Howard County remote until April 2021.
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Anonymous
| Only the first of many. |
Anonymous
| They should just call it for the year. There is no point even discussing it any longer. |
Anonymous
|
There were clearly board members who wanted to call it for the year last night, but they wouldn't have been able to get a majority.
The hybrid plan, whatever it looks like, is a nonstarter if 30% of the staff will quit or go on leave. It won't work. I don't want my kids babysat in front of a Chromebook at school for 6 hours a day a couple of days a week. I would rather they be at home. |
Anonymous
| April? Just say virtual for the remaining of the year. |
Anonymous
Why? The covid surge will be over by April and then schools can reopen. |
Anonymous
| April in person would allow us to administer the all important state tests. |
Anonymous
| Really? Why administer the important test when most kids had a learning curve online. Like I said, April? That’s one month of school - why open? |
Anonymous
April, May, and a week or two in June is 25% of the school year. Why would you just give up on that? |
Anonymous
|
100% virtual for the year.
And there will be a virtual option next year. |
Anonymous
|
If you compare the number of times the Board members mentioned the needs of educators versus any discussion of student needs, it makes you throw your hands in the air. If in person happens in any form next year, I will be shocked. This school year is over. It is virtual all the way. Teachers don't feel comfortable coming into the building and that is all that matters, regardless of the metrics. It was pretty much expressly stated.
I have often criticized Dr. Martirano, but he was forceful in advocating for continued work on a better hybrid plan. I don't care anymore, because nothing I do or say is going to make a difference. I am starting to think that boards of education need an appointed expert (or two) qualified to offer testimony about the needs of children, educational and otherwise, separate and apart from family concerns, which are often perceived as selfish. I am envisioning something like a court appointed counsel for children in a divorce case. School administrators are constrained by budgetary and logistical concerns. Board members act as the decision makers. Someone needs to speak for the children. Honestly, the part of the meeting that made me throw in the towel forever was when one member expressed concern about the mental health needs and isolation of older students, and another responded that those concerns shouldn't be used to blackmail educators into returning to the building when they "feel" unsafe. What? Who is blackmailing who? This is a Board that already approved metrics for returning students the school buildings, with substantial input from a capable county health officer, and then completely disregarded those metrics because staff in a non-binding survey with actual consequences have said that they don't "feel" safe returning this year. |
Anonymous
| THey will probably call it for the rest of the year soon enough. I'm sure the other counties will be close behind. I have my children in private schools now which are still open in-person. I couldn't imagine trying to juggle distance learning again this year like we did last year. It's really clear it's political since the archdiocese is continuing to be open. They have a large population of students and older buildings. Somehow there have been no outbreaks. |
Anonymous
| Bravo! They did the right thing. |
Anonymous
| I am not a big fan of the current school board in Howard County. However, I commend them for making this decision. |
Anonymous
| The school board will be getting some new members in a few weeks and if teachers are among those to get the vaccine early we should be able to return to school by April maybe March. |