Has Duran gone mad? (APS)

[Anonymous]

Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

It’s just you. Dramatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The timing of collective bargaining starting May 1 is unfortunate, because it gives AEA a lot of incentive to take a very hard line right now. They’re worried that any inch they gone now will affect the contract they can negotiate in the spring, so they’re not going to give an inch on reopening until their contract is done.

? - But they don’t have any real power now. Plus, they really don’t speak for all teachers.

They don’t have the legal authority to set policy, but they absolutely have power. If AEA came to its members and said they believed schools could open safely now if APS did X,Y, and Z, you would see a lot more teachers getting on board with the idea (and indicating a willingness to return to in-school education). Instead, what we have right now is AEA insisting there’s no way school could be safely reopened at any time this year and demanding that APS make the decision now to stay virtual the entire year, and encouraging their members to take the same approaching by instead indicating that they do not want to return to in-school learning (hence the concerns about adequate staffing). AEA is worried that any compromise they agree to now will be a foregone conclusion in contract negotiations, and that they’ll have to negotiate off that compromise point rather than the extreme position they’re taking now.

From a pure negotiating standpoint, it’s the right strategy for them, but no one should be under any illusion that their position on reopening is considering student needs. It’s all about contract negotiation.

Ah, well. Unfortunately, we live in the land of self interest. Can you blame them? Well, I guess a lot of folks do. I don’t. How else are they going to survive in a country where greedy men take all that they can? Mothers, teachers, social workers, nurses - all those people who give and give and give — have to stand up for themselves. I guess you can either decide to oppress them even more or throw them the few bones they are asking for. If you need them this much, then why are people being so gosh darn stingy about giving them their vaccines, their air filters, and their hazard pay. Show them they are worth something other than the crap you scrape off your shoes. You think they already have cushy jobs? Try volunteering in a classroom for one week before you make that judgment.

I don’t blame them, but I think it has changed some people’s perceptions of teachers. If you previously viewed teaching as a calling, as something people chose to do despite the pay because of their commitment to children and their education (and advocated for increased pay because you felt that they were worth far more than they were being compensated), this experience may have taken some of the shine off.

I was called to teach.

I was never called to risk my long term health to teach .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Look you need to stop looking at a Facebook parent group as if they have any power, they can’t make up any conditions of employment but to answer your question, no I do not trust all my fellow staff to be safe and wear masks faithfully. Plenty of teachers are living life as usual, traveling, lax with masks. They’re the ones least worried about going back but yeah we all have to work with them even when we are really careful.

Correct. I teach with a team of much younger teachers and they are taking risks with travel and going out that make me extremely uncomfortable. I don’t feel lie I can work closely with them with their behavior and doing so puts mr at risk. Not to mention the kids aspect.

I'm a parent and I don't trust the other families. So many are traveling, allowing kids into each others homes to hang out unmasked. These are the ones who will be in school. Assume the careful ones will stay virtual.

+1 Another parent concurring. Some of the behaviors I am seeing with other families makes me very worried about the safety of reopening schools...as in, it won't be safe.

Exact same experience. People who think it's "safe" to open schools under current conditions also lack appropriate judgement in other areas of COVID risk assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow.. I just took a deeper look at the APE website. It's very impressive how much the group is advocating for a safe return to school. [/quote

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Look you need to stop looking at a Facebook parent group as if they have any power, they can’t make up any conditions of employment but to answer your question, no I do not trust all my fellow staff to be safe and wear masks faithfully. Plenty of teachers are living life as usual, traveling, lax with masks. They’re the ones least worried about going back but yeah we all have to work with them even when we are really careful.

Correct. I teach with a team of much younger teachers and they are taking risks with travel and going out that make me extremely uncomfortable. I don’t feel lie I can work closely with them with their behavior and doing so puts mr at risk. Not to mention the kids aspect.

I'm a parent and I don't trust the other families. So many are traveling, allowing kids into each others homes to hang out unmasked. These are the ones who will be in school. Assume the careful ones will stay virtual.

+1 Another parent concurring. Some of the behaviors I am seeing with other families makes me very worried about the safety of reopening schools...as in, it won't be safe.

Exact same experience. People who think it's "safe" to open schools under current conditions also lack appropriate judgement in other areas of COVID risk assessment.

but that does also include some teachers like young childless colleague who somehow “podded” with multiple housemates, her extended family, her boyfriend and had multiple family members test + the last couple months. Went to weddings and vacation. Yeah, I’m not enthused about working in close proximity and shared spaces with people that lax when I spent 10 months being really safe. And they will be in rooms all day with your kids. But they were most enthusiastic about reopening whenever so you felt they were “better” teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Look you need to stop looking at a Facebook parent group as if they have any power, they can’t make up any conditions of employment but to answer your question, no I do not trust all my fellow staff to be safe and wear masks faithfully. Plenty of teachers are living life as usual, traveling, lax with masks. They’re the ones least worried about going back but yeah we all have to work with them even when we are really careful.

Correct. I teach with a team of much younger teachers and they are taking risks with travel and going out that make me extremely uncomfortable. I don’t feel lie I can work closely with them with their behavior and doing so puts mr at risk. Not to mention the kids aspect.

I'm a parent and I don't trust the other families. So many are traveling, allowing kids into each others homes to hang out unmasked. These are the ones who will be in school. Assume the careful ones will stay virtual.

+1 Another parent concurring. Some of the behaviors I am seeing with other families makes me very worried about the safety of reopening schools...as in, it won't be safe.

Exact same experience. People who think it's "safe" to open schools under current conditions also lack appropriate judgement in other areas of COVID risk assessment.

but that does also include some teachers like young childless colleague who somehow “podded” with multiple housemates, her extended family, her boyfriend and had multiple family members test + the last couple months. Went to weddings and vacation. Yeah, I’m not enthused about working in close proximity and shared spaces with people that lax when I spent 10 months being really safe. And they will be in rooms all day with your kids. But they were most enthusiastic about reopening whenever so you felt they were “better” teachers.

LOL like the Chicago teacher who posted about remaining remote but also posted a picture of herself vacationing in Puerto Rico on the same day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

I don’t need that. Just the vaccine. And masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

I don’t need that. Just the vaccine. And masks.

Thank you!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

That’s what needs to happen to open schools safely. I wouldn’t push for anyone to be back in schools without all of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

That’s what needs to happen to open schools safely. I wouldn’t push for anyone to be back in schools without all of that.

What if we had the vaccine? I feel like vaccines and masks should suffice for a safe return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

That’s what needs to happen to open schools safely. I wouldn’t push for anyone to be back in schools without all of that.

What if we had the vaccine? I feel like vaccines and masks should suffice for a safe return.

Vaccines for the kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me, or are others getting the sense that many teachers will battle returning to class even if we had every safety measure in place. Feels like it will never be enough.

No. I think if the numbers come down, we put air filters in schools, implement regular testing, and provide n95 masks, teachers will return.

That’s not their official position.

That’s what needs to happen to open schools safely. I wouldn’t push for anyone to be back in schools without all of that.

What if we had the vaccine? I feel like vaccines and masks should suffice for a safe return.

Vaccines for the kids?

that's ridiculous. You need to follow the science here.