Anonymous wrote:A reality check for those of you who don't follow the news:

1. Omicron cases in places like South Africa are plummeting

2. All the available evidence indicates that Omicron is far less dangerous than Delta

3. The FDA just approved a new pill that reduces the risk of hospitalization or death in people with COVID by a whopping 90 percent.

Get vaccinated, and you will be fine. And there is absolutely zero reason to keep kids out of school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is likely something we will all (or most of us) catch and that other mitigating efforts (indoor eating, bars, etc) would do more to slow the spread than virtual learning.

That being said, I do have concerns about the mental health challenge the timing of this wave does to our teachers, staff, and students- not to mention society as a whole. Everyone is in desperate need of a break, needs to see family/friends, needs to just rest. And now, a good portion of our teachers and staff will spend their holidays isolated and/or sick. That worries me. Schools were already dealing with staff shortages. Teachers and school staff rely on those breaks to recharge and rest... if a large quantity miss that time...

I fear that this wave will impact schools far worse in this regard- as compared to the actual sickness.

But
This is the point that most people seem to be missing. I'm a teacher, and this week has been horrendously stressful. Covid cases reported daily - students pulled out of classes when covid results from asymptomatic testing on Monday came in mid-day Tuesday. Multiple teachers sent home in the middle of the day (by other teachers forcing the point - the principal "didn't think the symptoms were severe enough to require leave"). I've been on edge all week, and that comes out as less patience for students, and less ability to put together well-planned lessons. It's hard to do ANY job well when you are in a constant state of stress. It's even harder when you are trying to figure out how to support the students in the classroom and at home. I'll keep going in, but I'm also sure that the quality of education that I'll be able to provide is declining. You can all tell me to quit - I'm trying to push through, but definitely considering it - but that won't solve the issue of your child's education. There is NO ONE to replace me, even if I gave a month's notice before I quit. What is the solution? If the goal is to just have kids in a building to see their friends and let their parents go to work (which is definitely a reasonable purpose for school), then the answer is easy - keep the schools open regardless of what happens. If you want actual learning to happen for the next few months, however, the answer is much more difficult, because driving your teachers into the ground is not the way to go.

See a therapist. They can help you cope with your burnout, fears, and anxiety— and it’s within your control to do so. That alone is a stress relief.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is likely something we will all (or most of us) catch and that other mitigating efforts (indoor eating, bars, etc) would do more to slow the spread than virtual learning.

That being said, I do have concerns about the mental health challenge the timing of this wave does to our teachers, staff, and students- not to mention society as a whole. Everyone is in desperate need of a break, needs to see family/friends, needs to just rest. And now, a good portion of our teachers and staff will spend their holidays isolated and/or sick. That worries me. Schools were already dealing with staff shortages. Teachers and school staff rely on those breaks to recharge and rest... if a large quantity miss that time...

I fear that this wave will impact schools far worse in this regard- as compared to the actual sickness.

This is the point that most people seem to be missing. I'm a teacher, and this week has been horrendously stressful. Covid cases reported daily - students pulled out of classes when covid results from asymptomatic testing on Monday came in mid-day Tuesday. Multiple teachers sent home in the middle of the day (by other teachers forcing the point - the principal "didn't think the symptoms were severe enough to require leave"). I've been on edge all week, and that comes out as less patience for students, and less ability to put together well-planned lessons. It's hard to do ANY job well when you are in a constant state of stress. It's even harder when you are trying to figure out how to support the students in the classroom and at home. I'll keep going in, but I'm also sure that the quality of education that I'll be able to provide is declining. You can all tell me to quit - I'm trying to push through, but definitely considering it - but that won't solve the issue of your child's education. There is NO ONE to replace me, even if I gave a month's notice before I quit. What is the solution? If the goal is to just have kids in a building to see their friends and let their parents go to work (which is definitely a reasonable purpose for school), then the answer is easy - keep the schools open regardless of what happens. If you want actual learning to happen for the next few months, however, the answer is much more difficult, because driving your teachers into the ground is not the way to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in public and a kid in private. Privates will be open for in person learning and are using all the resources of testing to do so. Why shouldn’t public do the same. Now with the school delay to 1/5 both go back one day apart and both will be tested. Why should there be a stark difference in the COVID approach between public and private?

Because public schools don’t have the financial resources that private schools do? They rely on the 20% asymptomatic testing using saliva (which is a whole other crazy thing, why not do the nasal swabs which are quicker cleaner and not invasive!) that the Mayor and City Council has authorized? Because they can’t force kids to test and people opt out? Because people send their kids to school even when they’re supposed to be quarantined? You realize that none of this is the discretion of an individual school in public right? There is a huge unwieldy bureaucracy that dictates what happens in public schools, and you might as well ask why private schools are able to provide any of the other resources they do for $50K tuition per year. 🙄

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in public and a kid in private. Privates will be open for in person learning and are using all the resources of testing to do so. Why shouldn’t public do the same. Now with the school delay to 1/5 both go back one day apart and both will be tested. Why should there be a stark difference in the COVID approach between public and private?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our chance to eradicate the virus stopped a long time ago. I’m normally conservative, and fine with even a week or two of virtual in January if that made sense somehow. But staff being out is a huge issue. There are no subs. Teachers are having to double up—their workloads are already maxed out this year especially. I’m hoping test to stay and the vaccine mandate for kids will bring a new set of rules so schools can function again. (Or dysfunction bc DCPS.)

There are more than enough Central aoffice employees to cover. Time for them to start earning their lofty management salaries.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is likely something we will all (or most of us) catch and that other mitigating efforts (indoor eating, bars, etc) would do more to slow the spread than virtual learning.

That being said, I do have concerns about the mental health challenge the timing of this wave does to our teachers, staff, and students- not to mention society as a whole. Everyone is in desperate need of a break, needs to see family/friends, needs to just rest. And now, a good portion of our teachers and staff will spend their holidays isolated and/or sick. That worries me. Schools were already dealing with staff shortages. Teachers and school staff rely on those breaks to recharge and rest... if a large quantity miss that time...

I fear that this wave will impact schools far worse in this regard- as compared to the actual sickness.

This is the point that most people seem to be missing. I'm a teacher, and this week has been horrendously stressful. Covid cases reported daily - students pulled out of classes when covid results from asymptomatic testing on Monday came in mid-day Tuesday. Multiple teachers sent home in the middle of the day (by other teachers forcing the point - the principal "didn't think the symptoms were severe enough to require leave"). I've been on edge all week, and that comes out as less patience for students, and less ability to put together well-planned lessons. It's hard to do ANY job well when you are in a constant state of stress. It's even harder when you are trying to figure out how to support the students in the classroom and at home. I'll keep going in, but I'm also sure that the quality of education that I'll be able to provide is declining. You can all tell me to quit - I'm trying to push through, but definitely considering it - but that won't solve the issue of your child's education. There is NO ONE to replace me, even if I gave a month's notice before I quit. What is the solution? If the goal is to just have kids in a building to see their friends and let their parents go to work (which is definitely a reasonable purpose for school), then the answer is easy - keep the schools open regardless of what happens. If you want actual learning to happen for the next few months, however, the answer is much more difficult, because driving your teachers into the ground is not the way to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me just be clear that I would 100% rather my kids get Covid and then give it to everyone in our house than miss any more school after spending an *entire year* virtual. I am also totally fine with teachers and staff -- all of whom have been eligible for vax/boosters for months!!! -- testing positive for covid. Just like I was previously unbothered by the idea that kids teachers or parents might catch cold or a flu at school. Time to start treating Covid like every other URI that goes around schools in the winter - stay home if you're sick or have a fever, otherwise carry on as normal.

Except we still don’t know the long lasting effects of having COVID, there are studies from Britain that suggest even a mild infection can have long-lasting sequelae, and personally I would vastly prefer to get COVID once supplies of sotrovimab are more available and the FDA has given authorization and production is underway for the Pfizer pills. And for those who are basically like “screw old people my kid needs to be in school for their mental health” I can tell you that a grandparent’s death from COVID pre-vaccines definitely also impacted my kid’s mental health, and I’m sure the mental health of many children who’ve lost parents or grandparents - 800,000 people have died thus far and they all had families and friends. No one is asking for a months long shut down of schools but if cases keep rising like this, especially after vacation travel, maybe it’s time to hit the pause button for a little bit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the face of everybody in the world, it seems, doing everything they can to keep the schools open, it’s not enough for you. You still have to come on here and complain. So many of you are so damned selfish, thinking only of how the pandemic affects you and your family and no one else. It’s really sad.

I actually think the schools-open-at-any-cost folks are the selfish ones. Totally ignoring that large swaths of our city are still unvaccinated, that immunocompromised folks exist, that hospital workers are at their breaking point and that schools have proven to be a major source of infection in our city. But we can’t possibly close school for three days!!!

Let me clarify: that's who I meant, too.

The schools-open-at-any-cost act like there's a grand conspiracy to close the schools as quickly, extensively, and for as long as possible. Any little hint of a school closing anywhere and they go apesh*t.

Read the post at 10:01 (not mine) to understand why.

Also, some people just believe that protecting the quality of life and futures of kids in general (not just their own) is more important than prolonging the lives of the elderly. It's a philosophical difference of priorities. That combined with the fact that the data doesn't show that school closures actually have a meaningful impact on saving lives.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So question for the blow through crowd. Should we stop testing and stop requiring people who are positive to stay home? Operationally it is impossible to fully staff many schools and contact trace correctly at this level of case rates.

It should be like any other virus. Stay home if you are sick. Fever free after 24 hours.

What about a sneeze and a persistent dry cough?

Asking for a COVID positive Deal student who had been fever free for 24 hours.

Yes, if my kids were coughing all day I would keep them home. What part of this concept are you struggling with?

Anonymous wrote:I agree that this is likely something we will all (or most of us) catch and that other mitigating efforts (indoor eating, bars, etc) would do more to slow the spread than virtual learning.

That being said, I do have concerns about the mental health challenge the timing of this wave does to our teachers, staff, and students- not to mention society as a whole. Everyone is in desperate need of a break, needs to see family/friends, needs to just rest. And now, a good portion of our teachers and staff will spend their holidays isolated and/or sick. That worries me. Schools were already dealing with staff shortages. Teachers and school staff rely on those breaks to recharge and rest... if a large quantity miss that time...

I fear that this wave will impact schools far worse in this regard- as compared to the actual sickness.

Anonymous wrote:Mark my words: the sheer number of students and staff in quarantine in January is going to force virtual. You heard it here first!

Anonymous wrote:Let me just be clear that I would 100% rather my kids get Covid and then give it to everyone in our house than miss any more school after spending an *entire year* virtual. I am also totally fine with teachers and staff -- all of whom have been eligible for vax/boosters for months!!! -- testing positive for covid. Just like I was previously unbothered by the idea that kids teachers or parents might catch cold or a flu at school. Time to start treating Covid like every other URI that goes around schools in the winter - stay home if you're sick or have a fever, otherwise carry on as normal.