Anonymous wrote:First of all, don't start by suggesting parents come in and clean. That would multiply the Covid risk for any other adults working in the building. The whole premise that reopening schools is somehow safe is that children don't spread the disease, adults do. No adult volunteers will be entering any buildings for quite a while.

1. We would need parents to provide all staff with as much PPE as necessary, across the entire school system, not just to the schools that can afford it.
2. Obtain canopies so classes can be held outside as much as possible.
3. A signed pledge that no sick kids would ever be sent to school, and any sick child would be picked up immediately, tested for Covid, and quarantined for 2 weeks with no attempt to send the child back to school sooner. Same goes if any student's immediate family members become ill.
4. Teach your child how to wear a mask and make sure they can wear one for the duration of a school day without fuss. Do not send your child to school if you can't get them to wear a mask for hours on end.
5. Teachers have been told that we cannot discipline children who won't wear masks, just encourage them. Parents must discipline them, and keep them home if they will not listen to the teacher.
6. For God's sake, teach your child to cover coughs and sneezes, even with a mask on. A mask reduces, but does not eliminate airborne droplets. Same goes for nose picking.

And even with all of this, I'm more afraid of catching something from a coworker than I am from a child. Most schools bring anywhere from 50-150 adults together on a daily basis. Many teachers travel from school to school. We all use the same 4-5 bathrooms, and the same 1-3 copy machines. Teaching is a collaborative profession, and we come together to plan, share resources, and provide services to our students. A school won't function with everyone working in isolated pods.

The main thing we really need is something no parent can give us: a vaccine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me, it's not about school accommodations. It's about whether it's safe under general restrictions. I had planned to opt for in person for my own kids, but at this point, we're not close to that being safe.

-everyone in masks. Consequences for not keeping them on.
-social distancing strongly encouraged, but not "required at all times." For example, spread kids out, 2 kids at a table instead of 4. If we need to keep them 6 feet apart at all times, we cannot safely open because we cannot do that. I measured my classroom and I can have 4-6 students using those guidelines. Certainly not 15, the limit that was suggested, which is my current class anyway.
-PPE and cleaning supplies guaranteed (not reliant on PTA)

I have no problem wiping down my classroom myself; I do that regularly anyway, but I need to be assured that the supplies are going to be provided. If MCPS cant provide them because they're too in demand, then we're not in a place where we can safely open school buildings. I dont like that any more than any other parent, but it's where we are.

Op here i agree- am a proponent of opening but would not send my kids with the plan that they had. It was not safe IMO