WTU is demanding a "plan & policy for next week & Jan"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Again, not sure what the panic is about. If you have een vaccinated then breakthroughs are very mild. Get vacinated. Do not close schools. COvid is never going away. How many of these break through cases are serious?

Be careful with your terminology. "Mild" meaning no death or hospitalization is very different from how most people use the word mild colloquially. Do you think that ongoing impacts like fatigue out shortness of breath are mild? It's not a cold. Turn off Fox News.

Oh man. I'm not sure what new source you are getting YOUR information from, but many many sources are reporting the omicron (particularly) is "mild", particularly amongst the vaccinated.

Gosh, where is my data on long term impacts of a variant that is just now spreading and hasn't been around anywhere long enough to judge long term effects. I guess I'll just tune into Fox News with you for their opinion of what we should think. Baaaa.

This tired argument. You think 1) anyone who has read something different is reading Fox news (I'm impressed that you haven't immediately labeled the person a Trumper), and 2) we should preemptively close things down because we don't know about future variants.

+1. NYT has a good guest essay from Joseph Allen from Harvard on kids and omicron and the dangers of a new round of closures. This isn't about getting red-pilled. Sure, we don't have long-term data on the long-term risk of Omicron this very second, but we do know about the adverse health consequences of the previous closures. Why should child abuse risk and mental health consequences be treated less seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

...they have jobs, that people expect them to do? Like, I'd imagine, coordinate covid responses and notifications? Pretty sure they aren't just hanging out doing nothing.

Priorities. The essential mission and reason for existence is school not administration. If schools need bodies they need to step up. They may not be doing nothing but wha they are doing is not essential and there is a shortage of people to do the essential work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

No? My positive case that I reported yesterday at 10 am to my principal hasn’t been sent out yet. Do you know why? Because there is a mile of red tape in between when my principal gets that notification and when it gets sent out. Due to the nature of my role I see over 100 students a day in close contact.
If central followed my “proposed solution” aka their promise to us in October, we’d have a person dedicated to covid coordination on site so that my principal could deal with more pressing items, including the fact that over 20 teachers are out of the building today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

Well I guess the classrooms can close and enough classrooms close they will just close the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

I wonder if that's even possible, given that volunteers have to go through fingerprinting, etc. I mean, a parent can't get into a school these days, so I don't know why everyone thinks it is feasible for anyone to sub.

I'm not denying that there are sub shortages, and I'm not denying that this creates challenges for school staff. Just the proposed solutions seem silly.

I would agree with the other poster that yeah, not enough bodies in staff/teaching roles = classroom or school closures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

I wonder if that's even possible, given that volunteers have to go through fingerprinting, etc. I mean, a parent can't get into a school these days, so I don't know why everyone thinks it is feasible for anyone to sub.

I'm not denying that there are sub shortages, and I'm not denying that this creates challenges for school staff. Just the proposed solutions seem silly.

I would agree with the other poster that yeah, not enough bodies in staff/teaching roles = classroom or school closures.

All central office workers go through the same fingerprinting process as teachers. There is no excuse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

I wonder if that's even possible, given that volunteers have to go through fingerprinting, etc. I mean, a parent can't get into a school these days, so I don't know why everyone thinks it is feasible for anyone to sub.

I'm not denying that there are sub shortages, and I'm not denying that this creates challenges for school staff. Just the proposed solutions seem silly.

I would agree with the other poster that yeah, not enough bodies in staff/teaching roles = classroom or school closures.

All central office workers go through the same fingerprinting process as teachers. There is no excuse

What are they doing that doesn't need to be done? Will anyone notice if....idk....the cases get reported even slower? Or which operations should stop?

[Anonymous]

It would be one thing if the chancellor, OSSE and CO were actually competent/productive in the first place but they aren’t. So bring their fingerprinted and background checked bodies into the schools. They can man the front office, staff the cafeteria, monitor kids on the playground, make copies, re-stock bathrooms, etc. Send them to our school and I will keep them so busy in non-teaching tasks they will come to understand what productive actually looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all a fan of WTU. But, given the fact that all DCPS leaders and all of OSSE--including the chancellor and vice chancellor--are all AT HOME, I do not at all blame the teachers' union for wanting to board the gravy train.

Some people's jobs can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Some people's jobs cannot.

The chancellor and vice chancellor of a school system in which a majority of students cannot read, write or do mathematics on grade level should be in the office. Leading, working and setting an example from the top for principals and teachers.

I mean, that doesn't make sense but ok.

DP: How about this? The people in leadership telling us schools are safe and robustly implementing mitigation efforts should be working daily in schools to show that they also would feel safe in schools. If nothing else, we’d appreciate the extra bodies!

Not the PP, but if they were smart they would take you up on this idea. Local and federal officials should have been back in the office a long time ago. It's not March 2020 anymore. If the ongoing WFH arrangement is contributing to morale problems, DCPS leadership should take that issue off the table.

It's goofy because on the one hand, there are people going on about mitigation mitigation mitigation to decrease community case rates and therefore make schools safer. On the other they want LESS mitigation (get people into office who don't need to be there, for the sake of optics).

Look, I get that Central Office pisses you all off, and there might be very good reasons for that. But your proposed solutions don't make sense.

Do you want schools open? We need adult bodies. There is no one working at central office on December 21 doing essential time sensitive work. Send them into schools.

So you want some data analyst who's been behind a computer his whole adult life to come try and manage a classroom??? Hahahhahahaha

I wonder if that's even possible, given that volunteers have to go through fingerprinting, etc. I mean, a parent can't get into a school these days, so I don't know why everyone thinks it is feasible for anyone to sub.

I'm not denying that there are sub shortages, and I'm not denying that this creates challenges for school staff. Just the proposed solutions seem silly.

I would agree with the other poster that yeah, not enough bodies in staff/teaching roles = classroom or school closures.

All central office workers go through the same fingerprinting process as teachers. There is no excuse

What are they doing that doesn't need to be done? Will anyone notice if....idk....the cases get reported even slower? Or which operations should stop?

How many months - working from home - did they have to figure out how to do this efficiently? Not competent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like everyone is missing the point. It doesn't matter if Omnicrom is mild or not, it is still COVID. If teachers or students test positive, then unless rules are changed, they cannot come into school and I think it is a 10 day waiting period.

You can have a bunch of kids test positive and kept from school and keep schools open, but if you have a bunch of teachers positive (even if asymptomatic) that are then required to quarantine you cannot keep the school open as there are no subs available. My understanding is teacher positive cases are closing the various schools, more so than too many students.

We are nowhere near the point right now where anyone is going to decide that COVID is endemic and you just carry-on because you are asymptomatic or have an extremely mild case. Since DC does regular testing of students and faculty, and there are many asymptomatic cases, the positive cases are going to jump.

I want schools to stay open as long as they can, but Omnicrom is clearly way more contagious then Delta. The one upside (if you can really call it that) is that it will burn through the population much quicker so we should be on back-end of this by end of January / early February.

Yes, you can keep the school open unless every single teacher tests positive simultaneously (or within a 10-day period). It's conceivable that that might happen, but unlikely.

I'm not saying this isn't going to be rough for a month, but this is a better option than closing schools (since we know how hard it is to open them again).

I can't speak for elementary school but you cannot keep a middle school or high school open if you have a certain percent of teachers out sick. I cannot state the exact number, but I would agree with a poster who said 20%. At that point there is no one to cover classes and you can't combine classes because it increase exposure during an outbreak. It is also a safety issue at some point.

In the case of an elementary school though this is not warranted. They can just close the classrooms where there is no teacher.

And, in the case of middle and high schools, if a teacher is out for a particular class, then the students can just have a free period in that classroom. It's ridiculous to shut down classes if the teacher is able to teach in person.

Who will be with the students? They cannot be left unsupervised

[Anonymous]

Seems like parents are voting with their feet, as it were. JO Wilson only had like 40-50 kids in the whole building today.