Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no way they're going back this month. I like his response to the crisis so far but I think he should talk about the school decision soon — no reason to delay the inevitable. Although I'm not sure my kids are going back until there's a vaccine!

1. He can't give a timeline for schools until he implements everything he talked about today. Only those measures will give us a sense of how quickly the virus is spreading now, and how many people have already had it. Wait for the data inputs.

2. How are you going to keep your kids out of school without getting cited for truancy? Schooling is legally required.

First of all, schools are closed genius. Second, anyone who doesn’t want to send their kid back after school reopens can simply register to homeschool. It really is that simple.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

This!

Yes. This. Our school has teacherś who have recovered from cancer, pregnant teachers, and older teachers. I, myself, have Crohnś and am supporting my family as my husband is laid off. I have benefits for my family through my job. I would wear a mask, gloves, and a face shield as I get a lot of kids sent to school sick and then I catch it and stay sick for an entire month. Last time I caught an upper respiratory infection, I was sick for two months until 100% Covid-19 would kill me in a week. I know nobody cares about teachers and dead bodies are impersonal unless it is your family but I do not want to die.

I'm another teacher with Crohn's and am on biologics. If schools reopened, I wouldn't go back. I would go out on FMLA and since we have trouble filling sub jobs in perfect conditions, I can't imagine it would be easy to find a sub in this situation. Of course illness comes with the territory of working with children, but not *this* kind of illness as a person who is immunocompromised. I have to prioritize my health.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

They can be excused/on leave.

There are not nearly enough subs to cover that. Especially because so many subs are retired teachers.

+100 I am a sub, and if schools somehow miraculously reopen this school year, I for certain will NOT be working. This job is completely optional for me, as it is for a lot of other subs; I will not risk my life for it.

Are you immunocompromised or old?

Yes, and when I work, it's with special needs kids, so it's very hands-on...think nose-wiping, feeding, hand-over hand helping, and help with toileting. I've worked with kids for many years and don't often get sick, despite my health issues, but this virus just scares the heck out of me. I love subbing and will miss the children and the friendships I have formed with staff members, though. Many of my fellow subs are grandmothers and I can't imagine that they will feel comfortable going back, either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

This!

Yes. This. Our school has teacherś who have recovered from cancer, pregnant teachers, and older teachers. I, myself, have Crohnś and am supporting my family as my husband is laid off. I have benefits for my family through my job. I would wear a mask, gloves, and a face shield as I get a lot of kids sent to school sick and then I catch it and stay sick for an entire month. Last time I caught an upper respiratory infection, I was sick for two months until 100% Covid-19 would kill me in a week. I know nobody cares about teachers and dead bodies are impersonal unless it is your family but I do not want to die.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with Hogan's approach. Gives me hope that there can be an in person end to the school year. This burning the candle on all ends can not continue much longer or I will lose my job.

+1

If two weeks of school in early June would keep you from drowning, you are doing something wrong at home or in your job. Possibly both. You need to closely re-examine your practices.

Some of us have children who would really benefit mentally from knowing that. You sound like a nasty person.

+1
Mocking/ Anonymously criticizing someone who is worried about losing their job? Wow.

Truthfully though, we all know people who are extremely inefficient at home and/or on the job and could use the advice to fix things. This is an extraordinary time, but the vast majority of people who are not in the service sector are well-positioned to keep their jobs. Deadweight will be shed first so you need to work in an efficient manner. That isn’t mocking.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS said something would come out this week (knowing their style, probably after 5pm on Friday).

At the State Board of Education meeting on 4/14, they said each district in the state could make their own schedule decisions but that it was LIKELY that they would all do the same thing amd make a decision as one Maryland voice.

Maybe another district will release information sooner...

When did they say anything about this week? Hogan rarely announces things very much in advance (not a criticism, just observation).

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

They can be excused/on leave.

There are not nearly enough subs to cover that. Especially because so many subs are retired teachers.

Then hire them. The economy has tanked. Plenty of qualified, healthy people who can gain certifications to substitute. Look, Covid is here to stay. The answer long term isn’t to quarantine everyone so a small percentage of the population doesn’t get ill; it’s to quarantine people who are susceptible and to practice hygienic practices.

Evidence thus far is closing schools only affected the rate of infections by 2-4%.

People can earn more from unemployment than they can from substituting.

Yup. Double the food stamps and an extra $600. I am an RN and I am getting the same pay I was months ago. Total BS. Only in America do they reward you to stay unemployed.

Same in my industry. Somehow employees get more to stay home than go to work. Makes zero sense to me.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS said something would come out this week (knowing their style, probably after 5pm on Friday).

At the State Board of Education meeting on 4/14, they said each district in the state could make their own schedule decisions but that it was LIKELY that they would all do the same thing amd make a decision as one Maryland voice.

Maybe another district will release information sooner...

Yes, but why waste an opportunity to bash MCPS?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

This!

Safety should obviously be the authorities' primary concern. I'm not an epidemiologist, and I don't know if it's possible that it would be safe enough for kids to go back to school in June. I'm just saying that to my kid, a week or two means a lot. As an adult, I would probably think "why bother re-opening schools for one lousy week even if it is deemed safe enough to do so?" (there is obviously no 100% safe option in this pandemic; someone is going to have to make a decision about what is "safe enough," probably related to how much we can return to mingling and not overwhelm our health care capacity). But my kid doesn't feel like "why bother for just one week?" To her, one week means a lot more than it does to me. That's all I was saying. Of course lives in our community are more important. But I also don't think schools are going to stay closed until there's a vaccine even if that takes 2-3 years. Even if that would save lives. I don't know. It's just a very difficult and complicated decision all around when you start to get to talking about the fall and beyond. Which is in part why I generally support Gov Hogan taking it in chunks/stages.

MCPS said something would come out this week (knowing their style, probably after 5pm on Friday).

At the State Board of Education meeting on 4/14, they said each district in the state could make their own schedule decisions but that it was LIKELY that they would all do the same thing amd make a decision as one Maryland voice.

Maybe another district will release information sooner...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also appreciate them making the announcement of additional closures at least 1 week before the kids are scheduled to go back. I am certain that they cannot go back on April 27, but I do get nervous when they wait until the Wednesday before to announce it. I don't think they're going back in May. I think they'll be out for the rest of the year but my 5th grader really hopes they'll get to go back for a week or two in June. Wants to be in the building again and actually see teachers/friends before "graduating" to middle school.

Its more important that those teachers, administrators and kids with immune deficiencies, don't die.

This!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At this point even going back in August is iffy. We need a vaccine or we are just setting up at risk school staff for infection as well as student families. Too much liability in the schools unfortunately.

There’s no chance MD isn’t back in the fall and there’s a chance for later this school year. Hogan is way ahead of most governors in terms of plans for herd immunity etc. stay tuned.

PP, nobody has any plans for "herd immunity etc." because nobody knows, at this point. Hogan doesn't have some super-secret source of epidemiological/public health/virological information that nobody else has and that he isn't making public. When there is more information, that's when it will be possible to make more certain plans.

Anonymous wrote:

Yup. Double the food stamps and an extra $600. I am an RN and I am getting the same pay I was months ago. Total BS. Only in America do they reward you to stay unemployed.

The ordinary maximum weekly amount for unemployment benefits is $430, which is $1,720 per month or $22,360 per year. If that's the same pay you were getting when you were working as an RN, you were seriously underpaid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with Hogan's approach. Gives me hope that there can be an in person end to the school year. This burning the candle on all ends can not continue much longer or I will lose my job.

+1

If two weeks of school in early June would keep you from drowning, you are doing something wrong at home or in your job. Possibly both. You need to closely re-examine your practices.

Some of us have children who would really benefit mentally from knowing that. You sound like a nasty person.

+1
Mocking/ Anonymously criticizing someone who is worried about losing their job? Wow.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with Hogan's approach. Gives me hope that there can be an in person end to the school year. This burning the candle on all ends can not continue much longer or I will lose my job.

+1

If two weeks of school in early June would keep you from drowning, you are doing something wrong at home or in your job. Possibly both. You need to closely re-examine your practices.

Some of us have children who would really benefit mentally from knowing that. You sound like a nasty person.