Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a big fan of the current school board in Howard County. However, I commend them for making this decision.

Why? Did you not approve of the metrics the Board previously adopted? Why is it so difficult to distinguish between the conditions that exist now and those that would exist if community spread is lower and meets the threshold for returning to the classroom? I honestly don't understand. There is never going to be a time to formulate any potential plan because some adults don't seem capable of contemplating that conditions might be different at some point.

Because teachers are not willing to be sacrificed. There isn't a metric in a pandemic that assures a safe environment for anyone in a school. Adults need to understand how this all works and put people's health before their personal needs and inconveniences. Please remember that everyone was PRETTY SURE one semester out of school was too much, now we are higher than ever with a staggering death rate. No, we won't be going back in Jan. Or April. Get real.

However, keep posting on your local FB pages(!)- trashing teachers, trashing the school boards, trashing local and state government because, while it won't help open anything, those whose lives were deemed inconsequential will remember this for a long time.

I'm not one of those crazy Facebook parents. I would just appreciate some intellectual honesty. Therefore, I would prefer that the Board not waste time adopting health metrics if there is never going to be at return of any students to a school building with face to face learning with teachers, this year or probably next. If NO metric is safe, then the rule should be schools will reopen when the teachers union determines that it is safe enough to reopen, which is likely the fall of 2022. I would be more ok with that decision that with continually kicking the can down the road.

I think it is important to understand that the teacher's union is comprised of teachers. They aren't acting individually as some bargaining body. It's not the Teamsters. Teachers really do hate doing the virtual program, but it isn't safe to return to a building. There's nothing about this job that somehow expected, among so much else, that dying from a virus was just part of the job.

Right. You won’t return until there is zero risk. Message received.

1. I am not currently teaching, actually. I used to teach in a K-12 public system, left 3 years ago. I now teach teach at the college level- virtually, as most everything is now. But, as of this semester, I'm not teaching at all because departments have lost tons of money and these places are trying to keep full time employees afloat.
2. Not zero risk. Much, much less risk for all. We are not there yet, nor will we be for quite a while. This is not the flu.
3. There are work arounds for many things, not for others. Schools have work arounds- it's harder, it isn't ideal, it isn't even good sometimes, but it's necessary. This is a global pandemic. That's all everyone needs to understand.

So I assume that you have public health expertise and training and disagree with the county health officer in your contention that it would not be safe to transition to a hybrid model if the positivity rate is between 3% and 5% and the daily case rate is between 4 and less than 10? For any school population? And you also agree that a hybrid model transitioning to in person would not be safe enough if there was a less than 3% positivity rate and less than 4 daily cases? No one is talking about returning to the classrooms now. The only objective is to formulate a plan. And even if you believe that it is not safe to return to school any time soon (I agree also), there can be no dispute that the BOE has completely failed in that there is still no plan for ANY students to return, even special populations or a small subset of students, even though that was the charge and promise the BOE made to the community during the summer.

I doubt that the metrics will be satisfied this school year, and that is fine. But it is not acceptable to only work to formulate a return to school plan AFTER the metrics have been achieved. I believe that the community is owed some certainty as well. If they aren't working on a plan, the BOE could come out and say that schools will reopen when teachers determine it is safe and feel comfortable returning to the classroom, and until that date arrives, school will be virtual. That is the reality, so just say so.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree on fulltime 2022. There will be hybrid next year. Well hopefully

I was a poster who said 2022. However, how do you think they would do hybrid, given that it is "impossible" to teach in person and virtual concurrently?

This horse has been beaten to death. There are states all over the country who are teachin both virutal and in person at the same time. I do not understand why HoCo perpetuates the myth that this is inventing a wheel or somehow impossible. One consequence of refusing to do anything is that it's pretty hard to say something is impossible to accomplish or will cause a huge covid outbreak when there are examples everywhere of schools doing those things safely.

Next....

It's not going to happen. The kids will continue to be in DL. Either make peace with that, adapt and make it work or move your kids.

Next...

Anonymous wrote:Bravo! They did the right thing.

+1. They stood up to immense pressure and made the right decision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a big fan of the current school board in Howard County. However, I commend them for making this decision.

Why? Did you not approve of the metrics the Board previously adopted? Why is it so difficult to distinguish between the conditions that exist now and those that would exist if community spread is lower and meets the threshold for returning to the classroom? I honestly don't understand. There is never going to be a time to formulate any potential plan because some adults don't seem capable of contemplating that conditions might be different at some point.

Because teachers are not willing to be sacrificed. There isn't a metric in a pandemic that assures a safe environment for anyone in a school. Adults need to understand how this all works and put people's health before their personal needs and inconveniences. Please remember that everyone was PRETTY SURE one semester out of school was too much, now we are higher than ever with a staggering death rate. No, we won't be going back in Jan. Or April. Get real.

However, keep posting on your local FB pages(!)- trashing teachers, trashing the school boards, trashing local and state government because, while it won't help open anything, those whose lives were deemed inconsequential will remember this for a long time.

I'm not one of those crazy Facebook parents. I would just appreciate some intellectual honesty. Therefore, I would prefer that the Board not waste time adopting health metrics if there is never going to be at return of any students to a school building with face to face learning with teachers, this year or probably next. If NO metric is safe, then the rule should be schools will reopen when the teachers union determines that it is safe enough to reopen, which is likely the fall of 2022. I would be more ok with that decision that with continually kicking the can down the road.

I think it is important to understand that the teacher's union is comprised of teachers. They aren't acting individually as some bargaining body. It's not the Teamsters. Teachers really do hate doing the virtual program, but it isn't safe to return to a building. There's nothing about this job that somehow expected, among so much else, that dying from a virus was just part of the job.

Right. You won’t return until there is zero risk. Message received.

1. I am not currently teaching, actually. I used to teach in a K-12 public system, left 3 years ago. I now teach teach at the college level- virtually, as most everything is now. But, as of this semester, I'm not teaching at all because departments have lost tons of money and these places are trying to keep full time employees afloat.
2. Not zero risk. Much, much less risk for all. We are not there yet, nor will we be for quite a while. This is not the flu.
3. There are work arounds for many things, not for others. Schools have work arounds- it's harder, it isn't ideal, it isn't even good sometimes, but it's necessary. This is a global pandemic. That's all everyone needs to understand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a big fan of the current school board in Howard County. However, I commend them for making this decision.

Why? Did you not approve of the metrics the Board previously adopted? Why is it so difficult to distinguish between the conditions that exist now and those that would exist if community spread is lower and meets the threshold for returning to the classroom? I honestly don't understand. There is never going to be a time to formulate any potential plan because some adults don't seem capable of contemplating that conditions might be different at some point.

Because teachers are not willing to be sacrificed. There isn't a metric in a pandemic that assures a safe environment for anyone in a school. Adults need to understand how this all works and put people's health before their personal needs and inconveniences. Please remember that everyone was PRETTY SURE one semester out of school was too much, now we are higher than ever with a staggering death rate. No, we won't be going back in Jan. Or April. Get real.

However, keep posting on your local FB pages(!)- trashing teachers, trashing the school boards, trashing local and state government because, while it won't help open anything, those whose lives were deemed inconsequential will remember this for a long time.

I'm not one of those crazy Facebook parents. I would just appreciate some intellectual honesty. Therefore, I would prefer that the Board not waste time adopting health metrics if there is never going to be at return of any students to a school building with face to face learning with teachers, this year or probably next. If NO metric is safe, then the rule should be schools will reopen when the teachers union determines that it is safe enough to reopen, which is likely the fall of 2022. I would be more ok with that decision that with continually kicking the can down the road.

I think it is important to understand that the teacher's union is comprised of teachers. They aren't acting individually as some bargaining body. It's not the Teamsters. Teachers really do hate doing the virtual program, but it isn't safe to return to a building. There's nothing about this job that somehow expected, among so much else, that dying from a virus was just part of the job.

Right. You won’t return until there is zero risk. Message received.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a big fan of the current school board in Howard County. However, I commend them for making this decision.

Why? Did you not approve of the metrics the Board previously adopted? Why is it so difficult to distinguish between the conditions that exist now and those that would exist if community spread is lower and meets the threshold for returning to the classroom? I honestly don't understand. There is never going to be a time to formulate any potential plan because some adults don't seem capable of contemplating that conditions might be different at some point.

Because teachers are not willing to be sacrificed. There isn't a metric in a pandemic that assures a safe environment for anyone in a school. Adults need to understand how this all works and put people's health before their personal needs and inconveniences. Please remember that everyone was PRETTY SURE one semester out of school was too much, now we are higher than ever with a staggering death rate. No, we won't be going back in Jan. Or April. Get real.

However, keep posting on your local FB pages(!)- trashing teachers, trashing the school boards, trashing local and state government because, while it won't help open anything, those whose lives were deemed inconsequential will remember this for a long time.

I'm not one of those crazy Facebook parents. I would just appreciate some intellectual honesty. Therefore, I would prefer that the Board not waste time adopting health metrics if there is never going to be at return of any students to a school building with face to face learning with teachers, this year or probably next. If NO metric is safe, then the rule should be schools will reopen when the teachers union determines that it is safe enough to reopen, which is likely the fall of 2022. I would be more ok with that decision that with continually kicking the can down the road.

I think it is important to understand that the teacher's union is comprised of teachers. They aren't acting individually as some bargaining body. It's not the Teamsters. Teachers really do hate doing the virtual program, but it isn't safe to return to a building. There's nothing about this job that somehow expected, among so much else, that dying from a virus was just part of the job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!

Are you being sarcastic or serious? How old are your kids?

What is sarcastic about this comment? BCPS had a rough plan to open before cases started rising again. HCPS did not. We are not waiting around for public to open. Who would at this point? If you have the resources to afford private schooling, use it! You get what you pay for at this point, which is a compliation of tele-meetings and half-baked teaching. Other schools are all around which are open for actual teaching.

I wasn't sure if you were serious about 2022-23, but it sounds like others agree with you. I've been thinking the same thing, but wasn't sure if I was being overly pessimistic.

PP here. That was someone else you responded to you, but I agree with them. BCPS had a plan to reopen and the HCPS boe seems happy to continue virtual all year. I’m sure next year will be hybrid at best. My kids are in 4th and 5th and so we’re not waiting around for HCPS. Only one chance to educate them properly so private it is.

This is so sad. My child is graduating this year, but I'm so discouraged by what I have seen in HCPSS in recent years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!

Are you being sarcastic or serious? How old are your kids?

What is sarcastic about this comment? BCPS had a rough plan to open before cases started rising again. HCPS did not. We are not waiting around for public to open. Who would at this point? If you have the resources to afford private schooling, use it! You get what you pay for at this point, which is a compliation of tele-meetings and half-baked teaching. Other schools are all around which are open for actual teaching.

I wasn't sure if you were serious about 2022-23, but it sounds like others agree with you. I've been thinking the same thing, but wasn't sure if I was being overly pessimistic.

PP here. That was someone else you responded to you, but I agree with them. BCPS had a plan to reopen and the HCPS boe seems happy to continue virtual all year. I’m sure next year will be hybrid at best. My kids are in 4th and 5th and so we’re not waiting around for HCPS. Only one chance to educate them properly so private it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!

Are you being sarcastic or serious? How old are your kids?

What is sarcastic about this comment? BCPS had a rough plan to open before cases started rising again. HCPS did not. We are not waiting around for public to open. Who would at this point? If you have the resources to afford private schooling, use it! You get what you pay for at this point, which is a compliation of tele-meetings and half-baked teaching. Other schools are all around which are open for actual teaching.

I wasn't sure if you were serious about 2022-23, but it sounds like others agree with you. I've been thinking the same thing, but wasn't sure if I was being overly pessimistic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!

Are you being sarcastic or serious? How old are your kids?

What is sarcastic about this comment? BCPS had a rough plan to open before cases started rising again. HCPS did not. We are not waiting around for public to open. Who would at this point? If you have the resources to afford private schooling, use it! You get what you pay for at this point, which is a compliation of tele-meetings and half-baked teaching. Other schools are all around which are open for actual teaching.

Anonymous wrote:

I am starting to think that boards of education need an appointed expert (or two) qualified to offer testimony about the needs of children, educational and otherwise, separate and apart from family concerns, which are often perceived as selfish. I am envisioning something like a court appointed counsel for children in a divorce case. School administrators are constrained by budgetary and logistical concerns. Board members act as the decision makers. Someone needs to speak for the children.

In theory, that's what board of ed members, who we elect, are supposed to do... but we see the result.

My assumption is that we will remain virtual through this school year and start hybrid next year. I do hope they prioritize the at risk kids, ESL and special needs- I hope if possible they can get services this spring and summer in person.

My DD will be in third. Hybrid is not ideal but she will be fine. I am enrolling my DS in private kindergarten.

not op, but fall 2022 for a real reopening doesnt seem unlikely at this point given the path theyve declared for this year. next year will be strung along as hybrid plan at best, seems unlikely theyd leap from full remote to full in person.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!

Are you being sarcastic or serious? How old are your kids?

Yeah I’m sure even BCPS will open before HCPS does. I’m also thinking it’ll be 2022-23 before HCPS is fully open to students. I’ve applied to private schools for my children because we can’t wait that long!