Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are just a reflection of what is going on in the greater society. If schools were closed, there is a good chance those numbers would be the same or higher. You might just not know because they wouldn't be getting tested.

This. I think people have to recognize that closing schools isn’t going to do anything for overall spread.

Yes very true BUT teachers/staff aren't allowed to stay in school if they test positive even if they are without symptoms. I work in a school building and there are more and more reports of fully vaccinated/boosted staff testing positive. Most have no symptoms but they still can't come to school and that is making it hard for schools to operate.

Schools were/are the main vector for infection in my family. It may not make a big difference to overall numbers but it's a big difference to my family.

A very important point - some families have been very strict outside of school to minimize risks. Bur for most schools, heavy infections/positives were identified post breaks suggesting that family gatherings and times out of school were more of the cause. BUT that was pre-Omicron and Omicron may make a big difference to all families.

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.

\\

Um, can you blame them? That's exactly what happened last year. Or have you forgotten?

Anonymous wrote:The reality of the situation is that after last year, many parents do not trust DCPS/WTU to have the best interests of their students in mind as they make their decisions. If they had gone back last year in any meaningful way, the same way the vast majority of our country was able to, taking off these 3 days to reset wouldn't feel like a big deal. But since that didn't happen, some parents feel that if you give DCPS/WTU an inch, they'll take a mile and the rest of the school year would end up virtual (which for most people was horrible - if you were an exception to that rule, good for you, but it was the rule). It's a trust issue.

Yup. True at charters too. My trust is very low.

Anonymous wrote:I'm super supportive of in-person learning--it is my top priority--but given the scale of disruption this week with kids and staff out sick, I decided not to send my kiddo in today. Her teacher is out sick, so there would be a sub and little if any learning, and half her class is out. Figured the trade-off of one extra day of possible exposure right before seeing elderly grandparents with underlying health conditions, wasn't worth it. I do question whether DCPS shouldn't have bagged this week instead of 1/3 and 1/4 (esp. since they aren't *requiring* test to return).

There is no academic learning happening this week. It is pure babysitting for the convenience of parents.

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.

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.

+1000

There is a big risk to kids and adults why have underlying issues. Letting Covid spread unmitigated is a disaster even if it is fine for your family. Health care workers are burned out and hospitals are in crisis mode. Same for schools and teachers.

The reality of the situation is that after last year, many parents do not trust DCPS/WTU to have the best interests of their students in mind as they make their decisions. If they had gone back last year in any meaningful way, the same way the vast majority of our country was able to, taking off these 3 days to reset wouldn't feel like a big deal. But since that didn't happen, some parents feel that if you give DCPS/WTU an inch, they'll take a mile and the rest of the school year would end up virtual (which for most people was horrible - if you were an exception to that rule, good for you, but it was the rule). It's a trust issue.

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.

+1 totally missed this while I was writing my post. Ty for what you said.

Anonymous wrote:Schools are just a reflection of what is going on in the greater society. If schools were closed, there is a good chance those numbers would be the same or higher. You might just not know because they wouldn't be getting tested.

This. Apparently the rate of infection of the general population is higher than in schools. Schools are relatively safe places. I'm not in support of any virtual school. After break cases will only be worse so if schools closed this week there will be ever more justification to keep them closed. Focussing on those three days just doesn't make sense. The public health guidance is clear that keeping schools open outweigh the health risks to children of COVID. This is what the CDC says and is completely logical. Parents pleas advocate for keeping schools open! The city is hearing a lot from the WTU, and many schools are closing whereas this is only the beginning of the wave. I am afraid that schools may close for the remainder of the school year if we do not make our voices heard.

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.

Adult teacher here: dropped fever after first 24 but have been dry coughing / congested the next 48 so far.

I want to add that I really don’t think the keep schools open at all cost people understand the mental toll that this past week took on teachers. So many of us have gone through so much in the past 18 months (I know kids and parents have too, no need for a pissing contest), and we’re just hoping to make it to a peaceful winter break. Every day this week has been walking into a fire storm, not knowing how many + people you’d be exposed too. The sheer number of teachers who now are either positive or have to quarantine for the holidays is staggering, and it’s really rocked people to their core. As a workforce we were in bad shape beforehand, but between the closed off messaging and lack of transparency of DCPS, and the dehumanization of us by parents, this is a new low point.

Just something to keep in mind the next time you attack teachers. It would have made a lifetime of difference to close these three days and let people at least enjoy their holiday before the next lockdown.

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!!!

When and how was this proven?

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: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!!!

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:We don’t have the vaccination numbers to let it blow through schools. Some children will die.

What we should be doing is identifying the problem spots (indoor lunch) and figuring out how to mitigate them.

Some children have died.
4 under 9 years old in Maryland - can't find numbers for >9, the MD website is still recovering from its cyberattack.
9 children (all ages) in Virginia.
0 for DC.

People might think it's a small number, but no child should ever die from a preventable disease.