Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

Which obviously isn't going to happen because <insert excuse about my 7 year old's mental health here>. So enjoy Zoom school.

DP, but you have it backwards. Inasmuch as community transmission is part of the reason schools here are closed, those numbers are being driven by risky *adult* activities: indoor restaurants, bars, gyms. Not kids on playgrounds or riding their bikes. Moreover, if kids here could be in school, that would largely meet their needs for socialization, so parents wouldn't do pods, etc. (Yes, children do need socialization. That it's a point of debate still boggles my mind; also, again, children are not the problem, it's the adults.)

True but I would risk my kid’s socialization-deprivation for a couple weeks to get him back in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

Which obviously isn't going to happen because <insert excuse about my 7 year old's mental health here>. So enjoy Zoom school.

DP, but you have it backwards. Inasmuch as community transmission is part of the reason schools here are closed, those numbers are being driven by risky *adult* activities: indoor restaurants, bars, gyms. Not kids on playgrounds or riding their bikes. Moreover, if kids here could be in school, that would largely meet their needs for socialization, so parents wouldn't do pods, etc. (Yes, children do need socialization. That it's a point of debate still boggles my mind; also, again, children are not the problem, it's the adults.)

Thank you PP. To the earlier poster who is mocking a 7 year old's mental health, these are developing children with developing brains.If you don't think schools should be reopened, fine. But don't mock legitimate parental concerns for the well-being of their children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

Which obviously isn't going to happen because <insert excuse about my 7 year old's mental health here>. So enjoy Zoom school.

No, it’s not happening because no one has ever offered it as an alternative.

This thread turned very interesting! We should push our government to prioritize schools opening and closing everything else. I agree with the above poster that we need a do-over.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

I grew up in Orange county and still have a lot of friends there. One of my friends is a teacher in an Orange county school district...a couple weeks ago she posted photos from her kid (young elementary school age)'s birthday party. From the photos there were at least 6 kids (no, not siblings) there, all posed shoulder to shoulder in one pic.

Another friend is a teacher in San Diego and posted a photo of her Kindergarten age son sitting with at least 4 little buddies at a party a few days ago.

Anecdotal. Their numbers wouldn’t be low if your friends were the rule and not the exception.

And I don’t think San Diego is in Orange County.

Of course San Diego is not in Orange County, but it is right next door.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

Which obviously isn't going to happen because <insert excuse about my 7 year old's mental health here>. So enjoy Zoom school.

DP, but you have it backwards. Inasmuch as community transmission is part of the reason schools here are closed, those numbers are being driven by risky *adult* activities: indoor restaurants, bars, gyms. Not kids on playgrounds or riding their bikes. Moreover, if kids here could be in school, that would largely meet their needs for socialization, so parents wouldn't do pods, etc. (Yes, children do need socialization. That it's a point of debate still boggles my mind; also, again, children are not the problem, it's the adults.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

I grew up in Orange county and still have a lot of friends there. One of my friends is a teacher in an Orange county school district...a couple weeks ago she posted photos from her kid (young elementary school age)'s birthday party. From the photos there were at least 6 kids (no, not siblings) there, all posed shoulder to shoulder in one pic.

Another friend is a teacher in San Diego and posted a photo of her Kindergarten age son sitting with at least 4 little buddies at a party a few days ago.

Anecdotal. Their numbers wouldn’t be low if your friends were the rule and not the exception.

And I don’t think San Diego is in Orange County.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s funny I just dropped mine off for the start of week 6 in person school.

same

Go back and read the first line of OP’s post. She’s not talking to you.

I don’t live in DC, but I live in “city like DC”, where public schools are 100% DL with no end in sight. I agree with you OP that they’re not going back anytime soon and I feel sick about it. For everyone saying they can’t believe public school parents are putting up with this, what exactly do you suggest we do?

Same here. It is a challenging environment to be vocal in, though. If you say that you want in-person school, people accuse you of not taking covid seriously. It doesn't matter how many suggestion you make for making school safer (hybrid, outdoor classes, etc.), you are derided as being a Trumpist, or dumb, or unrealistic.

I am hoping a change in national leadership in November may help, as I do think Dems will have some very immediate interests in getting schools open if they are in charge. But I hate that because Trump/DeVos have been vocal about school reopening (without regard for safety), so many Dems have adopted the reactionary position that schools shouldn't open at all (even with safety precautions). It's crazy we've reached a point where the banal statement "kids should be in school" is somehow very controversial.

There should be a do-over here. Go into full shutdown for two to three weeks and then open the elementary schools first and see where we are.

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

I grew up in Orange county and still have a lot of friends there. One of my friends is a teacher in an Orange county school district...a couple weeks ago she posted photos from her kid (young elementary school age)'s birthday party. From the photos there were at least 6 kids (no, not siblings) there, all posed shoulder to shoulder in one pic.

Another friend is a teacher in San Diego and posted a photo of her Kindergarten age son sitting with at least 4 little buddies at a party a few days ago.

Arlington and Prince William Counties and Falls Church City have all announced return to school for elementary students in November. Assuming there are no major issues the other schools in the DMV will be hard pressed to remain in virtual only status.

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

Which obviously isn't going to happen because <insert excuse about my 7 year old's mental health here>. So enjoy Zoom school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

I really wish we could do that. We can go to the movies, casino, and bars but my K kid can’t learn to read. It’s shameful.

I also agree with this. People are allowing their kids to engage in higher risk behavior to make up for the lack of in person school. Riskier behavior leads to more cases which, in turn, makes it more likely that schools will not reopen in person.

If we could flip that, and prioritize in person school over other higher risk behaviors, we might get kids in school and see lower case numbers. However, I don't see that happening.

Another in full agreement. This is where our government should have set out a PLAN to place education first.

I have relatives in OC and their kids are playing sports.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Orange County, California. Our private school opened on time and the public schools opened last week. DS’s school has mask and distancing requirements but goes full time as the classes were already small.

But here’s what I think seems to be different in thinking from what I read here: the only thing the kids here do is school. Other than that we are still all very much in shutdown mode. No play dates, no bike riding with friends, no restaurants, no parties, no pods - nothing but school. Reopening was contingent on low numbers in the community only. And they will shutdown again if the numbers go up.

I think this is the only way to go. We have to prioritize school and let go of everything else for awhile.

I really wish we could do that. We can go to the movies, casino, and bars but my K kid can’t learn to read. It’s shameful.

+2. We don’t prioritize here. And so many have an all-or-nothing approach which is ridiculous. Schools should have come first.

As a nation, we have prioritized capitalism over education, the same way we prioritize accumulating individual wealth over funding public schools. It's just two sides of the same coin and is not surprising, given the overall state of education in the US. Why do we pay our teachers, our mail carriers, and other public servants so little when they do so much for us?