OP here. Ok, I knew I would get a lot of backlash, but I didn’t think some of it would be so venomous. I know it’s not part of everyone’s agenda, but the reality is, we cannot even open businesses that hold a much smaller number of adult bodies safely. How on earth do we think sending thousands of kids into one building for hours every day is going to work. The virus is not going to magically decide not to spread within the school hallways.

If the government can provide billions to pharma companies, and companies to help get us through this time, surely they can find a way to allocate funds to find ways to make schools safer for those that have no choice but to attend. (Better air handling systems, better cleaning, make for all everyday....and consultants to help modify the physical building and classroom layout for safety). And, if my family has to pay some sort of Covid tax for schools, we’d be happy to even though we would not necessarily attend.

Unfortunately, due to my own wording, I made the concept sound like the intent is to protect some but not others. This was not what I intended. I, and yes, this is my perspective, feel we have to be open to a variety of formats now and in the near future, for schools, business, transportation...

If the families that are able to, kept there children home from the public school building, to learn, we would have less students in the buildings. Every single additional body brings with it a multiplicative factor for virus spread. The parent with the child in AP math could probably help here. This means every additional body present makes it more difficult to control transmission. And, let’s not forget, for every child, there are their parents that may be using transportation, may be working in buildings or heading to businesses, where they can become infected, or that the child will infect the parent who then infects others. It’s similar to the mask situation. The more people that wear them, the less transmission of virus that takes place. Even if that number is not 100%, any percent is worth it. The long term implications are just not clear enough. It seems like there are definitely some. And while school is important, the physical structure is not. Plus, it’s not like learning has to occur at a specific time or place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh and I were just discussing this today. We would be happy to pull our three students out of the system completely and hire a tutor/ work with existing online school programs. And this is completely possible IF we no longer have to pay our county school tax. Of course if that were to happen every family that chooses to send their kids to private schools should get their tax money back as well. I don't anticipate this happening.

This is going down a slippery slope. We pay that tax to support society in general. Personally, it would be great for me to get that money back since I don’t even have kids, but we have to think of the common good.

Homeschooler here and taxes pay for the common good. People without kids pay the same taxes. The tone wasn't great, but the OP had some valid points. Consider building a micro-school bubble with other families that have some disposable income/some leave. If you have five kids in the bubble, each family can take one day to oversee the DL work, plus they get a cohort of kids to play with. Five kids in a cohort that get dropped off is vastly safer than 12 in a classroom with buses, etc. If you have a two parent family, that's one day of leave every two weeks, which is much more manageable than three days of distance learning and two in person, plus no before or aftercare.

Anonymous wrote:My dh and I were just discussing this today. We would be happy to pull our three students out of the system completely and hire a tutor/ work with existing online school programs. And this is completely possible IF we no longer have to pay our county school tax. Of course if that were to happen every family that chooses to send their kids to private schools should get their tax money back as well. I don't anticipate this happening.

Um, no. It won't. Because there i no such thing as a county school tax - there are county taxes, some of which are used to fund schools.

You know all your childless neighbors pay the same taxes, including the "county school taxes" that you do, right?

Idiot.

Anonymous wrote:I think the idea is that there would be less students having to go into the schools, making it hopefully more manageable for those without the ability to distance learn (the essential workers and 2 working parent households, and so forth). The school districts could focus on the smaller student body that truly needs the physical building. Those that can, free up the system for those that cannot.

I assume that those that cannot will be taught by the schools the difference between fewer and less, and those that can will have to figure it out for themselves?

Anonymous wrote:My dh and I were just discussing this today. We would be happy to pull our three students out of the system completely and hire a tutor/ work with existing online school programs. And this is completely possible IF we no longer have to pay our county school tax. Of course if that were to happen every family that chooses to send their kids to private schools should get their tax money back as well. I don't anticipate this happening.

This is going down a slippery slope. We pay that tax to support society in general. Personally, it would be great for me to get that money back since I don’t even have kids, but we have to think of the common good.

Anonymous wrote:At this point, whomever is starting these countless Keep schools closed threads should be banned. She has nothing new to say and frankly it’s become a nuisance.

Were you also asking to ban the coronalamists in March?

Anonymous wrote:I am going to use the distance learning provided by the school system. They need our taxpayer dollars now more than ever.

So am I. And I will supplement as my workload permits, which will be not at all some weeks, and a lot others.

At this point, whomever is starting these countless Keep schools closed threads should be banned. She has nothing new to say and frankly it’s become a nuisance.

My dh and I were just discussing this today. We would be happy to pull our three students out of the system completely and hire a tutor/ work with existing online school programs. And this is completely possible IF we no longer have to pay our county school tax. Of course if that were to happen every family that chooses to send their kids to private schools should get their tax money back as well. I don't anticipate this happening.

Anonymous wrote:I think the idea is that there would be less students having to go into the schools, making it hopefully more manageable for those without the ability to distance learn (the essential workers and 2 working parent households, and so forth). The school districts could focus on the smaller student body that truly needs the physical building. Those that can, free up the system for those that cannot.

essential workers and 2 working parent households is a really high percentage of student families though.

There is no right thing to do, only the right thing for any given family. I have decided to do DL and leave my job as a SPED para so I understand the issue from both sides. I hope people are able to choose what works best for them. Unfortunately I know many people don'y have the option.

Thank you for posting this in an anonymous forum. I have seen the same exact thing posted on Facebook by self righteous a$$holes who seem to think it’s their job to tell their fellow parents what they “should be” doing. I can’t tell those people, but I can tell you, to f@ck off.

Again, thank you. I’ve been holding my tongue for days.

I think the idea is that there would be less students having to go into the schools, making it hopefully more manageable for those without the ability to distance learn (the essential workers and 2 working parent households, and so forth). The school districts could focus on the smaller student body that truly needs the physical building. Those that can, free up the system for those that cannot.

It is absolutely obnoxious to preach to and direct strangers, having determined for him/herself what is “right.”

Anonymous wrote:This is a pretty obnoxious post, op, even by dcum standards.

Is it, though?