DL sucks. Most parents, teachers and kids hate it. But at the current rate of spread and vaccine implementation going back to school full time is not going to happen for a year at least. Schools are just not set up for social distancing. Even outdoor summer camps are struggling to follow guidelines.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You make no sense. There's never been a pandemic like this. AND schools will be OPEN in the fall, but with distance learning, a primary reason being protection of the kids.

That's just not true.

1. There have been pandemics previously.
2. If there's "distance learning," then the schools are NOT open.
3. The primary reason for closing schools during this pandemic is not, and never was, protecting the kids.

Hey, don't try to introduce actual facts into the discussion!

Have any of you been to the dentist lately? The amount of procedures in place just to get your teeth cleaned makes me wonder how on earth we will be able to open schools at all....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile my two oldest kids going back to college but my kid in middle school can’t sit in a classroom.

I think that the bathrooms in college campus buildings will have soap.

Also, take a minute to think about how a college campus serving adults who are paying tuition might be different from a large public school system legally required to provide a free publication for children of all ages, and to transport them to school.

You mean, it's more urgent for a large public school system to be open? If so, I agree.

You are impossible. It is much more challenging to serve all ages with appropriate safety measures in place. The transportation is one of the most difficult challenges. What are your solutions, or do want to return F2F with no mitigation measures in place?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile my two oldest kids going back to college but my kid in middle school can’t sit in a classroom.

I think that the bathrooms in college campus buildings will have soap.

Also, take a minute to think about how a college campus serving adults who are paying tuition might be different from a large public school system legally required to provide a free publication for children of all ages, and to transport them to school.

You mean, it's more urgent for a large public school system to be open? If so, I agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile my two oldest kids going back to college but my kid in middle school can’t sit in a classroom.

I think that the bathrooms in college campus buildings will have soap.

Also, take a minute to think about how a college campus serving adults who are paying tuition might be different from a large public school system legally required to provide a free publication for children of all ages, and to transport them to school.

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile my two oldest kids going back to college but my kid in middle school can’t sit in a classroom.

I think that the bathrooms in college campus buildings will have soap.

Anonymous wrote:

You make no sense. There's never been a pandemic like this. AND schools will be OPEN in the fall, but with distance learning, a primary reason being protection of the kids.

That's just not true.

1. There have been pandemics previously.
2. If there's "distance learning," then the schools are NOT open.
3. The primary reason for closing schools during this pandemic is not, and never was, protecting the kids.

Anonymous wrote:Kids need to return to school. Period. Get back to work, teachers, or get a new job.

Teachers don’t decide whether they go back to F2F - administrators and the school Board do. Teachers have every right to advocate for a return with as many safety measures as possible in place. Wouldn’t you? I absolutely would advocate for PPE, social distancing, staggered schedules, etc. if I were a teacher returning to class.

Those in charge have to weigh all competing interests, including the needs of teacher, students, parents, logistics, budget, etc. to make a decision on the best course. Transportation is huge problem in all of this. I don’t know where most of you work, but many businesses are taking measures to protect public facing employees, like installing plexiglass partitions, markers, for social distancing, etc. I am not a teacher, but the complete disregard for any concerns teachers may have is concerning. Maybe one way to go would be to put teachers behind a partition to protect them from students (for those who think there is little risk to kids).

I have posted multiple times in this thread asking for realistic suggestions for returning full time face to face. Remember that school board and administrators aren’t public health experts either. They don’t know what to do. No one does. They have to make decisions based on what health experts tell them weighing in all competing interests to come up with a feasible solution. Not only that, but if they plan for what everyone is demanding, full time F2F, then they need to have very specific health screening policies in effect and probably a way to enforce them, plus they need to be ready to close either individual schools or the entire district if the virus is spreading. Planning for all of these contingencies with so many unknowns is extremely challenging. There is no way to do what is best for everyone, and that is nothing new. I don’t think it is right, just, or appropriate that our school district just redistricted and forced rising sophomores to change schools either. In a perfect world that wouldn’t happen. But this isn’t a perfect world.

Here is an interesting point made last night during the Howard County school board meeting last night. The district plans to offer an online “Virtual Academy” for all families who want to opt out of face to face learning. However, if you choose that option, you have to stay online for the entire school year. There is no opting back in if COVID is better contained. I wonder how many families would change their minds about opting out if they have to commit for the full year?

If Maryland districts must have a plan to the State by July 10, they have to quickly obtain input from all stakeholders and make difficult decisions. I have had plenty of concerns about teachers over the years, but seriously people. These are professionals who can’t even get cleaning supplies and tissues in their classroom under normal circumstances and you want them to walk back into schools without significant protections in place?

Kids need to return to school. Period. Get back to work, teachers, or get a new job.

Meanwhile my two oldest kids going back to college but my kid in middle school can’t sit in a classroom.

How about you lose your job too? Let's get rid of school and Llet's get rid of you. I don't want you to pretend you teach my kid through DL joke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High risk DH has 15 days to put in his retirement papers. He’s talked to multiple people from school level admin to central office. Everyone said F2F in the fall was highly unlikely and he should consider retiring after S1.

If true, this is shameful. Kids have already missed 3 months of school. That's enough. Kids need to be in school.

As for the teachers - if there's a medical reason, then MCPS will have to provide a reasonable accommodation (e.g., distance teaching). But if there's no medical reason, then people who don't want to teach in-person will either have to do so anyway, or find a different job. Teaching in-person is an essential function of the teaching job.

It doesn't matter how long they've "missed" in-person learning. We're in the middle of a pandemic that shows no signs of abating. If it's not safe, in-person learning is not happening. And it won't be happening until January 2021 (at the earliest). Don't you care about your kids' safety, not to mention the safety of the teachers and other personnel?

No, they literally don’t. Totally fine, because I also don’t care if they lose their jobs to take care of their own kids in the fall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High risk DH has 15 days to put in his retirement papers. He’s talked to multiple people from school level admin to central office. Everyone said F2F in the fall was highly unlikely and he should consider retiring after S1.

If true, this is shameful. Kids have already missed 3 months of school. That's enough. Kids need to be in school.

As for the teachers - if there's a medical reason, then MCPS will have to provide a reasonable accommodation (e.g., distance teaching). But if there's no medical reason, then people who don't want to teach in-person will either have to do so anyway, or find a different job. Teaching in-person is an essential function of the teaching job.

It doesn't matter how long they've "missed" in-person learning. We're in the middle of a pandemic that shows no signs of abating. If it's not safe, in-person learning is not happening. And it won't be happening until January 2021 (at the earliest). Don't you care about your kids' safety, not to mention the safety of the teachers and other personnel?

NP. The safety of teachers and staff may be a concern, but please quit the BS that schools need to stay closed to protect the kids. They are not at higher risk than they were before this pandemic.

You make no sense. There's never been a pandemic like this. AND schools will be OPEN in the fall, but with distance learning, a primary reason being protection of the kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High risk DH has 15 days to put in his retirement papers. He’s talked to multiple people from school level admin to central office. Everyone said F2F in the fall was highly unlikely and he should consider retiring after S1.

If true, this is shameful. Kids have already missed 3 months of school. That's enough. Kids need to be in school.

As for the teachers - if there's a medical reason, then MCPS will have to provide a reasonable accommodation (e.g., distance teaching). But if there's no medical reason, then people who don't want to teach in-person will either have to do so anyway, or find a different job. Teaching in-person is an essential function of the teaching job.

It doesn't matter how long they've "missed" in-person learning. We're in the middle of a pandemic that shows no signs of abating. If it's not safe, in-person learning is not happening. And it won't be happening until January 2021 (at the earliest). Don't you care about your kids' safety, not to mention the safety of the teachers and other personnel?

NP. The safety of teachers and staff may be a concern, but please quit the BS that schools need to stay closed to protect the kids. They are not at higher risk than they were before this pandemic.