Unvaccinated Students & School Closures

[Anonymous]

I foresee big problems in the Fall for Middle School and High Schools. If unvaccinated teens get covid, the schools must close down. DCPS really needs to mandate covid vaccines for all MS and HS kids or they can have a virtual option. It seems unfair and untenable to keep having school closures because misinformed parents don’t vaccinate their kid. Why punish the vaccinated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I foresee big problems in the Fall for Middle School and High Schools. If unvaccinated teens get covid, the schools must close down. DCPS really needs to mandate covid vaccines for all MS and HS kids or they can have a virtual option. It seems unfair and untenable to keep having school closures because misinformed parents don’t vaccinate their kid. Why punish the vaccinated?

While I agree with a vaccine mandate for those that are able to get vaccinated, we also need one for teachers and staff. Additionally, my understanding is that a mandate is legally untenable when the vaccine is still under EUA.

[Anonymous]

In California I believe they are now saying all kids must wear masks for equity purposes (to respect those kids who could be, but aren't, vaccinated). My guess is something similar will happen here along with continual school closures and school day modifications for equity purposes.

[Anonymous]

There's also the problem that breakthrough cases are occurring with the vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I foresee big problems in the Fall for Middle School and High Schools. If unvaccinated teens get covid, the schools must close down. DCPS really needs to mandate covid vaccines for all MS and HS kids or they can have a virtual option. It seems unfair and untenable to keep having school closures because misinformed parents don’t vaccinate their kid. Why punish the vaccinated?

While I agree with a vaccine mandate for those that are able to get vaccinated, we also need one for teachers and staff. Additionally, my understanding is that a mandate is legally untenable when the vaccine is still under EUA.

Ah, so it will be a rollercoaster during the school year of openings and closures. Fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I foresee big problems in the Fall for Middle School and High Schools. If unvaccinated teens get covid, the schools must close down. DCPS really needs to mandate covid vaccines for all MS and HS kids or they can have a virtual option. It seems unfair and untenable to keep having school closures because misinformed parents don’t vaccinate their kid. Why punish the vaccinated?

While I agree with a vaccine mandate for those that are able to get vaccinated, we also need one for teachers and staff. Additionally, my understanding is that a mandate is legally untenable when the vaccine is still under EUA.

Ah, so it will be a rollercoaster during the school year of openings and closures. Fun!

Probably. The best bet is for people to get vaccinated, which should help to keep the case rate low.

[Anonymous]

why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

What happens when the teacher is unvaccinated? i assume they would have to go virtual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

What happens when the teacher is unvaccinated? i assume they would have to go virtual.

Or rather, the teacher doesn't have to disclose vaccination status, so we can't know if the teacher is vaccinated or not, so regardless of the teacher being vaccinated, it means virtual for two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

This is a DCPS policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

This is a DCPS policy.

That is a pre-vaccination policy. I don't believe DCPS has updated its policies for this school year. Still waiting for DOH to issue new guidance following the CDC new guidance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

This is a DCPS policy.

That is a pre-vaccination policy. I don't believe DCPS has updated its policies for this school year. Still waiting for DOH to issue new guidance following the CDC new guidance.

Actually how would it work if there are different quarantine rules for the vaccinated and unvaccinated? One would have to disclose vaccination status, but that brings privacy concerns. So why not just lie if one is unvaccinated? Since we won't be able to know who is vaccinated or not, and given that some people will lie about being vaccinated, that means erring on the side of safety and making everyone quarantine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why would middle and high schools close when there is a positive case? CDC guidance says vaccinated people don't have to quarantine when exposed. Send the unvaccinated home and let the sane, vaccinated students continue their education.

This is a DCPS policy.

That is a pre-vaccination policy. I don't believe DCPS has updated its policies for this school year. Still waiting for DOH to issue new guidance following the CDC new guidance.

Actually how would it work if there are different quarantine rules for the vaccinated and unvaccinated? One would have to disclose vaccination status, but that brings privacy concerns. So why not just lie if one is unvaccinated? Since we won't be able to know who is vaccinated or not, and given that some people will lie about being vaccinated, that means erring on the side of safety and making everyone quarantine.

Plus to NOT quarantine you'd have to state your vaccination status; would you have to prove it by showing your vaccine card? So if you show your vaccine card, that is giving medical information to the school, and is apparently not allowed without a contract negotiation for teachers. I don't know what the rules would be for kids....we take it for granted that parents will just release medical information to schools but what if some also have privacy concerns about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In California I believe they are now saying all kids must wear masks for equity purposes (to respect those kids who could be, but aren't, vaccinated). My guess is something similar will happen here along with continual school closures and school day modifications for equity purposes.

The "equity" reasons are such total and complete bullshit for anyone over the age of 12. If you are dumb enough not to get vaccinated, then it's on you at this point. And I'm sorry if I'm ruffling any precious snowflake feathers - at this point, unless you are immunocompromised or have some real medical reason to not get vaccinated (and over the age of 12), then you richly deserve that forthcoming Darwin Award. I have ZERO, and I mean ZERO sympathy for the "hesitant" at this point - they are not hesitant, just morons.

[Anonymous]

Our area's public schools will probably mandate masks for everyone in the fall, except for lunch, band, choir and PE.

It would be so much better if schools could require proof of vaccination and then ask non-vaccinated kids to wear masks, but that's not how it's going to happen, because people just aren't compliant and don't like that kind of authoritarianism.