Is it time to have the difficult conversation about masks and MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

You didn’t answer my question. Presumably there will be a point that cases are so low you will be cool with no masks required, no? Or as long as moco reports 1 case a day that’s too much for you? Earnest question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Yes, signed parent of high risk kid. Also, I'd like to see more efforts to get those tested who travel out of state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

What do you think should be addressed? Who should address it? How do you think they should address it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These things need to happen before removing masks:
(a) there needs to be an effective post-infection treatment that is widely available. One is pending approval, but that's about it.
(b) a vaccine must be available and administered to children under 5
(c) all children should be required by MCPS to be vaccinated by policy
(d) the variants need to be in a "known" and not "emerging" state. Why? All it takes is one bad mutation and everyone is back to square one.

Until all of the above are a reality - I don't know how anyone can say it's "safe" not to wear a mask (unless you've never been infected so are ignorant, or maybe just a sick troll who lost a child or family member to covid and just want to spread a little holiday cheer to everyone else?). Get real.

But WHY? These are not the requirements for removing mask mandates in Montgomery County, which has been quite protective on its mask mandate, but will remove the mandate once the county's covid rate weekly average is 50/100,000 for seven straight days. https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/face-coverings.html

Covid rates in schools have mirrored covid rates throughout the community. Why should the mask mandate in schools be any different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here… the students care way less about masks than psycho parents. Yes, first graders are more mature and respectful than people tasked with being in charge of your kids mental health.

Agreed. My kindergartener whines not at all about masks. Literally never. Unlike most adults.

Because she thinks it is normal.

How low are you willing to set the bar for her?

My teens are both fully vaccinated and wear masks to school with no complaints. We have set the bar very high for them as they are well aware that this is on all of us as a society and not just about individuals. PP’s kindergartner is also learning this. Not sure about your kids though.

So cute. You must have one of those all are welcome signs in front of your 1.3m home in a predominately white neighborhood. Your kids really know how to make the world better!

Haha couldn’t be further from the truth. But I guess you’re saying being rich and white makes it easier to wear a mask? Not really following your thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here… the students care way less about masks than psycho parents. Yes, first graders are more mature and respectful than people tasked with being in charge of your kids mental health.

Agreed. My kindergartener whines not at all about masks. Literally never. Unlike most adults.

Because she thinks it is normal.

How low are you willing to set the bar for her?

My teens are both fully vaccinated and wear masks to school with no complaints. We have set the bar very high for them as they are well aware that this is on all of us as a society and not just about individuals. PP’s kindergartner is also learning this. Not sure about your kids though.

So cute. You must have one of those all are welcome signs in front of your 1.3m home in a predominately white neighborhood. Your kids really know how to make the world better!

Haha couldn’t be further from the truth. But I guess you’re saying being rich and white makes it easier to wear a mask? Not really following your thinking.

In case you the other PP hasn't noticed, it's the White women throwing hissy fits about mitigation measures in MCPS. See WaPo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here… the students care way less about masks than psycho parents. Yes, first graders are more mature and respectful than people tasked with being in charge of your kids mental health.

Agreed. My kindergartener whines not at all about masks. Literally never. Unlike most adults.

Because she thinks it is normal.

How low are you willing to set the bar for her?

My teens are both fully vaccinated and wear masks to school with no complaints. We have set the bar very high for them as they are well aware that this is on all of us as a society and not just about individuals. PP’s kindergartner is also learning this. Not sure about your kids though.

So cute. You must have one of those all are welcome signs in front of your 1.3m home in a predominately white neighborhood. Your kids really know how to make the world better!

Haha couldn’t be further from the truth. But I guess you’re saying being rich and white makes it easier to wear a mask? Not really following your thinking.

In case you the other PP hasn't noticed, it's the White women throwing hissy fits about mitigation measures in MCPS. See WaPo

Oh good, the board meeting tomorrow is full of the same Karens who speak every single time. At least it looks like Reesman and Smelkinson finally realized they have day jobs too.

[Anonymous]

Looks like we might be heading in that direction! Schools will be the last place for masks to come off, but this is a start, thankfully!!

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/coronavirus/montgomery-county-might-be-nearing-end-of-indoor-mask-mandate/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These things need to happen before removing masks:
(a) there needs to be an effective post-infection treatment that is widely available. One is pending approval, but that's about it.
(b) a vaccine must be available and administered to children under 5
(c) all children should be required by MCPS to be vaccinated by policy
(d) the variants need to be in a "known" and not "emerging" state. Why? All it takes is one bad mutation and everyone is back to square one.

Until all of the above are a reality - I don't know how anyone can say it's "safe" not to wear a mask (unless you've never been infected so are ignorant, or maybe just a sick troll who lost a child or family member to covid and just want to spread a little holiday cheer to everyone else?). Get real.

a) we already have Remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies. Merck's molnupiravir is pending approval.
b) that'll be a while
c) sure
d) never happen. there'll always be variants "emerging" for any disease that mutates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

Such as classic forever masker response. We as a country continue to base our pandemic response on the P-Town breakout. Where "vaccinated" individuals caught covid in high numbers. The study was so flawed in so many ways.

Can you point me to another large scale breakout of vaccinated individuals documented ANYWHERE? I'll wait.

As for me, I hope and pray that the county does the right thing and drops masks. They are a big deal in many ways, I am so tired of the "It's a piece of cloth" gaslighting. My kids hate it. I hate it. But we continue to do it for the greater good...but that won't last forever if the science says its safe. And if our county leaders don't follow the science...then vote them all out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

Such as classic forever masker response. We as a country continue to base our pandemic response on the P-Town breakout. Where "vaccinated" individuals caught covid in high numbers. The study was so flawed in so many ways.

Can you point me to another large scale breakout of vaccinated individuals documented ANYWHERE? I'll wait.

As for me, I hope and pray that the county does the right thing and drops masks. They are a big deal in many ways, I am so tired of the "It's a piece of cloth" gaslighting. My kids hate it. I hate it. But we continue to do it for the greater good...but that won't last forever if the science says its safe. And if our county leaders don't follow the science...then vote them all out.

Give it up. The kids don’t complain nearly as much as adults do. In fact, they don’t complain at all. If you’re hearing it at home, it’s because they are trying to parrot you. Your kids are most definitely better adjusted than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

Such as classic forever masker response. We as a country continue to base our pandemic response on the P-Town breakout. Where "vaccinated" individuals caught covid in high numbers. The study was so flawed in so many ways.

Can you point me to another large scale breakout of vaccinated individuals documented ANYWHERE? I'll wait.

As for me, I hope and pray that the county does the right thing and drops masks. They are a big deal in many ways, I am so tired of the "It's a piece of cloth" gaslighting. My kids hate it. I hate it. But we continue to do it for the greater good...but that won't last forever if the science says its safe. And if our county leaders don't follow the science...then vote them all out.

Stop being such whiny baby. There are many things in life you will hate but have to do. This is one of them. Just move on and stop fussing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These things need to happen before removing masks:
(a) there needs to be an effective post-infection treatment that is widely available. One is pending approval, but that's about it.
(b) a vaccine must be available and administered to children under 5
(c) all children should be required by MCPS to be vaccinated by policy
(d) the variants need to be in a "known" and not "emerging" state. Why? All it takes is one bad mutation and everyone is back to square one.

Until all of the above are a reality - I don't know how anyone can say it's "safe" not to wear a mask (unless you've never been infected so are ignorant, or maybe just a sick troll who lost a child or family member to covid and just want to spread a little holiday cheer to everyone else?). Get real.

Just keep moving goalposts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Personally I'd be fine with it if cases were under 5 per 100,000 and the vaccine was widely available. But the realpolitik is that once you remove a mandate it's harder to bring it back when needed if the cases spike. And knowing mcps they will probably finish the year with a mask mandate.

You will also get some diehards who claim that even with vaccines and low case rates they can't send their kids to school because everyone is still too selfish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Earnest question for the people strongly in favor of masks right now. Let’s say vaccine approved for all ages by around January. Let’s further say that MCPS says vaccine required to attend school. This isn’t out of the question since California has done this. Let’s further say cases plunge. There are still cases but we are talking blue zone maybe 5 cases per 100,000 or less. THEN would you be ok with no mandate though obviously people could still mask if they wanted?

Vaccines will hopefully be approved in the next month. HOWEVER, that doesn't address those who are still getting covid vaccinated. Its highly contagious and there is no distancing and no precautions in school outside of masking. That's a huge mistake to remove masking. 1 case can cause an outbreak in a classroom, especially unmasked.

You didn’t answer my question. Presumably there will be a point that cases are so low you will be cool with no masks required, no? Or as long as moco reports 1 case a day that’s too much for you? Earnest question.

We are not at that point yet and no, until kids are fully vaccinated and it lacks all common sense to get rid of masking when we have large schools, no distancing or other precautions. You can still get and spread covid vaccinated so you are dreaming to think we'll get to that 1 per day.