Anonymous wrote:Former Burgundy parent here. Please keep in mind that Burgundy teachers make about $10,000/year than their public school counterparts -- and those counterparts are allowed to teach virtually this year, keeping themselves and their families safe. Please also keep in mind that many of the Burgundy teachers also have to wrestle with their own child care/schooling needs. Was Burgundy offering to assist with free tuition and child care? I doubt it. I think parents should direct their anger at the administration, not the teachers. I wouldn't want to teach live to children either -- I remember 2 weeks last year at Burgundy when roughly 75% of my daughter's class was out with the flu. I think it is perfectly reasonable for any teacher to decide that teaching in person is not safe at this time -- even with Burgundy's large outdoor campus.

I concur with some of the commenters that no online education is worth $35-40K for elementary or middle school. Given that this is a pandemic, however, I think the analysis should be whether it is worth paying this money for a year to keep a beloved school afloat and protect jobs. For some people, that answer might be no, given their own financial challenges and/or if they need to work outside the home. I cast no judgment. But being mad at teachers because the school is going virtual when just about every other private school is coming to the same conclusion is perplexing to me. Be mad at the pandemic, be mad at our leaders who have let us get to this point, and sure, feel free to be mad at Jeff and Elizabeth for failing to communicate that school will have to be virtual if teachers are not comfortable teaching live.

To the bolded-- the teachers have chosen to work at private school, which typically pays less, for their own reasons. That was their choice. And honestly, my husband is expected to be in his office, as am I -- and our employers are not providing us with childcare. That is ridiculous. We are expected to figure it out for ourselves. So now we are supposed to work full-time, figure out childcare for teachers and/or to guide our very young children through several hours of distance learning per day. While working. Again, where is the care and concern for parents? Aren't we part of the community too? We felt like we were thrown to the wolves in the spring, and I am worried the same thing is going to happen in the fall.

And I'm not angry with the teachers, by the way. This was a colossal communication failure from the school.

Are we still starting a week before Labor Day? Because that was promised, too.

I think it is perfectly reasonable for any teacher to decide that teaching in person is not safe at this time -- even with Burgundy's large outdoor campus.

Well I am a private criminal defense attorney, and I think it is even more reasonable for me to conclude that it is not safe to go to prisons and jails to see my clients, or do an in person trial. But, if I don't do it, and the court won't defer deadlines or the trial, I don't get paid by my client.

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.

No one is pressuring them to do anything. They are within their rights to request reasonable accommodations and teach remotely, or refuse to go in to teach and negotiate with the schools to teach remotely. That's all fine. But, then the schools need to offer to give people their money back if they would prefer that to virtual 35-40K school.

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.

Anonymous wrote:Former Burgundy parent here. Please keep in mind that Burgundy teachers make about $10,000/year than their public school counterparts -- and those counterparts are allowed to teach virtually this year, keeping themselves and their families safe. Please also keep in mind that many of the Burgundy teachers also have to wrestle with their own child care/schooling needs. Was Burgundy offering to assist with free tuition and child care? I doubt it. I think parents should direct their anger at the administration, not the teachers. I wouldn't want to teach live to children either -- I remember 2 weeks last year at Burgundy when roughly 75% of my daughter's class was out with the flu. I think it is perfectly reasonable for any teacher to decide that teaching in person is not safe at this time -- even with Burgundy's large outdoor campus.

I concur with some of the commenters that no online education is worth $35-40K for elementary or middle school. Given that this is a pandemic, however, I think the analysis should be whether it is worth paying this money for a year to keep a beloved school afloat and protect jobs. For some people, that answer might be no, given their own financial challenges and/or if they need to work outside the home. I cast no judgment. But being mad at teachers because the school is going virtual when just about every other private school is coming to the same conclusion is perplexing to me. Be mad at the pandemic, be mad at our leaders who have let us get to this point, and sure, feel free to be mad at Jeff and Elizabeth for failing to communicate that school will have to be virtual if teachers are not comfortable teaching live.

+1

Former Burgundy parent here. Please keep in mind that Burgundy teachers make about $10,000/year than their public school counterparts -- and those counterparts are allowed to teach virtually this year, keeping themselves and their families safe. Please also keep in mind that many of the Burgundy teachers also have to wrestle with their own child care/schooling needs. Was Burgundy offering to assist with free tuition and child care? I doubt it. I think parents should direct their anger at the administration, not the teachers. I wouldn't want to teach live to children either -- I remember 2 weeks last year at Burgundy when roughly 75% of my daughter's class was out with the flu. I think it is perfectly reasonable for any teacher to decide that teaching in person is not safe at this time -- even with Burgundy's large outdoor campus.

I concur with some of the commenters that no online education is worth $35-40K for elementary or middle school. Given that this is a pandemic, however, I think the analysis should be whether it is worth paying this money for a year to keep a beloved school afloat and protect jobs. For some people, that answer might be no, given their own financial challenges and/or if they need to work outside the home. I cast no judgment. But being mad at teachers because the school is going virtual when just about every other private school is coming to the same conclusion is perplexing to me. Be mad at the pandemic, be mad at our leaders who have let us get to this point, and sure, feel free to be mad at Jeff and Elizabeth for failing to communicate that school will have to be virtual if teachers are not comfortable teaching live.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burgundy parent here. Why do people feel duped? I never thought it was certain we were going back in person & cannot think of any communication that said that it was 100% guaranteed. I agree that DL should be vastly improved but do not feel like the school pulled a fast one. Maybe hybrid could have worked but teachers still need to feel comfortable being on campus, even part time.

The school needs to make the decision, not teachers. If specific teachers need accommodations due to health issues, then that's their right. But the school needs to set criteria: if X, Y, Z metrics are met, school opens. "I don't want to" is not an excuse most of us get to make for not doing our jobs. Unless my partner and I lead the charge, our very young children are nog going to get an education at Burgundy this year. We both work full-time, and not 100% telecommuting either.

So, great, they let the teachers decide they didn't feel like going to work, kept my money, and now one of us either has to quit our job or we shell out MORE money for someone to come oversee our kids' education.

Where is the parents' say in this? Why don't we matter?

But the teachers aren’t to blame For the increasing cases in our area. WHO and other experts clearly say reopening should happen after cases have less than 5% positivity for 14 days. And access to testing with fast turn around. And successful contact tracing. And decreasing cases. None of these things are happening so yeah. Even if the school said they were gonna open the science isn’t there to support it unfortunately.

Teachers may have felt better in July about returning than they did in August. Then what? Force them to come? I don’t know what was said to new families, but I don’t see how anyone could have thought that in-person was a definite.

Anonymous wrote:Burgundy parent here. Why do people feel duped? I never thought it was certain we were going back in person & cannot think of any communication that said that it was 100% guaranteed. I agree that DL should be vastly improved but do not feel like the school pulled a fast one. Maybe hybrid could have worked but teachers still need to feel comfortable being on campus, even part time.

The school needs to make the decision, not teachers. If specific teachers need accommodations due to health issues, then that's their right. But the school needs to set criteria: if X, Y, Z metrics are met, school opens. "I don't want to" is not an excuse most of us get to make for not doing our jobs. Unless my partner and I lead the charge, our very young children are nog going to get an education at Burgundy this year. We both work full-time, and not 100% telecommuting either.

So, great, they let the teachers decide they didn't feel like going to work, kept my money, and now one of us either has to quit our job or we shell out MORE money for someone to come oversee our kids' education.

Where is the parents' say in this? Why don't we matter?

The problem is they enticed new families with practically fraudulent marketing materials. They should of surveyed the teachers before doing a massive marketing campaign. I don’t even necessarily think they should go back but they gave the appearance there was no doubt they’d be opening.

Burgundy parent here. Why do people feel duped? I never thought it was certain we were going back in person & cannot think of any communication that said that it was 100% guaranteed. I agree that DL should be vastly improved but do not feel like the school pulled a fast one. Maybe hybrid could have worked but teachers still need to feel comfortable being on campus, even part time.

When is the Burgundy plan being released? It is 3:30 already.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Browne has run a summer camp on campus all summer. That has given them the info and esperience about how to operate safely. We are pleased with Browne's plan.

Ok, I see that Browne school administrators have found this thread.

Very few people that go to Burgundy would find what Browne offers during the school year as appealing. It’s largely transient families, military etc. Not to mention it’s not at all the same educational model.

I don’t think I know any Browne families who are transient or military.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Browne has run a summer camp on campus all summer. That has given them the info and esperience about how to operate safely. We are pleased with Browne's plan.

Ok, I see that Browne school administrators have found this thread.

Very few people that go to Burgundy would find what Browne offers during the school year as appealing. It’s largely transient families, military etc. Not to mention it’s not at all the same educational model.

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not a teacher, but your vitriol shouldn't be against teachers during a global pandemic with a disease that people don't know the half of when it comes to long term impact. And yes, you are spoiled and clueless if you're able to pay $70,000 in disposable income and whining about what you 'deserve'. It's a global pandemic with a terrible federal response, we all deserved a better response and deserve to be healthy. Everything else is icing on the cake in this current snapshot of history. Get some perspective.


+1000

It’s a freaking pandemic people.

Lives are being lost or health is being drastically affected.

Anyone who believes kids will social distance and wear masks properly is delusional. I don’t care how big someone’s campus is. Kids are like magnets to each other. Period.

That's fine but then the school can't give people what they promised and they should offer them the opportunity to withdraw and get their money back.

+! THis would go a long way to making people feel less duped