"Key fact: ... serious ambivalence among parents whether in-person school is desirable right now."

[Anonymous]

There is this emerging narrative that all-powerful teachers' unions have forced ongoing school closures. But I think the key political fact on the ground is serious ambivalence among *parents* about whether in-person school is desirable right now.

Links to NYT story:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/us/schools-reopening-teachers-unions.html

A bunch of parents are keeping their kids home right now.


(Josh Barro is a conservative, btw.)

[Anonymous]

Well, DUH.

Only a raucus and irrational minority is pinning the blame on teachers' unions. A lot of us know full well that we don't want our kids back in school in the middle of uncontrolled viral spread.

[Anonymous]

The DC plan is strange. I wouldn't really jump at it either. They can't do some sort of two-day or half day plan?

[Anonymous]

Using 2 large urban districts as an example doesn’t really describe the feelings of all parents universally.

[Anonymous]

Nice try OP. The vast majority want our kids back in school and will jump at any opportunity

[Anonymous]

I am totally one of those ambivalent parents. If we stayed DL for the rest of the year, my kid would be fine. But if/when school opens in FCPS, I'll send him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Using 2 large urban districts as an example doesn’t really describe the feelings of all parents universally.

+1

I think if you surveyed the landscape of the entire country, most parents want kids back in school and many already have them in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using 2 large urban districts as an example doesn’t really describe the feelings of all parents universally.

+1

I think if you surveyed the landscape of the entire country, most parents want kids back in school and many already have them in school.

+1. Just survey Chicago and DC, 100% the numbers would be so different. School issues are local not national.

[Anonymous]

In Providence, with 90+% Black and Latino students and a strong union, schools reopened and 70% of families chose in-person: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/magazine/school-reopenings-rhode-island.html?fbclid=IwAR0QdDOg924cxwlxi2zTPyLbqQvnvJqqtD1mPTomF7U9r89kUq2B6p0MbP0

[Anonymous]

Just like we need to educate people that the vaccine is safe and effective, we need to educate parents that it is safe for their children to be in school.

[Anonymous]

One of my kids was doing in person K (at a private school). Her teacher tested positive for covid. Then kids had to stay home for two weeks. It has been pandemonium. Parents are quarantining. Some tested positive at least 5 classmates positive not sure if it's from the teacher. Everyone is upset. If I could go back and do it again, I would not do this. The stress and disruption are far worse than having kept her home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids was doing in person K (at a private school). Her teacher tested positive for covid. Then kids had to stay home for two weeks. It has been pandemonium. Parents are quarantining. Some tested positive at least 5 classmates positive not sure if it's from the teacher. Everyone is upset. If I could go back and do it again, I would not do this. The stress and disruption are far worse than having kept her home.

Speaking as someone with two kids who will have had no in-person school for 12 months, this is not true. Stress, disruption, and pandemonium would be better than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my kids was doing in person K (at a private school). Her teacher tested positive for covid. Then kids had to stay home for two weeks. It has been pandemonium. Parents are quarantining. Some tested positive at least 5 classmates positive not sure if it's from the teacher. Everyone is upset. If I could go back and do it again, I would not do this. The stress and disruption are far worse than having kept her home.

How will this play out here? I have read nothing about kids testing positive.

[Anonymous]

As an MCPS parent, I care very little what my fellow parents think at this point. Heck, thousands of them just signed a petition with zero peer-reviewed scientific references to delay indefinitely a return to school. I prefer our social policy be guided by organizations with the relevant expertise, like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Policy Lab at CHOP, and individuals with relevant expertise, like Tony Fauci, Ashish Jha, and others.

Reopening schools shouldn't be a political issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just like we need to educate people that the vaccine is safe and effective, we need to educate parents that it is safe for their children to be in school.

Exactly. We should not be relying on opinion polling to tell us what is correct.