Reply to Allegedly there are several options for the fall none of which include being back full time?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]All of this black and white thinking is ridiculous. It is not a choice between going back the way we used to or full-time distance learning for everyone. The reality is that it will be a hybrid of the two, and exactly what that looks like will vary across the country because there are different densities of people, different resources, and different community needs. As soon as Maryland put out the guidelines, it should have been apparent to anyone with an understanding of how a school actually functions that MCPS will have a hybrid model next year. These are the three most obvious reasons IMO:

1. If schools don't attempt to follow at least some of the guidelines and a child gets seriously sick and suffers permanent health problems or dies, there will be lawsuits.
2. There are going to be a significant number of parents who don't want to send their kids to school buildings. Because of this, the schools will have to offer some type of distance learning.
3. There are going to be a significant number of teachers who don't want to go in to school buildings. Because of this, the schools will need to offer distance learning. (And you can be flippant and say the teachers should just quit if they don't want to teach. Yes, yes they will. Mid-July is the date to retire, take leave of absence, or resign without prejudice. Then who will you have to teach your kids that you insisted had to be back in the schools?)

As a result of the above, two other challenges come to mind:
4. We know that DL isn't working for many kids, especially elementary, SPED, and ESOL. There is absolutely a priority to get as many kids back in the classroom as possible. The question right now is who and how?
5. In order to meet guidelines, the density of students in school buildings needs to be at least 50% of what it is normally. The question is, how to do this? Alternating days/weeks? Half-days with morning or afternoon shifts? Some students mostly in school and some students mostly at home?
5a. And yes, public schools do also function as daycare for the youngest students (under 8). Our economy as it is currently structured assumes that. How does this need to be adapted? Part of the day inside for learning, and then part of the day outside for play/daycare? Community co-ops for watching kids?

It's time for people to get over the idea that MCPS will start 2020 school year like it started 2019 in the fall. It is just not going to happen. Not because people are brainwashed, or hate your children, or don't want to teach. It's because as a society we know that we have to balance health, economic, and social concerns of all of the different people who live in our communities. Part of that balance will be a hybrid model for schools next year.[/quote]

You are still not getting it. There is no reason to have any distance learning on the fall. There is no justification for it as there is no evidence that it has any real effect on the spread (schools that is). Nobody HAS to send their kids back to school-they can homeschool. There were people homeschooling before this and will be after this.

As far as teachers are concerned if they are that concerned then they need to find a new job. It's not like working with kids was risk free before. I work with kids and consistently get strep once a year because of it. It's never been a job without risk of getting sick. My kid got the flu from someone in his class last year and was very sick for 8 days. I didn't file a lawsuit about it.

Frankly "the I don't feel safe" argument from teachers just feels like a cop out at this point.
[/quote]
It doesn't matter what your opinion of teachers is. It matters what they will do. Many teachers are able to retire but keep teaching because they enjoy it. I know of two who already decided to retire this year when they were planning to retire next year. I know two other teachers who have personal health issues and/or family members with issues who won't go back into buildings. They are just waiting to see what MCPS plans are before deciding what they will do. A previous poster in this thread shared a similar story. Even with a hybrid plan, there may be teachers who decide it is less risk to resign and then go work as a nanny/teacher for someone willing to pay (head over to other parts of this forum to watch those discussions - pay might be better even.) I'm a career changer. I will change careers again if I think my job puts my health at risk. Plenty of teachers have choices. Contrary to popular views on DCUM, teachers are not servants to work as parents see fit. Teachers are professionals, and many have a lot more choices and flexibility about their careers than people assume. It's easy to claim, oh the system will just hire other teachers. Um, we already have a teacher shortage. If you manage to hire anyone, your going to be getting inexperienced people, possibly uncertified, who can act as babysitters, and you will lose the main benefit for going back into the buildings - properly education our kids.[/quote]

Many experienced teachers are actually bad at teaching as well as bad as babysitters. [/quote]

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