If you were firmly in the schools should stay closed camp ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to add that we are basically a family that is always running around like our hair is on fire (turning forms in on time, getting camps line up, getting report cards signed, cleaning the house, remembering what time the bus comes, getting dinner ready on time) but in a way this year was easier for us. There were fewer deadlines and less scrambling around. My kid has anxiety and seemed to have less of that because he was at school less and with the things that make him anxious less. We worked our schedules around his.

Just standing up for the hair on fire families. I appreciate PP's schedule and what she could do with it, that's good planning. We made similar adjustments on the back end instead of the front end and things seemed to work out except I might get dementia because sometime I only slept 4 hours a night. But my kid's grades are fine and he actually reported increased confidence in class as a result of this year, not all due to the covid school-from-home situation, but some. So, yay?

HAIR ON FIRE FAMILIES, REPRESENT!

Nailed it. Brava!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I think everything has happened how it should have. Was it inconvenient? Yes. Was it ideal? No. I believe it was what we had to do. This was an epic moment in history. I feel grateful that my family is okay, and my heart breaks die those that lost people.

Agreed

This incredibly dismissive to those of us with kids who imploded this year. Inconvenient doesn't even come close. Try apocalyptic. Mental health matters too.

Well ma’am, 600k people in this country died and 10 million worldwide. Nobody said it didn’t suck.

It only sucked for some. Bars, restaurants, and gyms remained open. Seniors are now vaxxed and out partying. Meanwhile, kids are getting the short end of the stick. K-2, if not all of elementary, should have been back much of the year.

I mean, yes, virtual school was hard for these young kids, but I hope we can all agree that the dead people, and the young children of the dead people, are the ones who really got the shortest end of the stick here. You don't seem to mention those people at all, though I know this happened to kids in Arlington because it was mentioned at the School Board meetings. I am glad for that group to have not been bigger than it was and is.

[Anonymous]

My sister had her kids in private school the whole time. Other friends in parochial. Other friends in person in NYC and the midwest. Anyone who proclaims that the correct response to public school closure in the DMV is “get up at 4:30 am” is a total chump and loser. We go royally screwed by our state and local governments. It’s ok to admit that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I think everything has happened how it should have. Was it inconvenient? Yes. Was it ideal? No. I believe it was what we had to do. This was an epic moment in history. I feel grateful that my family is okay, and my heart breaks die those that lost people.

Agreed

This incredibly dismissive to those of us with kids who imploded this year. Inconvenient doesn't even come close. Try apocalyptic. Mental health matters too.

Well ma’am, 600k people in this country died and 10 million worldwide. Nobody said it didn’t suck.

It only sucked for some. Bars, restaurants, and gyms remained open. Seniors are now vaxxed and out partying. Meanwhile, kids are getting the short end of the stick. K-2, if not all of elementary, should have been back much of the year.

I mean, yes, virtual school was hard for these young kids, but I hope we can all agree that the dead people, and the young children of the dead people, are the ones who really got the shortest end of the stick here. You don't seem to mention those people at all, though I know this happened to kids in Arlington because it was mentioned at the School Board meetings. I am glad for that group to have not been bigger than it was and is.

No, it wasn't hard for these young kids, it's still hard. They are still being asked to learn by iPad most of the time, at least in APS. Seniors are partying. Parents are vaxxed. College kids are good. Middle and high schoolers will be vaxxed in the next month. Meanwhile, elementary students will be in masks and cohorts all summer. They are getting the shortest end of the stick. Indoor gyms were open months before outdoor playgrounds--explain that?!?! APS could have responded to the needs of its youngest learners, as they were told to by the VDOE, but they couldn't be bothered. Too hard per Duran and Loft.

[Anonymous]

They are NOT getting the shortest end of the stick. Wtf is wrong with you? This is very Trump-y -- you don't like a point that works against you so you pretend it doesn't exist. Some Arlington kids have lost a PARENT from Covid. Some have lost grandparents and close relatives. While I feel very, very sorry for your children, for more reasons than one, that is not something they have had to deal with this year. (If it had been, you would have a very different view of this issue.)

But sure, parent who wakes up at 4:30 am to help kids with school out of sense of duty and compassion = total chump

Arlington students who lost their parents and relatives to covid = don't rate, treated as though they don't exist

Pick up the pieces of your shattered life and move on. Give yourself a little pep talk, do your best. Put on your big girl pants and try to be a better person, because there are people out there who have had this last year a hell of a lot worse than you have, but you wouldn't know it from reading your sad, sad posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are NOT getting the shortest end of the stick. Wtf is wrong with you? This is very Trump-y -- you don't like a point that works against you so you pretend it doesn't exist. Some Arlington kids have lost a PARENT from Covid. Some have lost grandparents and close relatives. While I feel very, very sorry for your children, for more reasons than one, that is not something they have had to deal with this year. (If it had been, you would have a very different view of this issue.)

But sure, parent who wakes up at 4:30 am to help kids with school out of sense of duty and compassion = total chump

Arlington students who lost their parents and relatives to covid = don't rate, treated as though they don't exist

Pick up the pieces of your shattered life and move on. Give yourself a little pep talk, do your best. Put on your big girl pants and try to be a better person, because there are people out there who have had this last year a hell of a lot worse than you have, but you wouldn't know it from reading your sad, sad posts.

You’re gonna have to ignore her. She’s iPads in APS mom and iPads in aps are the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. She truly believes that is the most tragic thing to have come from this whole pandemic. Zero perceptive. It’s pointless to argue with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister had her kids in private school the whole time. Other friends in parochial. Other friends in person in NYC and the midwest. Anyone who proclaims that the correct response to public school closure in the DMV is “get up at 4:30 am” is a total chump and loser. We go royally screwed by our state and local governments. It’s ok to admit that.

The original screw was Trump fcking up the response. It’s been a series of unmitigated disasters since:
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

And then we prioritized bars over schools.

Given all of that, APS had a reasonable response - similar to many other school systems.

[Anonymous]

We did the right thing. I hope we're doing the right thing by reopening. My SIL in Singapore said that their schools are closing yet again, because it looks like the kids are now being affected, getting sick. Physician cousin in India says they're bracing for a third wave that will adversely impact littles. Given all that, I'm glad our kids have remained relatively unscathed, while the vaccine situation is worked out.

[Anonymous]

You will not find many people admitting, even to themselves, that they did something that was wrong for their children. No matter what evidence is presented to them. They will literally go to their graves saying they did the right thing. Otherwise, they’d have a hard time living with themselves.

[Anonymous]

Nah. We good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister had her kids in private school the whole time. Other friends in parochial. Other friends in person in NYC and the midwest. Anyone who proclaims that the correct response to public school closure in the DMV is “get up at 4:30 am” is a total chump and loser. We go royally screwed by our state and local governments. It’s ok to admit that.

The original screw was Trump fcking up the response. It’s been a series of unmitigated disasters since:
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

And then we prioritized bars over schools.

Given all of that, APS had a reasonable response - similar to many other school systems.

I’m a grownup who has been in DC for a long time. I’m perfectly capable of understanding that everyone screwed up in different ways. Plus Trump’s been gone for months, and of course never had control over local schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will not find many people admitting, even to themselves, that they did something that was wrong for their children. No matter what evidence is presented to them. They will literally go to their graves saying they did the right thing. Otherwise, they’d have a hard time living with themselves.

Oh I readily admit it. I was wrong not to take the IPL seat offered in February. Very wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you look back now and think that your fear was unwarranted? Do you feel you made the choice based on politics and not wanting to be viewed as supporting Trump?

Personally I regret being too cautious for way too long. I look at friends who traveled, whose kids went back in person to private school, played sports and so on and nothing happened. Not a single one so much as for a sniffle or a cold. I think I just wasted time sitting at home for nothing. And the last couple of months I really regret that my child isn’t in school at least four days a week

Masking worked. My son has been in person all year and has had one minor cold. No strep, no stomach virus, no other colds. I took the risk not knowing what would happen, based on the fact that virtual school was a disaster for us at the end of last year. Don't look back with regret. You made the decision that was best for you at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister had her kids in private school the whole time. Other friends in parochial. Other friends in person in NYC and the midwest. Anyone who proclaims that the correct response to public school closure in the DMV is “get up at 4:30 am” is a total chump and loser. We go royally screwed by our state and local governments. It’s ok to admit that.

The original screw was Trump fcking up the response. It’s been a series of unmitigated disasters since:
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

And then we prioritized bars over schools.

Given all of that, APS had a reasonable response - similar to many other school systems.

I’m a grownup who has been in DC for a long time. I’m perfectly capable of understanding that everyone screwed up in different ways. Plus Trump’s been gone for months, and of course never had control over local schools.

Yes, I said Trump was the original F up and then there was a series of errors.

Our school system couldn't fix errors made by Trump, the state, and the County Board. Who either pretended that nothing was happening or prioritized opening bars & restaurants.

APS had a very reasonable response given the circumstances created beyond their control. Community transmission was very high.

APS was consistent with many other school systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to look back on this extra time that I spent with my middle schooler with some fondness later on. I'm glad I had it. This was my kid's first year of middle school. MIDDLE SCHOOL! Do you remember that? It was awful being on the bottom at middle school. Instead of THAT, my kid spent the school year at home with us and went in for the rest a few days a week. We made lunch together, played outside together, I listened in on classes and heard what other kids in his class said about slavery and writing assignments and art class and planets.

I know it was a lot harder on other people and it wasn't all bubblegum and rainbows over here but I will never get this chance again and I'm glad I had this peek into my kid's life. It was hard to fit everything in but I'm so grateful to have had this look into his life. He is a pretty neat guy tbh, I didn't really understand how cool until now.

+1000 I love the extra time with my middle schooler.

My MS did not receive the home-based services specified in his IEP and therefore missed over a year of schooling. Meanwhile I worked full time outside the home. This may have been the year my son went from standard diploma track to certificate track. He's also a pretty neat guy and it's hard seeing him written off at such a young age.