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I truly get why people are upset. I do and I am deeply sad and scared. I have been really trying to get passed my emotional reaction and think about more of the facts of what an organization like Burgundy might be up against. There are so many factors that I feel like are missing from the perspectives shared here.
- On numbers and risk factors, while VA numbers may not be as bad as other places, the facts around children's rates have changed as of late. Also, check your facebook and insta feeds full of pictures of Burgundy families in WY, CA, FL, MT, TX and all over the freaking map. While I trust that members of our community are trying to take precautions, people are on planes and people are undoubtedly in high risk situations which influences how one might think about the true risk factors of Burgundy come Sept. I think it is smart and thoughtful to get us back in the region, teach the children protocols safely and in age appropriate ways and acclimate whole fams to a set of shared community norms is smart and thoughtful and mitigates risk not only for the community, but also for the school itself.
- On that note, doesn't anyone work in an organization with an HR department and laws that regulate HR and doesn't anyone recognize the hypocrisy of all the people on here threatening to sue. How can an organization reasonably open with factual risks on the table and employee concerns about those risks. It is why you are seeing more and more schools do just what Burgundy did with the same timing as ours. Yes, there are still some out there that claim they will open, but I suspect that will evolve and if not, i'm not sure what the moral and legal ramifications will be if outbreaks occur. Those are some brave school leaders. Love the lookbacks and comparisons to 1917 and outdoor school. Sounds so idyllic, but folks it is not 1917 and all the threats of lawsuits prove that.
- We live in a shitty society where people are seen as replaceable and that is likely driving many of our own fears about having to show up at work, but I think we would lose the most special part of Burgundy if we had to divert resources to bring in new teachers who were comfortable with risk. It is so unbelievably antithetical to our values as a school and I have to say as a member of this community the lack of awareness around that, particularly after the last few months where I hoped we would all be getting smarter on racial justice, equity and inclusion is really heartbreaking. Even if you are not suggesting we get rid of teachers, your suggestion ultimately has that ramification and factually will disproportionally impact our black and brown teachers. These kinds of actions will ultimately lead to a teacher pool made of white, young to middle aged, able-bodied, more economically privileged teachers. I specifically don't want my kids only learning from people who are like me. I'm sorry to say that given many teachers are also parents that we may already be driving important members of our community away with this kind of rhetoric.
- I am confused by the people who thought Burgundy was making solid commitments about re-opening. It was a very real aspiration, but not a fact or a commitment. What organization would do that during a global pandemic? Of course this has all been caveated along the way. My husband fully admits that he was a believer because he was reading headlines and not the full comms and that he was hearing what he wanted to hear and not actually what was being communicated. Yes, communications could have been better and more regular here, but also the ones that did come out do pretty clearly caveat all of this.
I am deeply concerned for the student families struggling through this, my own included. I hope we can all focus on bringing only the most valid feedback forward and to keep sourcing productive ideas. I have seen a lot of that too and I appreciate it because we need to work together to get this done.
- On numbers and risk factors, while VA numbers may not be as bad as other places, the facts around children's rates have changed as of late. Also, check your facebook and insta feeds full of pictures of Burgundy families in WY, CA, FL, MT, TX and all over the freaking map. While I trust that members of our community are trying to take precautions, people are on planes and people are undoubtedly in high risk situations which influences how one might think about the true risk factors of Burgundy come Sept. I think it is smart and thoughtful to get us back in the region, teach the children protocols safely and in age appropriate ways and acclimate whole fams to a set of shared community norms is smart and thoughtful and mitigates risk not only for the community, but also for the school itself.
- On that note, doesn't anyone work in an organization with an HR department and laws that regulate HR and doesn't anyone recognize the hypocrisy of all the people on here threatening to sue. How can an organization reasonably open with factual risks on the table and employee concerns about those risks. It is why you are seeing more and more schools do just what Burgundy did with the same timing as ours. Yes, there are still some out there that claim they will open, but I suspect that will evolve and if not, i'm not sure what the moral and legal ramifications will be if outbreaks occur. Those are some brave school leaders. Love the lookbacks and comparisons to 1917 and outdoor school. Sounds so idyllic, but folks it is not 1917 and all the threats of lawsuits prove that.
- We live in a shitty society where people are seen as replaceable and that is likely driving many of our own fears about having to show up at work, but I think we would lose the most special part of Burgundy if we had to divert resources to bring in new teachers who were comfortable with risk. It is so unbelievably antithetical to our values as a school and I have to say as a member of this community the lack of awareness around that, particularly after the last few months where I hoped we would all be getting smarter on racial justice, equity and inclusion is really heartbreaking. Even if you are not suggesting we get rid of teachers, your suggestion ultimately has that ramification and factually will disproportionally impact our black and brown teachers. These kinds of actions will ultimately lead to a teacher pool made of white, young to middle aged, able-bodied, more economically privileged teachers. I specifically don't want my kids only learning from people who are like me. I'm sorry to say that given many teachers are also parents that we may already be driving important members of our community away with this kind of rhetoric.
- I am confused by the people who thought Burgundy was making solid commitments about re-opening. It was a very real aspiration, but not a fact or a commitment. What organization would do that during a global pandemic? Of course this has all been caveated along the way. My husband fully admits that he was a believer because he was reading headlines and not the full comms and that he was hearing what he wanted to hear and not actually what was being communicated. Yes, communications could have been better and more regular here, but also the ones that did come out do pretty clearly caveat all of this.
I am deeply concerned for the student families struggling through this, my own included. I hope we can all focus on bringing only the most valid feedback forward and to keep sourcing productive ideas. I have seen a lot of that too and I appreciate it because we need to work together to get this done.
I'm sorry that we are all going through this and I know everyone is just concerned about their children. I do hope that if everyone on here is a Burgundy parent that you think back to the values of our school and about what that means during this pandemic. It is not just about you. I also think that to put this on the teachers and accuse them of being lazy or spoiled is really rotten. I think the Burgundy teachers are some of the most committed I know. From conversations I have had, much of the desire for the recommended plan is based on the teachers being truly concerned about the academic and mental health implications of on campus learning. I had visions of this being like normal school, but with masks and handwashing because that has been the changes I have had to make to my life. When I started to really think about how this will play out in reality in a classroom, I don't want my kid working through a math problem or trying to spell out a word with a teacher not able to help from six feet away because he/she can't get close and can't see clearly through the goggles ad mask they need to wear. I don't think that will be healthy for my kids or support their actual learning. I fear for their mental health under those circumstances and I fear that the joy they find in learning will be completely replaced with frustration. That happened a bit with distance learning of course, but i think it would be far worse with what we would face with full-time in person class. I also have concerns for not just the health implications for the teachers, but the stress that this will put upon them and what that means for my kids. I would be much more satisfied with a teacher who has put time and effort into distance learning (they have hopefully had time to prepare and improve over the summer) than one who is monitoring mask wearing, cleaning the bathroom between uses, keeping kids six feet apart, trying to teach through a ceiling camera to the kids that are health compromised and at home learning, etc... Yes, in person would give me childcare so I could do my job (i'm fully acknowledging that I do have the flexibility to work remotely, but also work 60+ hours a week) more easily, but the learning sacrifices seem really real to me. 2020 has also made me think a lot about my values and living my values. I am just not comfortable pressuring teachers to do something they aren't comfortable with and I am not comfortable devaluing them and their expertise and health. I'd rather my mental health and sleep suffer than impose suffering on other people even if I am paying a ton of money for school. These are crappy times, but I hope I can look back on them and live with myself.
I am a parent at a private school and like everyone is pissed and emotional about what my kids are missing out on. 2020 sucks! What I don't see anyone posting about is what the educational experience in these schools will look like if it was in person. The more I thought about it and learned about that the more compelling distance learning with some fun and creative on campus time sounds like the ideal mix. Health concerns are one thing, but I don't want my elementary school kids traumatized and even more frustrated by learning in a bizarre, scary and inhumane environment. I urge everyone to think about the fact that many teachers are raising these concerns not because they are just lazy and scared, but also because they truly do care about our children and their educations. That is why they are teachers! Honestly a lot of you need to grow up and I hope to god you are not parents at my school or at least that without the stress you are under that you have better values and a bigger heart than is demonstrated in many of these threads. I would much rather a teacher in a one-on one online format or in a small group work with my kids on their math and help them work through something than have them isolated six feet away from their teacher and friends completely struggling through something. You think online learning was bad, well I think this would be far worse and would damage the loving relationship my kids have with their school environment. Really think about this situation people. We all want childcare, but separate your anxiety around this totally crappy situation and think about what the in person day to day really looks like and whether your kid would really be jazzed and doing their best work. There is no perfect solution here and nothing will work for every family or every kid. So sorry, but I think it is smart as parents, schools and society to prioritize safety and our shared humanity.