial activities? How could AMC get around that?

Originally AMC said no masks. But they have reversed course.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/business/AMC-theaters-masks-coronavirus.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from AMC Theatres which says that 90% of their theatres are open on July 14th and expect 100% by the end of July. To all those of you curled up in a ball in your closet, the world is opening up around you whether you like it or not.

Also, did you see how they are reopening. They don't want to get into a "political debate," so they are not requiring masks.

They said no masks required of patrons _unless_ local regulations require it, (as they do in MD and DC.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from AMC Theatres which says that 90% of their theatres are open on July 14th and expect 100% by the end of July. To all those of you curled up in a ball in your closet, the world is opening up around you whether you like it or not.

Multiple issues here:

1. whether/where/when movie theaters will open
2. whether people (and who) will actually go to the movie theaters
3. whether/where/how/when a movie theater will become a covid-spreading place

[Anonymous]

Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

No kids in classroom until Jan. 2021 or later

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from AMC Theatres which says that 90% of their theatres are open on July 14th and expect 100% by the end of July. To all those of you curled up in a ball in your closet, the world is opening up around you whether you like it or not.

Also, did you see how they are reopening. They don't want to get into a "political debate," so they are not requiring masks.

In Maryland and DC, aren’t masks required for under commercial activities? How could AMC get around that?

Originally AMC said no masks. But they have reversed course.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/business/AMC-theaters-masks-coronavirus.html

But they won’t make their employees enforce it, I bet. So, it will be up to patrons to either leave the theater or risk their health. Much like public school teachers. Sorry that you just paid $35 for tickets, plus $10 in parking and $100 to the sitter, but this dude has just as much right as you to sit there —although he’s breathing out COVID as he snarfs up his contraband snacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Neither option works. I prefer the option where the kids go to school 5 days a week for the normal-length school day.

+1. I’m voting for this option as well.

What precautions or modifications to the normal school experience (including transportation/bus needs) do you suggest in order to make this feasible and safe while coronavirus is still spreading through the community?

None. The goal was never to STOP Covid completely. It was to slow the spread and flatten the curve and not overwhelm hospitals. All of that has been accomplished. Will people still get it? Yup. Just like people still get the flu and other viruses. There is no reason to close schools for it.

That is not true. The goal of the shutdown was to slow the spread and flatten the curve so as not to overwhelm hospitals and to give us time to learn more about the virus.

There is no basic mandate that schools operate without consideration of public health issues. When will you get it? It is not going to be business as usual when schools reopen.

DP, but are there any modifications you would accept? From your tone, I get the sense that you don't think any assumption of risk is worth re-opening schools. I mean, plenty of people on this thread have offered suggestions. Why don't you look at those and identify the ones you think are most feasible for getting kids back to as much in-person learning as possible.

I don't think it will be business as usual AND I think kids need to go back in-person. There's room for both.

What YOU think is irrelevant. Safety first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

No kids in classroom until Jan. 2021 or later

Why the heck is it completely up to the teachers?? No way. Keeping the kids out of school is not ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Neither option works. I prefer the option where the kids go to school 5 days a week for the normal-length school day.

+1. I’m voting for this option as well.

What precautions or modifications to the normal school experience (including transportation/bus needs) do you suggest in order to make this feasible and safe while coronavirus is still spreading through the community?

None. The goal was never to STOP Covid completely. It was to slow the spread and flatten the curve and not overwhelm hospitals. All of that has been accomplished. Will people still get it? Yup. Just like people still get the flu and other viruses. There is no reason to close schools for it.

That is not true. The goal of the shutdown was to slow the spread and flatten the curve so as not to overwhelm hospitals and to give us time to learn more about the virus.

There is no basic mandate that schools operate without consideration of public health issues. When will you get it? It is not going to be business as usual when schools reopen.

DP, but are there any modifications you would accept? From your tone, I get the sense that you don't think any assumption of risk is worth re-opening schools. I mean, plenty of people on this thread have offered suggestions. Why don't you look at those and identify the ones you think are most feasible for getting kids back to as much in-person learning as possible.

I don't think it will be business as usual AND I think kids need to go back in-person. There's room for both.

What YOU think is irrelevant. Safety first.

Says the person clearly with no kids or grown kids. Keeping kids out of school is actually UNSAFE for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

No kids in classroom until Jan. 2021 or later

Yeh didn’t the first report accidentally even have that date in it. Than they said ignore? I saw that date too a month ago

[Anonymous]

England says all back This Fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

No kids in classroom until Jan. 2021 or later

See what is the relevance of that time frame? This is the problem. It doesn't make any difference except continue to negatively effect kids. We have no idea what things will look like in a month.

Yeh didn’t the first report accidentally even have that date in it. Than they said ignore? I saw that date too a month ago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But they won’t make their employees enforce it, I bet. So, it will be up to patrons to either leave the theater or risk their health. Much like public school teachers. Sorry that you just paid $35 for tickets, plus $10 in parking and $100 to the sitter, but this dude has just as much right as you to sit there —although he’s breathing out COVID as he snarfs up his contraband snacks.

No, not at all like public school teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting article posted a few hours ago about negotiations with the teacher's union:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-teachers-union-nearing-impasse-in-contract-negotiations/

It also gives some hints about the fall, or at least when we'll know more:

Once the next MCEA contract is finalized, union and MCPS officials will begin a new round of bargaining “on everything related to” fall classes, “because we definitely will not be bringing 166,000 kids back to classes in August for the first day of school,” Lloyd said.

and

MCPS has not yet released a plan for fall teaching, but Turner said the school board is expected to receive a briefing in July.

So as I read this:

1. The earliest we'll know about fall plans is in July.
2. They haven't started working on fall plans, as it needs to be negotiated with the teacher's union first.

No kids in classroom until Jan. 2021 or later

Yeh didn’t the first report accidentally even have that date in it. Than they said ignore? I saw that date too a month ago

My admin said that in an email, recalled the email, and now claims that it was a typo!