Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

I think it is extremely challenging to keep a mask on as an adult. This is not realistic. Kids can't do this.

Kids are doing it elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

I think it is extremely challenging to keep a mask on as an adult. This is not realistic. Kids can't do this.

From what I've read, the plans in other countries for re-opened schools include kids wearing masks. So either kids can do this, or the countries where schools have re-opened are making unrealistic plans.

Different society and culture. We are reopening because we refuse to provide a real safety net and the billionaires want economy open. You think that’s changing by the fall? Also, I can’t talk all day with a mask on. Teachers and kids will be passing out left and right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

I think it is extremely challenging to keep a mask on as an adult. This is not realistic. Kids can't do this.

From what I've read, the plans in other countries for re-opened schools include kids wearing masks. So either kids can do this, or the countries where schools have re-opened are making unrealistic plans.

Yes, because kids in other countries and other countries are FAR less entitled and whiney than we are in America. That is one thing that this virus has made abdunantly clear.

Listen, I work as a nurse. I've worn a mask for 12 hour shifts for years because I work with bone marrow transplant patients who have very little immune systems.
Surgeons wear masks for 10 and 12 hour surgeries all the time.
Now with covid, every one at hospitals are wearing masks--security guards, food service workers, social workers, custodians, doctors, nurses. Entire hospital staffs are wearing them for 12 hours at time. Why? Because the alternative is 1) lose your job and/or 2) get sick.
No-one likes wearing them. No one likes the feeling of breathing through one. It's not comfortable for ANYONE to wear a mask for hours at a time. EVERYONE looks forward to that first sweet breath when you finally take it off.

But we all do it daily (including all the people who aren't trained medical professionals and in many cases are doing manual labor) because we value our jobs and we value our lives and the lives of our patients.

So really teachers, quit your whining that you "can't breath in a mask" or "can't teach in a mask". You could learn to do it if you wanted to and wanted to keep your job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are sending their kids back to daycares anyway (which they would have to be-for teacher's kids), all of this is unnecessary and it should be school as usual.

There is no way for daycares to remain open with "social distancing".

+1 ITA But, maybe it's about reducing the possibility of further infections and overwhelming hospitals. Childcare is a must for parents who will be going back to work. Some folks will continue to work from home, but they still need childcare. I think it's about reducing the risk of mass exposure, and, thereby, overwhelming the hospitals. ES aged children also can't be home without supervision for that long. I think that's why MS/HS would go last.

Schools are a must for children.

Anonymous wrote:If people are sending their kids back to daycares anyway (which they would have to be-for teacher's kids), all of this is unnecessary and it should be school as usual.

There is no way for daycares to remain open with "social distancing".

+1 ITA But, maybe it's about reducing the possibility of further infections and overwhelming hospitals. Childcare is a must for parents who will be going back to work. Some folks will continue to work from home, but they still need childcare. I think it's about reducing the risk of mass exposure, and, thereby, overwhelming the hospitals. ES aged children also can't be home without supervision for that long. I think that's why MS/HS would go last.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

Masks are extremely unhealthy. In particular, cloth masks are not meant to be worn for extended periods of time. It is very unhealthy and we cannot ask our children to do this all day long.

It's also very unhealthy to keep schools closed. We cannot ask our children to stay out of school for months or years at a time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

I think it is extremely challenging to keep a mask on as an adult. This is not realistic. Kids can't do this.

From what I've read, the plans in other countries for re-opened schools include kids wearing masks. So either kids can do this, or the countries where schools have re-opened are making unrealistic plans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will they have the staff to cover lunches in classrooms and enough teachers to cover smaller classes spread out using MS space?

It says that they are going to cut out all specials--PE, music, art, etc-- and special education and repurpose those teachers as classroom teachers.

That's basically the warm-body theory of teaching.

One of my math teachers was actually the PE teacher. He might have known how to teach PE, but I didn't have him as a PE teacher so I don't know. He certainly did not know how to teach math.

The part about special ed teachers is very concerning to us SN parents. What does this mean for our students? Is my kid who is mostly in a self contained classroom now just tossed into a mainstream class of 10 kids taught by his SN teacher? I realize this is not a long term answer, but for kids who really need SN services, this could be very scary and troublesome.

Didn't you read the sentence in the report explaining that now that SN parents have received coaching from school staff, they are totally qualified to do at-home instruction?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

I think it is extremely challenging to keep a mask on as an adult. This is not realistic. Kids can't do this.

The part about special ed teachers is very concerning to us SN parents. What does this mean for our students? Is my kid who is mostly in a self contained classroom now just tossed into a mainstream class of 10 kids taught by his SN teacher? I realize this is not a long term answer, but for kids who really need SN services, this could be very scary and troublesome.

I think all of us parents of kids with SN are watching this. Our kids still have legal entitlement to whatever the IEP says they get. In my son's case, it is a self contained classroom. And, distance learning already failed in a prior IEP (just last school year). It is one thing to not comply with FAPE during a state of emergency. But, in the new normal, I think that a better effort must be made or there are going to be a lot of lawsuits, particularly given that we are in such a litigious area and there are people that have the money to spend on this sort of thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

Masks are extremely unhealthy. In particular, cloth masks are not meant to be worn for extended periods of time. It is very unhealthy and we cannot ask our children to do this all day long.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will they have the staff to cover lunches in classrooms and enough teachers to cover smaller classes spread out using MS space?

It says that they are going to cut out all specials--PE, music, art, etc-- and special education and repurpose those teachers as classroom teachers.

That's basically the warm-body theory of teaching.

One of my math teachers was actually the PE teacher. He might have known how to teach PE, but I didn't have him as a PE teacher so I don't know. He certainly did not know how to teach math.

The part about special ed teachers is very concerning to us SN parents. What does this mean for our students? Is my kid who is mostly in a self contained classroom now just tossed into a mainstream class of 10 kids taught by his SN teacher? I realize this is not a long term answer, but for kids who really need SN services, this could be very scary and troublesome.

I think the self-contained kids will maintain their class as is. The other sped teachers who usually push in will probably have extended responsibilities. FWIW I think this scenario, while unlikely, might provide better opportunities for meaningful inclusion activities due to the smaller classes. I truly hope non of this is an issue and we go back as normal in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:Because we are shrugging our shoulders at the increasing cases all around the country (except for the coasts, which took significant mitigation measures and are reopening cautiously), we're going to have a massive problem by the fall. I think schools will wind up doing the hybrid model but the virus will causes closures. Half the people here are in denial about that and some are the other end of the spectrum and are convinced it's all shut down until the mythical vaccine. Neither is probably what happens.

But it's not going to be a normal year by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm a teacher and there's no way I can teach in a mask all day. And there's no way kids keep them on (and I teach HIGH SCHOOL). Forget about it at the ES level.

Teacher, I think you underestimate people. Kids can be taught to keep the masks on. Sure, it will take reminders in the beginning and you will have the unruly kids who take them off to break the rules. But, for the most part, you will see compliance.

Anonymous wrote:I didn't like that the report repeatedly stated that online education, including synchronous education, wasn't great. I have two elementary school students who I would love to have receiving full-day, online, synchronous instruction all school year next year. It would provide consistency and it would free up space in school buildings for students who need in-person instruction. I don't see how MCPS has the classroom space or resources to only have 10 students per class across all grades and permit any non-IEP, non-ESOL student to receive in-school instruction more than 1 day per week if a 100% synchronous online option is not provided.

Then you should fill out the form for home-schooling your kids and find a program that does this. It's not a viable option for most kids.