Outdoor lunch petition in APS

[Anonymous]

Ok I admit I didn't focus on lunch at school enough before. My kids' teachers said they would get the kids outside when possible. Now that we're in this, I'm realizing this isn't going to be good enough.

I also didn't realize some schools aren't doing any outside lunch at all. My friend just filled me in on her kid's school's lunch plans and it sounds like a super-spreader event waiting to happen.


Here's the petition. Maybe it will help? https://www.change.org/OutsideLunchAPS

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

Also, there are no air filters/HEPA filters in the cafeterias. Would you send your kids to a restaurant unmaked with 100 other patrons who have not been vaccinated?

[Anonymous]

For many of us, what the school was doing for lunch was a factor in de using Hybrid vs DL. A little late now to be complaining about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For many of us, what the school was doing for lunch was a factor in de using Hybrid vs DL. A little late now to be complaining about it.

It's never too late to make a good change. If someone won't sign because they're upset their kid won't benefit, well.... thats a shame.

[Anonymous]

Where are you getting the estimated 100 kids in the lunchroom at the same time? Swanson only has 200 kids going back each day with 6 lunchtimes. Kids get to choose indoors or outdoors. I'm happy with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For many of us, what the school was doing for lunch was a factor in de using Hybrid vs DL. A little late now to be complaining about it.

It's not too late. At DHMS, they just said today that the students DO have the option of eating outside.

Plans can change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

Also, there are no air filters/HEPA filters in the cafeterias. Would you send your kids to a restaurant unmaked with 100 other patrons who have not been vaccinated?

Yes, I would because the filters aren't going to make that much difference. The space is large and kids will spread out. I would be more worried kids would share food and things like that vs. actually the fact that they are breathing.

And I laughed when the petition said "Poorly ventilated" - they make it sounds like these are some small dingy rooms in the sub basements of 50 yr old buildings with no actual HVAC system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

Also, there are no air filters/HEPA filters in the cafeterias. Would you send your kids to a restaurant unmaked with 100 other patrons who have not been vaccinated?

Yes, I would because the filters aren't going to make that much difference. The space is large and kids will spread out. I would be more worried kids would share food and things like that vs. actually the fact that they are breathing.

And I laughed when the petition said "Poorly ventilated" - they make it sounds like these are some small dingy rooms in the sub basements of 50 yr old buildings with no actual HVAC system.

evidence that they are well ventilated? how many have functional windows?

and........we are concerned about airborne transmission....not surface.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you getting the estimated 100 kids in the lunchroom at the same time? Swanson only has 200 kids going back each day with 6 lunchtimes. Kids get to choose indoors or outdoors. I'm happy with this.

From the WMS principal. The Th/F group has roughly 100 6th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

Also, there are no air filters/HEPA filters in the cafeterias. Would you send your kids to a restaurant unmaked with 100 other patrons who have not been vaccinated?

Yes, I would because the filters aren't going to make that much difference. The space is large and kids will spread out. I would be more worried kids would share food and things like that vs. actually the fact that they are breathing.

And I laughed when the petition said "Poorly ventilated" - they make it sounds like these are some small dingy rooms in the sub basements of 50 yr old buildings with no actual HVAC system.

So you won't sign the petition to help other families?

[Anonymous]

There is a certain logical inconsistency in this petition. At the outset, it insists that outdoor lunch every day no matter what is a "critical safety measure" that has to be mandated for all schools, with the implication that outdoor dining is the only way schools can provide "safe dining." But then at the end, it also demands that APS "provide backup safe indoor dining," thereby implicitly conceding that indoor dining can be safe as well. So which is it? Is outdoor lunch the only safe option so that APS must implement it across all schools immediately? Or is safe indoor dining also a possibility, in which case why should schools be needlessly restricted in their use of all safe dining options to best meet the needs of their individual school communities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing this. At many of the middle schools there will be indoor unmasked lunches for 35 minutes! All of the schools have a plethora of outdoor space, so that is not an issue. At one middle, WMS I believe, a parent was told if they didn't like it, they can check their kid out for lunch each day. That school has both the space and dollars to make outdoor lunch happen.

Also, there are no air filters/HEPA filters in the cafeterias. Would you send your kids to a restaurant unmaked with 100 other patrons who have not been vaccinated?

Yes, I would because the filters aren't going to make that much difference. The space is large and kids will spread out. I would be more worried kids would share food and things like that vs. actually the fact that they are breathing.

And I laughed when the petition said "Poorly ventilated" - they make it sounds like these are some small dingy rooms in the sub basements of 50 yr old buildings with no actual HVAC system.

You clearly haven't been to TJ middle school. The cafeteria is in the basement without windows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For many of us, what the school was doing for lunch was a factor in de using Hybrid vs DL. A little late now to be complaining about it.

What do you mean? I switched my kid from hybrid to virtual because of lunch and I gladly signed this petition. I wish it existed a month ago but it's hard for me to complain because I didn't think to start one.

If this petition is too late for you, why didn't you start it? What have you done - other than complain on DCUM?

any you won't take 2 seconds to sign it to help the kids who are in person now?

[Anonymous]

Pretty funny that the organizer of this is keeping her kids home. The irony is that she is always attacking anyone who pulled kids from APS to send to private. She seems to think those parents should stay quiet and not advocate to open APS. Does she have self-awareness. But whatever, I’ll sign her petition so long as it doesn’t delay reopening timeline. These things go nowhere anyway.