Anonymous
01/25/2021 09:08
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Fairfax is a terrible school system and has been for years, and all of you who buried your heads in the sand about it are finally having your eyes opened. If you think this is bad, imagine how little your kids have been learning when compared to kids in other states. The system has failed you and the only solution is to move, but I doubt any of you will have the courage or care for your kids to do so.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 09:04
Subject: Re:How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:Can you name one of these mythical states where things opened up and community spread didn’t get out of control? It would be easier to sort out why this this is happening with a specific example, but no one ever gives one.
I have a family member who lives in Lancaster County PA and her SN child has been in school since the fall. Meanwhile my DC with the exact same SN in my district would not be back on school. They have a less than a 1% higher positivity rate. There are many ways to prioritize things and there’s no need to act like the way we have done things is the only way they could’ve been done.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 09:02
Subject: How come other states can make it work
"It seems like FCPS has bent over backwards to help teachers (ADA requests, prioritizing them for the vaccine) and now there are still people trying to prevent opening."
Because the biggest reason I think a ton of teachers don't trust going back (ADA issues aside) is becuase of that gap in "on paper" vs. "in reality" that they see ALL THE TIME in the schools and that FCPS has really done nothing to convince people will be different this time. The fact that they haven't said they are going to send kids home and if needed ultimately boot them to DL for mask violations is a prime example.
Because the biggest reason I think a ton of teachers don't trust going back (ADA issues aside) is becuase of that gap in "on paper" vs. "in reality" that they see ALL THE TIME in the schools and that FCPS has really done nothing to convince people will be different this time. The fact that they haven't said they are going to send kids home and if needed ultimately boot them to DL for mask violations is a prime example.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 09:00
Subject: How come other states can make it work
It is shocking to me how many friends and family across the country have school districts that are or have been open in some capacity (hybrid or concurrent or whatever each calls it). It is shocking how many other places have done their actual job, figured something out, and made school happen. I am not a hate-the-teachers poster, I blame admin mainly but it impacts my view of the system as a whole (including teachers) for failing and breaking trust. It is frustrating feeling there is no real way to hold anyone accountable.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:55
Subject: How come other states can make it work
We need to figure out who is on the school board and responsible for preventing FCPS schools from opening, and vote them out of office. I have never paid much attention, but now I am so angry and disappointed in these horrible people.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:52
Subject: Re:How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:It’s not just FCPS. APS, ACPS, FCCPS, LCPS, MCPS(and other MD districts) that All surround FCPS ARE ALSO NOT OPEN. Coincidence?
Of course not a coincidence, they are all taking cues from each other. FCPS was going to open hybrid in the fall, but then APS and LCPS announced all virtual and FCPS followed them.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:51
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:1. A bit of the fact that VA laid this all on individual SBs to make the decisions; I think in NY for instance the state had state-wide metrics that dictated whether you should open or close that varied according to certain factors. That was helpful in shifting the decision more up to the state level vs. SB members really unqualified to decide.
2. We have huge school systems. The other NE dem states that have re-opened tend to have very small/local school districts in most cases. There is just frankly no confidence - and rightly so - that FCPS can and more importantly WILL take the steps that health officials say are needed to actually open safely. Dr. Gloria during meetings would keep saying "yes, you can open relatively safely, you just need to ....[do 5 different things that everyone knows are not going to reliably happen in real life]"
I think #2 is the biggest reason our teachers have fought this so hard (many not all) - because they see in real life how what is said on paper does not ever match what happens in practice and how the schools have been stripped of any real enforcement authority to make the thing on paper happen.
It seems like FCPS has bent over backwards to help teachers (ADA requests, prioritizing them for the vaccine) and now there are still people trying to prevent opening.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:20
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:In Dallas they are fully open and they're at 20%+ positivity. We're not in to actively killing people to prove how 'Murican we are.
What is 'Murican? Aren't schools open for in-person in many areas to provide effective education?
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:18
Subject: Re:How come other states can make it work
It’s not just FCPS. APS, ACPS, FCCPS, LCPS, MCPS(and other MD districts) that All surround FCPS ARE ALSO NOT OPEN. Coincidence?
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:13
Subject: How come other states can make it work
^
adding on - and my handful of neighbors that are Cat B or SUPER early ESOL teachers and so went back in the fall tell plenty of stories from their own experience about how the "on paper" plans re: PPE and protocols are working out in the real world at their schools. And that's with a drop in the bucket of kids back.
adding on - and my handful of neighbors that are Cat B or SUPER early ESOL teachers and so went back in the fall tell plenty of stories from their own experience about how the "on paper" plans re: PPE and protocols are working out in the real world at their schools. And that's with a drop in the bucket of kids back.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:11
Subject: How come other states can make it work
1. A bit of the fact that VA laid this all on individual SBs to make the decisions; I think in NY for instance the state had state-wide metrics that dictated whether you should open or close that varied according to certain factors. That was helpful in shifting the decision more up to the state level vs. SB members really unqualified to decide.
2. We have huge school systems. The other NE dem states that have re-opened tend to have very small/local school districts in most cases. There is just frankly no confidence - and rightly so - that FCPS can and more importantly WILL take the steps that health officials say are needed to actually open safely. Dr. Gloria during meetings would keep saying "yes, you can open relatively safely, you just need to ....[do 5 different things that everyone knows are not going to reliably happen in real life]"
I think #2 is the biggest reason our teachers have fought this so hard (many not all) - because they see in real life how what is said on paper does not ever match what happens in practice and how the schools have been stripped of any real enforcement authority to make the thing on paper happen.
2. We have huge school systems. The other NE dem states that have re-opened tend to have very small/local school districts in most cases. There is just frankly no confidence - and rightly so - that FCPS can and more importantly WILL take the steps that health officials say are needed to actually open safely. Dr. Gloria during meetings would keep saying "yes, you can open relatively safely, you just need to ....[do 5 different things that everyone knows are not going to reliably happen in real life]"
I think #2 is the biggest reason our teachers have fought this so hard (many not all) - because they see in real life how what is said on paper does not ever match what happens in practice and how the schools have been stripped of any real enforcement authority to make the thing on paper happen.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:05
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Studies show it is about 1) politics (bluer voters means more likely to stay closed, but NYC and others can make an exception) and 2) power of the teacher’s unions.
In FCPS’s specific case the school board being utter novices has to be a factor.
How do you figure that blue states being cautious is politics and red states is not?
Also, how do you figure the problem is unions when FCPS is closed and NYC is open?
Fwiw, I have always blamed the FCPS school board for not reopening. They are not qualified to make the appropriate risk / benefit analysis needed to reopen schools. They are looking at absolute corona risk only while ignoring other real risks associated with full time DL for all for going on a year. Northam says schools can open. These real politicians have more experience making risk / benefit analyses - and I argue Dr. Gloria does too. In NYC we have the more seasoned mayor making the decision while in FCPS we only have first time elected people with no experience making this type of real risk / benefit determinations doing it and in my opinion their are erring in their assessment.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 08:00
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Anonymous wrote:Studies show it is about 1) politics (bluer voters means more likely to stay closed, but NYC and others can make an exception) and 2) power of the teacher’s unions.
In FCPS’s specific case the school board being utter novices has to be a factor.
NJ and MA have kids in school though so it’s not just Republican states with kids back.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 07:59
Subject: How come other states can make it work
Following the science is keeping buildings closed when they can’t do adequate spacing, ventilation and testing. It sounds like they are following science.
Anonymous
01/25/2021 07:56
Subject: Re:How come other states can make it work
FCPS is not following the science because of politics. And, the teachers' associations.