Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Whoa. What?! That is some serious conspiracy theory stuff. I and many other parents are very concerned about covid transmission post holidays, but people have only talked about keeping their own kids home or hoping for a few virtual days out or precaution. The whole idea that someone would fake a positive to close schools is ludicrous . No one wants to close schools. That is crazy talk.

I am more concerned that families will under report because they don't want to have to get a dr to sign off on reeentry.

This is my main concern as well. I am not a fan of virtual learning but as a teacher at a Title 1 school, we have a low number of positive COVID cases but we also have very few kids that are getting tested. If you don’t test for COVID, no one has it, right? It is so frustrating because the step one of the obvious answer is an opt-OUT form parents need to fill out if they don’t want their child tested. For various reasons, many of my school’s parents haven’t filled out the form (very hardworking people but also unaware, too busy, one more thing to have to do, don’t really understand, etc.). For in-person school, there should be weekly testing (not random samples of only kids who opted in). Step two is to switch to virtual learning for all schools for two weeks. This would allow parents to somewhat plan and not be worried about needing to find arrangements at the last minute.

At this point, we have more teachers out - either with COVID, or they are taking leave because their child has COVID (key takeaway is *they got tested*). We have had ZERO classes eat lunch outside so far this year, and have kids eating breakfast in classrooms (with windows that won’t open and very poor ventilation) and classes that rotate eating lunch in the classrooms. Not to mention that classes are combined when there are no subs (very frequently) and the kids that go to Bar T are coming from all different classes and grade levels and eating snack together. Impossible to contract trace. As a teacher and a parent, I am so disappointed in the way MCPS has chosen to handle this situation. The extra vacation for central office and admin is nice for them but a slap in the face to employees like para educators who, with the exception of Christmas Eve and NYE, are not paid for time time off during Winter Break. And paraeducators are always the first ones pulled to cover classes last minute, cover lunch duty, recess, etc. Morale is SO DOWN this year and I am nervous even thinking about next year knowing the number of teachers we will lose at the end of this year.

Weekly testing of all 180,000 students and staff is about 2.5 times the PCR testing capacity of the public and private labs in the county. That's not really practical without a lot of time to set up resources and a lot of money.

Rapid tests are slightly more plausible, but there's no staff to administer them at school, and no plausible way to set that up. Remember, MCPS hasn't even been able to do test-to-stay due to those challenges.

If you're serious about trying to identify ways to keep schools open, you need to ground your ideas in reality.

MCPS administrators should have been working during winter break to coordinate with DHHS for the need of more tests - PCR and rapid tests. DCPS came up with a workable plan to a test to stay program. Couldn’t MCPS ramp up testing if DHHS would set up drive through testing at county high schools to get everyone tested?

My child had a close contact before winter break. There was no testing in school even though I gave permission for testing. Teachers and para educators are regularly exposed but again, there’s no testing. It’s a MCPS administrative and a DHHS failure. The County Council should have an emergency meeting to improve coordination and transition testing to school populations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Whoa. What?! That is some serious conspiracy theory stuff. I and many other parents are very concerned about covid transmission post holidays, but people have only talked about keeping their own kids home or hoping for a few virtual days out or precaution. The whole idea that someone would fake a positive to close schools is ludicrous . No one wants to close schools. That is crazy talk.

I am more concerned that families will under report because they don't want to have to get a dr to sign off on reeentry.

This is my main concern as well. I am not a fan of virtual learning but as a teacher at a Title 1 school, we have a low number of positive COVID cases but we also have very few kids that are getting tested. If you don’t test for COVID, no one has it, right? It is so frustrating because the step one of the obvious answer is an opt-OUT form parents need to fill out if they don’t want their child tested. For various reasons, many of my school’s parents haven’t filled out the form (very hardworking people but also unaware, too busy, one more thing to have to do, don’t really understand, etc.). For in-person school, there should be weekly testing (not random samples of only kids who opted in). Step two is to switch to virtual learning for all schools for two weeks. This would allow parents to somewhat plan and not be worried about needing to find arrangements at the last minute.

At this point, we have more teachers out - either with COVID, or they are taking leave because their child has COVID (key takeaway is *they got tested*). We have had ZERO classes eat lunch outside so far this year, and have kids eating breakfast in classrooms (with windows that won’t open and very poor ventilation) and classes that rotate eating lunch in the classrooms. Not to mention that classes are combined when there are no subs (very frequently) and the kids that go to Bar T are coming from all different classes and grade levels and eating snack together. Impossible to contract trace. As a teacher and a parent, I am so disappointed in the way MCPS has chosen to handle this situation. The extra vacation for central office and admin is nice for them but a slap in the face to employees like para educators who, with the exception of Christmas Eve and NYE, are not paid for time time off during Winter Break. And paraeducators are always the first ones pulled to cover classes last minute, cover lunch duty, recess, etc. Morale is SO DOWN this year and I am nervous even thinking about next year knowing the number of teachers we will lose at the end of this year.

Weekly testing of all 180,000 students and staff is about 2.5 times the PCR testing capacity of the public and private labs in the county. That's not really practical without a lot of time to set up resources and a lot of money.

Rapid tests are slightly more plausible, but there's no staff to administer them at school, and no plausible way to set that up. Remember, MCPS hasn't even been able to do test-to-stay due to those challenges.

If you're serious about trying to identify ways to keep schools open, you need to ground your ideas in reality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Oh you need to stop. Nobody is faking positive tests.
You know very well there is an active movement from parents not to report positive cases so schools stay open and Pilates classes can continue for parents.

Nobody is reporting a fake Covid positive. But maybe they should.
Honestly, it never occurred to me but we need to counterbalance the right wing nuts who want kids in school no matter what the risk.
I think your post may have given us an idea that we can use if MCPS keeps under reporting.

And what is the risk exactly in keeping kids in school? Seriously people who want to close schools have no logical case any longer. Every single argument can be refuted with data.

+1 Students and staff have not been in schools for two weeks. How pray tell did 5% of the school population spread Covid in school? Impossible.

For the 11 schools that closed, most are high FARMS schools. It’s not stay at home moms or work from home dads that have been disproportionately affected to find childcare by the closures. These are also communities that depend on the Free and Reduced Meal program, so was there information from Dr. McKnight at today’s news conference as to how students will receive the breakfast and lunch they normally get? (Sorry I missed it because unlike MCPS, I was at work).

MCPS was grossly inadequately prepared to return to school after winter break. Central Office should have been planning during winter break instead of everyone taking a vacation. Quit trying to cheat students out of in person learning. Add instructional days to the calendar to make up for every day a school in MCPS is virtual.

Not going to happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Whoa. What?! That is some serious conspiracy theory stuff. I and many other parents are very concerned about covid transmission post holidays, but people have only talked about keeping their own kids home or hoping for a few virtual days out or precaution. The whole idea that someone would fake a positive to close schools is ludicrous . No one wants to close schools. That is crazy talk.

I am more concerned that families will under report because they don't want to have to get a dr to sign off on reeentry.

This is my main concern as well. I am not a fan of virtual learning but as a teacher at a Title 1 school, we have a low number of positive COVID cases but we also have very few kids that are getting tested. If you don’t test for COVID, no one has it, right? It is so frustrating because the step one of the obvious answer is an opt-OUT form parents need to fill out if they don’t want their child tested. For various reasons, many of my school’s parents haven’t filled out the form (very hardworking people but also unaware, too busy, one more thing to have to do, don’t really understand, etc.). For in-person school, there should be weekly testing (not random samples of only kids who opted in). Step two is to switch to virtual learning for all schools for two weeks. This would allow parents to somewhat plan and not be worried about needing to find arrangements at the last minute.

At this point, we have more teachers out - either with COVID, or they are taking leave because their child has COVID (key takeaway is *they got tested*). We have had ZERO classes eat lunch outside so far this year, and have kids eating breakfast in classrooms (with windows that won’t open and very poor ventilation) and classes that rotate eating lunch in the classrooms. Not to mention that classes are combined when there are no subs (very frequently) and the kids that go to Bar T are coming from all different classes and grade levels and eating snack together. Impossible to contract trace. As a teacher and a parent, I am so disappointed in the way MCPS has chosen to handle this situation. The extra vacation for central office and admin is nice for them but a slap in the face to employees like para educators who, with the exception of Christmas Eve and NYE, are not paid for time time off during Winter Break. And paraeducators are always the first ones pulled to cover classes last minute, cover lunch duty, recess, etc. Morale is SO DOWN this year and I am nervous even thinking about next year knowing the number of teachers we will lose at the end of this year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Whoa. What?! That is some serious conspiracy theory stuff. I and many other parents are very concerned about covid transmission post holidays, but people have only talked about keeping their own kids home or hoping for a few virtual days out or precaution. The whole idea that someone would fake a positive to close schools is ludicrous . No one wants to close schools. That is crazy talk.

I am more concerned that families will under report because they don't want to have to get a dr to sign off on reeentry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Oh you need to stop. Nobody is faking positive tests.
You know very well there is an active movement from parents not to report positive cases so schools stay open and Pilates classes can continue for parents.

Nobody is reporting a fake Covid positive. But maybe they should.
Honestly, it never occurred to me but we need to counterbalance the right wing nuts who want kids in school no matter what the risk.
I think your post may have given us an idea that we can use if MCPS keeps under reporting.

And what is the risk exactly in keeping kids in school? Seriously people who want to close schools have no logical case any longer. Every single argument can be refuted with data.

+1 Students and staff have not been in schools for two weeks. How pray tell did 5% of the school population spread Covid in school? Impossible.

For the 11 schools that closed, most are high FARMS schools. It’s not stay at home moms or work from home dads that have been disproportionately affected to find childcare by the closures. These are also communities that depend on the Free and Reduced Meal program, so was there information from Dr. McKnight at today’s news conference as to how students will receive the breakfast and lunch they normally get? (Sorry I missed it because unlike MCPS, I was at work).

MCPS was grossly inadequately prepared to return to school after winter break. Central Office should have been planning during winter break instead of everyone taking a vacation. Quit trying to cheat students out of in person learning. Add instructional days to the calendar to make up for every day a school in MCPS is virtual.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep talking about there being little to no spread in schools "all year, so far" when we know that omicron is 10x more contagious?

While kids seem to be less likely to be superspreaders, they're also less vaccinated.

Your numbers from other strains are very weak and incomplete evidence.

Not to mention that it's easier to go outside for lunch in every season but winter-- which is the only season we haven't experienced in MCPS in COVID times!

Omicron is the biggest difference here, but it's also worth noting that people are comparing spring and fall to winter.

Our school had very few indoor lunch and recess days through November, but the same won't be true in January/February.

Denial is a wonderful thing. Outdoor recess/lunch isn't going ot stop covid.

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep talking about there being little to no spread in schools "all year, so far" when we know that omicron is 10x more contagious?

While kids seem to be less likely to be superspreaders, they're also less vaccinated.

Your numbers from other strains are very weak and incomplete evidence.

Not to mention that it's easier to go outside for lunch in every season but winter-- which is the only season we haven't experienced in MCPS in COVID times!

Omicron is the biggest difference here, but it's also worth noting that people are comparing spring and fall to winter.

Our school had very few indoor lunch and recess days through November, but the same won't be true in January/February.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


??? I am pro-virtual for January, but can't imagine anyone FAKING a positive Covid test to achieve that goal. No family would ever wish to single themselves out like this, especially as they might not get the outcome they wish for, at least immediately, and so their child might end up without virtual instruction, stuck at home.

Not only do I disagree with you, OP, but I find your reasoning to be completely off, and quite mentally unhealthy.

It concerns me that you are projecting your own lack of ethics on others. You're only thinking this because it wouldn't bother you to lie yourself...

This. Or OP has that little faith in humanity, and is, frankly, not the sharpest tool in the shed. Even if "we can all imagine it" this is not the kind of thing that actually happens more than very rarely because, like voter fraud, there's no good endgame when you play it out, and very little reward for a relatively big personal risk.

Anonymous wrote:


??? I am pro-virtual for January, but can't imagine anyone FAKING a positive Covid test to achieve that goal. No family would ever wish to single themselves out like this, especially as they might not get the outcome they wish for, at least immediately, and so their child might end up without virtual instruction, stuck at home.

Not only do I disagree with you, OP, but I find your reasoning to be completely off, and quite mentally unhealthy.

It concerns me that you are projecting your own lack of ethics on others. You're only thinking this because it wouldn't bother you to lie yourself...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done to stop pro-virtual parents from faking positive covid tests to shut down the yellow and green schools? Seems like we are screwed! Although green schools will turn red eventually but some parents can speed that up by fake positives

Whoa. What?! That is some serious conspiracy theory stuff. I and many other parents are very concerned about covid transmission post holidays, but people have only talked about keeping their own kids home or hoping for a few virtual days out or precaution. The whole idea that someone would fake a positive to close schools is ludicrous . No one wants to close schools. That is crazy talk.

I am more concerned that families will under report because they don't want to have to get a dr to sign off on reeentry.