Who's sending their kids to class?

i just can’t see school staying open for long. look for a hybrid model or fully remote model to be put into effect within 2 or 3 weeks.
 
Got news for everyone, I will be shocked if schools re-open.

During today's much anticipated press conference our super spelled it out plain and simple. We're either doing 1 day a week or 100% online. 1 day a week meaning the kids attend for one day on some sort of staggered schedule. Just this week 3 districts in South Carolina - Darlington County, Florence City and Horry County (Myrtle Beach) bumped their start date to September 8th (day after labor day). My guess is this is simply to allow them time to see how July plays itself out before making a back to normal school day or doing online learning. They did say that they would be extending the school year as a result to the middle of June 2021. TBH regardless of COVID I wish schools started after labor day like they use to.
 
Europe sent their kids back to school in April. There have been no problems there. Germany just released a study showing that no children or teachers in the study had antibodies, so they are not getting it or giving it to each other. I hope I have the option to send my kids back to school. Keeping them out is much worse.
 
Europe sent their kids back to school in April. There have been no problems there. Germany just released a study showing that no children or teachers in the study had antibodies, so they are not getting it or giving it to each other. I hope I have the option to send my kids back to school. Keeping them out is much worse.

Europe as a whole also bought into mask wearing, social distancing, and sanitation far earlier than the US did and have had significantly less new cases every day than we do. Germany, for example, had 4,000 new cases yesterday, we had 58,000
 
Go ask around your district how many parents the teachers see at student teacher conferences all year, you'll be able to count on one hand how many get to double digits. Wanting your kid to learn =/= caring about their education

I don't go to parent/teacher conferences because I don't need to. I follow my kids progress book, make sure they're doing their assignments, and check on their grades. My kids are both straight A students. How many times do I need to go to a conference to hear how great they are doing? I agree with you that there are parents out there that don't care about their child's education, but you said as a whole parents don't care and I don't buy that. The bottom line is in most classes there are only a handful of kids who have behavior problems and/or simply do nothing in class that the teacher needs to have face to face meetings with parents. In today's world with email, phones in classroom, school web-pages, progress book, cellphones, social media, etc. teachers are much more accessible on a daily basis than they were 20 or more years ago. Parent teacher conferences simply are not as important or necessary as they once were.
 

Just like the Cares Act.........don't let any disaster go to waste.

But others may come to a different conclusion.
 
How much are kids or all people for that matter really social distancing?

I see a bunch of people preaching to stay inside, wear masks etc. on a Monday or Tuesday night when they have nothing to do, but then get amnesia on the weekend.

A BGSU student told me that he knows 4 of his friends who tested positive and were out partying that same night.

I don't know the answer, but I can tell you that most parent's actions do not match their words. If 3% of families are following the recommendations to the letter I have some swamp land to sell. I don't think any steps the schools take will do much to limit exposure, because of what will be brought in from outside, especially from asymptomatic students and staff.

From all reports my kids will be attending classes in person. With the risk/information that I have I think that is the correct approach. But things change.

Well they're not Mathing, Scienceing and Englishing either. School is there to teach things. The new normal as decided by committee will no doubt be one of them presuming it even occurs to the schools' Admins, that it is one of their functions in this. But I doubt there are any plans in MY local district to take on that task.

I sent a note to local Admin, who has been working diligently to say they've supplied tech to their students, not to forget that for blended or distance learning, those students still need the basics they often rely on schools to provide in-class. Not everything can be done on a computer. They need calculators, measurement and organizational devices.... These students are used to grab bags of supplies provided by local groups and through the schools. Imagine that in the C-19 world. I suggested an early effort to raise funds (with the plan of a donation and incorporating local biz) to provide materials for home. Nada. Chirps. So I sent that same message to the local Teachers' union. Within a day, got a hearty thanks for the "great" idea. I appreciate the thought but it's not a "great" idea. It's the forecasting done by any moderately able to walk person.

Maybe not a big secret, there are some GREAT Admins but School Admin degrees are not exactly the most difficult ones on campus. So there are many... what I call friends and family connections, which are pretty easy to follow when looking at which Admin and teachers are actually permitted part of the process.

I'm aware that in some local districts there have been no PEDAGOGICAL trainings, mandated or otherwise for blended or distance learning either for students or for teachers. Tech trainings sure. But not pedagogical. Not even plans mentioned for getting students into "mock" distance learning situation within the school buildings with teacher and staff support, before sending them home to figure it all out on their own.

This is really me as a nobody with no influence using the only platform I know with many educators, doing my best to get attention out there and hope it spreads, these things needed doing last March. Let's hope our "leaders" get on it.

Schools or districts that openly take on as a teachable moment WITH MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES the tasks of the new learning environments will be the one producing kids ahead of the rest. If that responsibility even occurs to them, they will say to the public they are doing it, though they won't be. SOP.

The communties need checks and balances beyond the rubber stamping local board.
 
The fun part of these new message boards is writing something you know someone will agree with, getting the "likes" then editing it to something I know they will find offensive and see if they find it. BWA HA HA!!!!!!!

But I wouldn't do that. :whistle:

Oh IB! Didn't see you there. How ya doin?
 
Well they're not Mathing, Scienceing and Englishing either. School is there to teach things. The new normal as decided by committee will no doubt be one of them presuming it even occurs to the schools' Admins, that it is one of their functions in this. But I doubt there are any plans in MY local district to take on that task.

I sent a note to local Admin, who has been working diligently to say they've supplied tech to their students, not to forget that for blended or distance learning, those students still need the basics they often rely on schools to provide in-class. Not everything can be done on a computer. They need calculators, measurement and organizational devices.... These students are used to grab bags of supplies provided by local groups and through the schools. Imagine that in the C-19 world. I suggested an early effort to raise funds (with the plan of a donation and incorporating local biz) to provide materials for home. Nada. Chirps. So I sent that same message to the local Teachers' union. Within a day, got a hearty thanks for the "great" idea. I appreciate the thought but it's not a "great" idea. It's the forecasting done by any moderately able to walk person.

Maybe not a big secret, there are some GREAT Admins but School Admin degrees are not exactly the most difficult ones on campus. So there are many... what I call friends and family connections, which are pretty easy to follow when looking at which Admin and teachers are actually permitted part of the process.

I'm aware that in some local districts there have been no PEDAGOGICAL trainings, mandated or otherwise for blended or distance learning either for students or for teachers. Tech trainings sure. But not pedagogical. Not even plans mentioned for getting students into "mock" distance learning situation within the school buildings with teacher and staff support, before sending them home to figure it all out on their own.

This is really me as a nobody with no influence using the only platform I know with many educators, doing my best to get attention out there and hope it spreads, these things needed doing last March. Let's hope our "leaders" get on it.

Schools or districts that openly take on as a teachable moment WITH MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES the tasks of the new learning environments will be the one producing kids ahead of the rest. If that responsibility even occurs to them, they will say to the public they are doing it, though they won't be. SOP.

The communties need checks and balances beyond the rubber stamping local board.

Well said. Could use a lot more teachers like you. Even if I don't agree with everything you post. You are always well informed and have a logical and or historical support for your thoughts.
 
Well said. Could use a lot more teachers like you. Even if I don't agree with everything you post. You are always well informed and have a logical and or historical support for your thoughts.
Like everything else they still exist but are really hard to see and hear over the self-servers.
 
Well said. Could use a lot more teachers like you. Even if I don't agree with everything you post. You are always well informed and have a logical and or historical support for your thoughts.

Oh God we do not want that. I want more teachers like my old shop teacher. Only dropped a tool once in my life. It wasn't so much the board he hit me with as it was that disappointed in you teacher stare, a rare case in which having only half the standard equipment, doubled the effect.
 
I heard on the radio that the Lucas County Health Dept. "denied" the Sylvania City Schools plan to go back to school 5 days a week.

I have a few questions;

Do they have authority over the schools or is it just a recommendation?
If they do have authority, why don't they just come up with the plan instead of playing a back and forth game with each individual school system?

While revise/edit is a great exercise for young learners/writers we are talking about "big boys and girls" now. The Health Dept, if they have authority need to say what they want/expect and make it happen. Don't pretend to give the school systems a choice if you are only going to override them.

Again, assuming they have the authority.
 
Europe as a whole also bought into mask wearing, social distancing, and sanitation far earlier than the US did and have had significantly less new cases every day than we do. Germany, for example, had 4,000 new cases yesterday, we had 58,000

Sweden left their schools open. And while they weren't as low in per capita covid cases & deaths as Germany, they finished in the middle of the pack for European countries.

Importantly, the average age of those who died from covid in Sweden was 85. Like Ohio, Sweden did a poor job of protecting their nursing homes.

Here's another startling data point: in a nation of over 10 million people only 70 people under the age of 50 have died from covid.

And Sweden was one of the few industrialized nations whose economy grew in the 1st quarter.

Today Sweden reports very few new cases and almost no new deaths. They stayed relatively open throughout the pandemic. When all is said and tabulated Sweden, while suffering a bit more at the hands of covid then those that shutdown, will have experienced one of the lowest NET negative problems with the pandemic. Why? Because Sweden will suffer fare less collateral damage then those that shutdown.
 
I guess the divide in this country has become enormous if anyone seriously thinks we shouldn't send the kids back to school.

The damage we're doing to society by not sending our kids to school is off the charts. Another year with no in school instruction and we may lose a whole generation of kids. Particularly in urban and poor rural areas. If you wanted to create extreme inequality you couldn't do much better then close the schools down.
 
Sweden left their schools open. And while they weren't as low in per capita covid cases & deaths as Germany, they finished in the middle of the pack for European countries.

Importantly, the average age of those who died from covid in Sweden was 85. Like Ohio, Sweden did a poor job of protecting their nursing homes.

Here's another startling data point: in a nation of over 10 million people only 70 people under the age of 50 have died from covid.

And Sweden was one of the few industrialized nations whose economy grew in the 1st quarter.

Today Sweden reports very few new cases and almost no new deaths. They stayed relatively open throughout the pandemic. When all is said and tabulated Sweden, while suffering a bit more at the hands of covid then those that shutdown, will have experienced one of the lowest NET negative problems with the pandemic. Why? Because Sweden will suffer fare less collateral damage then those that shutdown.
It's not Q1 anymore. Per million people, Sweden has suffered 40 percent more deaths than the United States, 12 times more than Norway, seven times more than Finland and six times more than Denmark. And with this mortality rate to date, they have failed to collect on expected economic gains. Sweden’s central bank now expects its economy to contract by 4.5 percent this year, a revision from a previously expected gain of 1.3 percent. But hey, perhaps they don't care as much about catching the virus because the state is paying for health care? ?‍♂️
 
It's not Q1 anymore. Per million people, Sweden has suffered 40 percent more deaths than the United States, 12 times more than Norway, seven times more than Finland and six times more than Denmark. And with this mortality rate to date, they have failed to collect on expected economic gains. Sweden’s central bank now expects its economy to contract by 4.5 percent this year, a revision from a previously expected gain of 1.3 percent. But hey, perhaps they don't care as much about catching the virus because the state is paying for health care? ?‍♂️

We'll see what the final yearly numbers look like but in the end the Swedish economy will contract less then most other industrial economy's.

And while you quote those countries that had lower covid death rates you left those with higher death rates like Belgian, Spain, Italy & the UK off the list. And you forgot to mention that much of Sweden's deaths were among the very old as Sweden did a piss poor job of protecting their nursing homes.

And in your obsession with focusing on only the harm covid does you ignore the collateral damage. At this time we don't have a good read on this damage as it's a lagging indicator that will play out over the next few years but it's almost certain that Sweden will have much less collateral damage from their light handed treatment of the pandemic compared to those that shutdown.

And it looks like Norway is wondering whether they may have gone to far and if they should have followed Sweden's lead:


It looks like Norway's prime minister can walk & chew gum at the same time. You know actually look at the whole picture and consider ALL the factors - not just covid infections and deaths.
 
We'll see what the final yearly numbers look like but in the end the Swedish economy will contract less then most other industrial economy's.

And while you quote those countries that had lower covid death rates you left those with higher death rates like Belgian, Spain, Italy & the UK off the list. And you forgot to mention that much of Sweden's deaths were among the very old as Sweden did a piss poor job of protecting their nursing homes.

And in your obsession with focusing on only the harm covid does you ignore the collateral damage. At this time we don't have a good read on this damage as it's a lagging indicator that will play out over the next few years but it's almost certain that Sweden will have much less collateral damage from their light handed treatment of the pandemic compared to those that shutdown.

And it looks like Norway is wondering whether they may have gone to far and if they should have followed Sweden's lead:


It looks like Norway's prime minister can walk & chew gum at the same time. You know actually look at the whole picture and consider ALL the factors - not just covid infections and deaths.
I'm not focused solely on COVID infections and death. That's your opinion. I responded to your assertion that Sweden's economy was growing despite their laissez faire approach. At current, that's not an accurate assessment. As far as collateral damage is concerned, your guess is as good as mine. Regarding school, I don't pretend to speak for other parents. In most cases, they know what's best for their children. I just find it interesting that some of the same folks who don't want to be told to wear a mask, also want to tell others what to do with their childern.
 
I'm not focused solely on COVID infections and death. That's your opinion. I responded to your assertion that Sweden's economy was growing despite their laissez faire approach. At current, that's not an accurate assessment. As far as collateral damage is concerned, your guess is as good as mine. Regarding school, I don't pretend to speak for other parents. In most cases, they know what's best for their children. I just find it interesting that some of the same folks who don't want to be told to where a mask, also want to tell others what to do with their childern.

That there will be collateral damage is NOT a guess it's a fact. It's well established what sustained stress, poverty and delaying elective & diagnostic health care will lead to. They can estimate the increase in deaths and we will be paying the shutdown piper a blood tax long after the covid virus has vanished from the earth.

As far as school goes if you believe in public financed education, and I do, then the kids must go back to school. Sure it's ultimately the parents decision as to the safety of their children and if they choose not to send their kids back to school then they assume the responsibility for educating them. But the schools must open back up so that those parents ( and I suspect it's the overwhelming number of parents) can send their children back to school. If you don't feel comfortable with that then home school or take advantage of a schools remote learning platform.

But first & foremost schools must reopen.
 
That there will be collateral damage is NOT a guess it's a fact. It's well established what sustained stress, poverty and delaying elective & diagnostic health care will lead to. They can estimate the increase in deaths and we will be paying the shutdown piper a blood tax long after the covid virus has vanished from the earth.

As far as school goes if you believe in public financed education, and I do, then the kids must go back to school. Sure it's ultimately the parents decision as to the safety of their children and if they choose not to send their kids back to school then they assume the responsibility for educating them. But the schools must open back up so that those parents ( and I suspect it's the overwhelming number of parents) can send their children back to school. If you don't feel comfortable with that then home school or take advantage of a schools remote learning platform.

But first & foremost schools must reopen.
Agreed that there will be collateral damage. I am saying you cannot accurately predict the ultimate collateral damage, or where it will occur. It's a guess at this point.

I have not heard of any schools that will not reopen. There will be a combination of all classroom, all remote, or a hybrid approach. Many Districts have already released these plans to the public.
 
State workers got it made during the Corona. Work from home and still get paid. That’s the American Dream
 
State workers got it made during the Corona. Work from home and still get paid. That’s the American Dream

Yeah man, all those special education teachers having to make home visits and set up daily conference calls with parents really are just raking it in, not like their job got any harder or anything
 
I saw a segment from MSNBC yesterday discussing the school issue with 5 doctors with kids. All 5 said they are fine with sending their children back in the Fall. Much to the chagrin of the host, it is MSNBC after all.
 
Why aren’t teachers Essential employees? If it’s not the most important job it’s top 5.
 
Europe as a whole also bought into mask wearing, social distancing, and sanitation far earlier than the US did and have had significantly less new cases every day than we do. Germany, for example, had 4,000 new cases yesterday, we had 58,000
Their population is like 83 million and ours is 330 million. So makes sense we have more new cases as a raw number.
 
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