Anonymous wrote:

I'm sure if someone did a poll of all the retail workers, warehouse workers, waitresses and whatever other job you'd find a percentage of them refusing to go back to work.

I don't think teachers are any different in that regard. Some teachers are willing to go back to work. Others aren't. The big difference is that teachers have unions to protect them. People without unions just have to quit or find something else to do.

I put medical workers in a separate category. Risk of deadly infection has always been part and parcel of their line of work, and it's natural for them to accept it. It's like people signing up to be cops. They accept that there are potentially deadly health risks to being a cop.

Most people who signed up to be teachers never expected to be on the front lines of a pandemic. I'm not surprised that many of them are balking.

What? No. Dealing with sick people is part of their work. Risking deadly infection is not. The medical workers who are going to work, are doing so because it's their job and somebody needs to do it. Just like teaching is teachers' job and somebody needs to do it.

If a teacher told me, in real life, that it's ok for all of those essential grocery store workers etc. to have hazardous workplaces, but it's not ok for the teacher because the teacher didn't go to school all those years for that, I'd have to turn and walk away, because anything I said or did if I remained would not be polite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

I'd say teachers get more respect and money than supermarket workers. And yet the latter are doing their jobs despite some risk.

Retail workers, home health care aides, other medical workers who aren't doctors, bus drivers, delivery people, construction workers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, food manufacturing workers, building services workers, mail carriers...

And it's not about Larla's sadness, or at least not only about Larla's sadness (though mental health is also a public-health factor, just like covid). It's about Larla's education.

I'm sure if someone did a poll of all the retail workers, warehouse workers, waitresses and whatever other job you'd find a percentage of them refusing to go back to work.

I don't think teachers are any different in that regard. Some teachers are willing to go back to work. Others aren't. The big difference is that teachers have unions to protect them. People without unions just have to quit or find something else to do.

I put medical workers in a separate category. Risk of deadly infection has always been part and parcel of their line of work, and it's natural for them to accept it. It's like people signing up to be cops. They accept that there are potentially deadly health risks to being a cop.

Most people who signed up to be teachers never expected to be on the front lines of a pandemic. I'm not surprised that many of them are balking.

Anonymous wrote:
So you think that teachers should be treated like delivery people, truck drivers, or warehouse workers? None of those jobs require prolonged exposure to other people in a small enclosed space, day after day. None of those jobs require them to literally touch other people's bodily fluids, except home health aides. They also don't require any formal education at all. I'm sorry, I didn't work my way through undergrad and graduate school to be fold sweaters or stock shelves in a supermarket. Forgive all our student loans and just throw us in the building with the kids and I'll keep them alive, then. They can watch movies, color, whatever they want. Either I'm a babysitter or I'm an educator. I'm not both.

I don't think that people with more education deserve safer workplaces than people with less education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

I'd say teachers get more respect and money than supermarket workers. And yet the latter are doing their jobs despite some risk.

Retail workers, home health care aides, other medical workers who aren't doctors, bus drivers, delivery people, construction workers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, food manufacturing workers, building services workers, mail carriers...

And it's not about Larla's sadness, or at least not only about Larla's sadness (though mental health is also a public-health factor, just like covid). It's about Larla's education.

So you think that teachers should be treated like delivery people, truck drivers, or warehouse workers? None of those jobs require prolonged exposure to other people in a small enclosed space, day after day. None of those jobs require them to literally touch other people's bodily fluids, except home health aides. They also don't require any formal education at all. I'm sorry, I didn't work my way through undergrad and graduate school to be fold sweaters or stock shelves in a supermarket. Forgive all our student loans and just throw us in the building with the kids and I'll keep them alive, then. They can watch movies, color, whatever they want. Either I'm a babysitter or I'm an educator. I'm not both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

I'd say teachers get more respect and money than supermarket workers. And yet the latter are doing their jobs despite some risk.

Retail workers, home health care aides, other medical workers who aren't doctors, bus drivers, delivery people, construction workers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, food manufacturing workers, building services workers, mail carriers...

And it's not about Larla's sadness, or at least not only about Larla's sadness (though mental health is also a public-health factor, just like covid). It's about Larla's education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

This is incredibly obtuse. There are scores of low-paid essential workers who worked, and continue to work, throughout the shutdowns - grocery store workers, mechanics, repair persons, all the *other* people who work at hospitals, just to name a few. And there are a lot of others who are going to back to work now and facing risks - restaurant workers, retail employees, etc.

The fact is, everyone has to bear some risk, and yes, some more than others. The attitude of many (not all) teachers, though, is that they are not wiling to accept any of that risk, so they "won't return." That's unacceptable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

No it’s not so Larla isn’t sad, it’s so Larla gets an education. DL in the public schools is just barely education. Unless these school systems can develop a robust distance learning, unlike the complete crap of the last three months of the school year, these kids are not getting actual instruction.

Our county was prohibited from Zoom sessions because of privacy issues. So it was just “read these passages and answer the questions at the end.” And if your kid needs help, email me. Now all of us who work know that email is effective only to a certain point. We’ve all had to pick up the phone and actually have a real conversation to resolve an issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

I'd say teachers get more respect and money than supermarket workers. And yet the latter are doing their jobs despite some risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Very well said.

I agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools will open when it's safe, and they'll remain in DL if it isn't. That's all there is to it.

The problem is "safe" is a relative term. Some would say safe is now-when we effectively flattened the curve in this area. Others think "safe" is when there is this magical vaccine that everyone is so sure we are going to get. In that case "safe" could be in 5-7 years. Are you ok with your kids doing distance learning for 5-7 years?

The curve flattened because we stayed home. Open up schools and it'll turn right back upward again.

You do not know that. Things have been opening now for the past month, and the numbers have continued to go down.

I think the PP is right that the curve flattened because many people stayed home. She is wrong that SCHOOL closures played a major role in that flattening, given that kids aren't really spreading the virus much. Which is why it would make so much sense to open schools, but maintain other precautions in place.

PP is wrong that opening things up will necessarily make things worse and lead to exponential growth in COVID infections. We just don’t know. And data over the past month indicates she is wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Yes teachers are just like doctors what with all the respect, support and money they get from society. Everyone wants someone else to make the sacrifice for them, but god forbid Larla has to be sad and her parents have to sacrifice for her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Very well said.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

DP, but can you imagine how this would have played out if ALL essential workers played this card? Especially the ones who are really at risk, like doctors and nurses who work in hospitals? As best we can estimate it, the risk to teachers is much, much lower, albeit not zero, and people are acting like they’ll be locked in an ICU with COVID patients and no PPE.

Prioritizing no one getting COVID has substantial negative outcomes in many areas, especially for children. Do those not matter?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.

I know. I hate those teachers who don’t want to get incredibly sick and possibly die. How dare they?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I mean a reason that kids aren't spreading the virus could be that they haven't been in school. Or it could be that they wouldn't have spread it even if they were in school. We really won't know until schools open and kids spend hours together in enclosed spaces, in places where the virus is not contained. We don't know what things will look like in the fall in Montgomery County.

"We won't know what will happen until we do it" is a statement that applies to basically everything.

We're not using that reasoning to keep other things closed indefinitely, though. Just schools. Why?

I am usually not a teacher basher, but I am afraid the reason are teachers who refuse to go back, and the schools district's fear of liabilty.