Our school district just announced it would be 100% online in the fall.

[audreyh1]

Your kid is waiting on the results of a COVID test and you go ahead and send him or her to school?

Poor judgement calls like this are happening constantly, which is why gathering with people is so hazardous in a pandemic.

 

[Badger]

A local private school started in person classes on Monday (the public schools are going to be all remote). Yesterday a staff person at the private school tested positive for Covid-19 so the private school has now shut down (after being open for 4 days). The school is going to be "sanitized" and says it will reopen. I am afraid this is what is going to be like for schools that open in person--open a few days, someone tests positive, then the school closes, then reopens, and then over and over until the school goes to online classes.

+1 An easy prediction to make. Rinse and Repeat.


Cheers!

 

[Badger]

A school in Indiana discovered a student is tested positive the first day it opens.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.indystar.com/amp/5552735002

Whoever though it is a good idea to let kids go back to school during the pandemic continues to underestimate the spread of the virus. We already knew the reopen caused the national uptick since June. Now they think kids will be able to do social distancing at school? How dumb are they?

Should I assume that is a rhetorical question? If not then I can answer you. Based on the behavior of some adults in restaurants and bars, children who were sent to a summer camp and contracted the virus there, and my and my wife's experience as teachers in addition to the dozens of colleagues the problem is initiated by the school administrators, mayors, and governors. I don't have skin in the game anymore so what you might do is your business but the easy prediction is that most schools will be shut down for students to physically attend class within a month of opening. Then we are back to square 1 but with more students, teachers, and parents having contracted the virus.



Cheers!

 

[Chuckanut]

Interesting comments from the head of the CDC on how keeping kids out of school also has consequences. Apparently more children die of the regular flu than corona virus. I am not sure what to say about this other than it need some serious study.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-...ide-drugs-flu-to-youth-far-greater-than-covid

“But I think that’s important because what that means, actually, is the risk per 100,000, so far, you know, into the outbreak, six months into it, is, in fact, that we’re looking at about .1 per 100,000. So another way to say that, it’s one in a million,” Redfield said in reference to the death rate among children.
“Now, I’m not trying to belittle that, I’m just trying to make sure we look at it proportional,” he said. “Because if you do the same thing for influenza deaths for school-age children over the last five years, they’re anywhere from five to 10 times greater.”

It's really no different from adults. There are health related consequences to closing businesses, a bad economy, unemployment and closing schools. We need to balance them to get the least bad consequences. How to do that is tough to say the least.

 

[harllee]

A school in Indiana discovered a student is tested positive the first day it opens.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.indystar.com/amp/5552735002

Whoever though it is a good idea to let kids go back to school during the pandemic continues to underestimate the spread of the virus. We already knew the reopen caused the national uptick since June. Now they think kids will be able to do social distancing at school? How dumb are they?

I reported up in the thread that a private school in my area had to close to be "sanitized" after a staff member tested positive 3 days after the school opened. The school has reopened and the Vice President visited last week so I guess all is well..

 

[rodi]

We've been getting emails from our district about what to expect with the online school due to start 8/31.

The emails suggest that the online learning will more closely mimic in person learning - with scheduled interactions with the rest of the class. (In the spring many of the teachers were checked out - and rarely held zoom sessions for younger son's classes.... Older son's college classes were better with at least weekly zoom sessions and clearly defined assigments and deliverables.)

I feel fortunate that younger son is reasonably self motivated and independent... Unfortunately his senior year is likely ruined. So far we know that fall sports are out, and there has been no discussion of senior pictures for the year book. His girlfriend (different high school) is very social and involved and is bummed about all the social things that will be cancelled (homecoming dance for example)

 

[audreyh1]

Paulding County is absolutely determined to open regardless of their unwillingness or inability to mitigate risks by following recommendations, and in spite of a current school outbreak involving the football team and staff.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...eorgia-school-reopening-photo-paulding-county

Behind a viral photo of a crowded hallway at a high school in Georgia, a potentially dire situation is brewing. Students, teachers, and parents fear the Paulding County school’s rushed reopening plans may be spiraling out of control just two days after students — who said they were told they could face expulsion for remaining home — returned to class despite reports of positive coronavirus cases among students and staff.

North Paulding High School, about an hour outside Atlanta, reopened Monday despite an outbreak among members of its high school football team, many of whom, a Facebook video shows, worked out together in a crowded indoor gym last week as part of a weightlifting fundraiser.

Within days of that workout, several North Paulding players had tested positive for the coronavirus. The school’s parents were notified just hours before the first day of class.

 

[Rianne]

Chicago and our county, Champaign announced public schools will be online. Champaign went from a hybrid online and classroom to all online yesterday.

 

[harllee]

College students are returning to the UNC Chapel Hill campus this week. It is a big campus and I think the Covid precautions are inadequate (students are being tested only if they have symptoms or if they are athletes). We are staying in our mountain cabin until we see what happens I'm Chapel Hill. There have already been 170 positive Covid cases on campus (a big chunk of these were football players). I hope I am wrong but I bet within a month the campus has to shut down and all the students have to be sent home.

 

[explanade]

College students are returning to the UNC Chapel Hill campus this week. It is a big campus and I think the Covid precautions are inadequate (students are being tested only if they have symptoms or if they are athletes). We are staying in our mountain cabin until we see what happens I'm Chapel Hill. There have already been 170 positive Covid cases on campus (a big chunk of these were football players). I hope I am wrong but I bet within a month the campus has to shut down and all the students have to be sent home.

They're not doing online classes?

Does the governor have no say, given it's a state university?

 

[harllee]

They're not doing online classes?

Does the governor have no say, given it's a state university?

There are some online classes but some in person, looks like about 50/50. But in any event students are moving back on campus. I am sure the Governor was consulted but it is happening anyway. There all a lot of rules--small classes, masking, social distancing, no parties, etc. but I these are college students so what could possibly go wrong?

 

[travelover]

I predict that schools that open will soon have an outbreak and then parents will keep their kids home and schools will have to revert to online classes.

But I might be wrong.

 

[explanade]

There are some online classes but some in person, looks like about 50/50. But in any event students are moving back on campus. I am sure the Governor was consulted but it is happening anyway. There all a lot of rules--small classes, masking, social distancing, no parties, etc. but I these are college students so what could possibly go wrong?

Well of course they're going to have parties in the dorms and frats and other venues.

There may be a pandemic but there will always be hormones.

 

[Calico]

Paulding County is absolutely determined to open regardless of their unwillingness or inability to mitigate risks by following recommendations, and in spite of a current school outbreak involving the football team and staff.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...eorgia-school-reopening-photo-paulding-county

The student at Paulding who posted the photograph and the video of the students in the halls has been suspended.

Seems about right - shoot the messenger.

 

[travelover]

The student at Paulding who posted the photograph and the video of the students in the halls has been suspended.
.........

Like the Soup Nazi - No corona virus for you!

 

[audreyh1]

The student at Paulding who posted the photograph and the video of the students in the halls has been suspended.

Seems about right - shoot the messenger.

Yeah - the article mentions a "disciplinary consequences" intercom announcement for criticizing the school on social media.

Despite recommendations from CDC health officials, the district has called mask-wearing a “personal choice” and said that social distancing “will not be possible to enforce” in “most cases.” While the school provided teachers with face shields and masks and encouraged staff and students to wear them, they are not required and not all teachers have chosen to use them. One North Paulding teacher resigned last month over concerns about virus safety.
...........
On Wednesday, the school addressed the controversy that had swirled around the viral photograph via an intercom announcement from North Paulding High School principal Gabe Carmona. In it, according to two people familiar with the situation, he stated that any student found criticizing the school on social media could face disciplinary consequences.

Gosh - it seems they are determined to do this, come hell or high water. I think they're going to get hell and high water.

 

[Gumby]

A public school may have difficulty with the First Amendment if it punishes a student for criticizing the school on social media.

 

[Chuckanut]

A public school may have difficulty with the First Amendment if it punishes a student for criticizing the school on social media.

I’m going to have to disagree because of the photo.

Criticizing is ok. Publishing photos on social media is questionable. Minor children have to be in school. Would you like somebody photographing your kids,grandkids etc. at their school and putting the photos out on social media for all to see? Should they be able to name names? Perhaps include a comment about the minor child student? Where does it stop?

Remember these are not adults on a public street, they are minors required by law to be where they are. They should have some reasonable expectation of privacy.

 

[explanade]

A public school may have difficulty with the First Amendment if it punishes a student for criticizing the school on social media.

I’m going to have to disagree because of the photo.

Criticizing is ok. Publishing photos on social media is questionable. Minor children have to be in school. Would you like somebody photographing your kids,grandkids etc. at their school and putting the photos out on social media for all to see? Should they be able to name names? Perhaps include a comment about the minor child student? Where does it stop?

Remember these are not adults on a public street, they are minors required by law to be where they are. They should have some reasonable expectation of privacy.

Could be a landmark first amendment case, whether social media is speech.

As for privacy, in public you have no presumption of privacy but not sure about a public school.

 

[Fermion]

I don't think a public school is public in the sense of first amendment rights. You certainly cannot walk into a public school and start protesting or other things like that which you can do in a normal area like a sidewalk. Schools can have dress codes...I don't think you can wear a bikini to class like you can in actual public areas.

 

[Gumby]

I don't think a public school is public in the sense of first amendment rights. You certainly cannot walk into a public school and start protesting or other things like that which you can do in a normal area like a sidewalk. Schools can have dress codes...I don't think you can wear a bikini to class like you can in actual public areas.

Let's stick with the facts as set forth in the article. I'm not talking about the kid who was suspended (that's a whole other issue and a problematic one.) No, the disciplinary action threatened by the principal was for any other student who criticizes the school online. Not publishes photos. Not makes threats or otherwise disturbs the school. Merely criticizes the school, which can and probably will occur outside of school. That is a prior restraint by a governmental entity, and it violates the First Amendment under any interpretation of the law. I suspect the school district lawyers will be busy.

 

[regenaeb]

This morning I filled out my parent survey giving my choice for my twins to either return to in person 5 day a week or remote/online learning. This was a tough choice to make. But I feel comfortable with our decision to allow them to attend 5 day a week in school. Our district put out an extensive 56 page report on their plans for return to school and remote/online learning. I attended 2 virtual parent /school administration forums discussing all the possible scenarios as they can predict at this point. They listened to parents, teachers, staff and all other stakeholders. They have been extremely transparent on their plans and limitations they will face this coming school year. We currently have a state 7 day positivity rate of 2%. We live on a military installation that has more strict guidelines in place for all that are on base. Not following the guidelines/restrictions is not an option. If you don't tow the line you are asked to move off base. Because of the schools responsiveness to the pandemic in regards to opening school and our reduced school size we feel comfortable allowing our children to attend school in person. All children from PreK-grade 8 (we only have elementary and middle school on this base) are required to wear masks during the day. They have made exceptions for special needs students, but there are very limit students in this category in our school. They will be given 2 masks breaks per day when they will be outside underneath large tents (we live in the Boston area), 6 ft apart. The school day has been shortened, however they will be given assignment work to complete at home after school (not just homework) during the normal hours of school. This gives the teachers time for additional planning for work hours for the next day and cleaning staff extra time to sanitize classrooms each day. All students will be in a reduce 10-15 student cohort classroom. They will not leave that classroom, they will be in it all day even the middle schoolers, no changing classes this year. Each homeroom teacher will be a "learning coach" for every subject. So if your homeroom teacher is a math teacher she will help you with any questions on other subjects. Other subjects will be live streamed into the classrooms all at the same time so all 7th graders get the same math lesson from the Math teacher all at the same time each day. The teachers will be the only ones changing classes and they are limited to 1-3 cohorts per teacher. Specialist teachers such as language teachers, computer science teachers will not be in classes, they will be living streaming the lessons each day into all the 7th grade cohort classes at the same time. To minimize contact between classes, because they expect to have positive cases and want to minimize how many students/teachers will be required to stay home for a 14 day quarantine at a time. The state requires them to only distance 3 ft with mandatory masks but they are going to 6ft distance with mandatory masks. Since we are a small school district/schools we have the space to distance, which is another reason they are not doing a hybrid 2 days in 3 days out like other school districts in our area. The hybrid really is only necessary for schools that don't have the space to distance all the children in a 5 day a week in-school scenario. Lunch will be in the classrooms only and it will be a cold style lunch or lunch from home.
Even with all this planning, I still suspect as the weeks and months turn to cold weather and flu starts coming back we will be out of school again full remote learning. But I feel at least this way my children will have the opportunity to meet their teachers and get to know some of their classmates (we just moved here 1 month ago), then when we all have to lockdown again, they will know the person that is teaching them on line and feel comfortable emailing them questions if needed.
Remote learning will also be different then the spring. Remote learners will also be placed in cohorts of 10-15 kids per remote teacher. On ground teachers will not teach remote students only remote teachers will teach remote students. But with that being said they will follow the exact same hour day plan and same lesson plans as the in school kids. This will also allow any in class students that need to quarantine individually can be placed in a remote cohort for 14 days and still receive instruction on the exact same lessons as they received in school.
I feel the district has gone above and beyond to make our kids and staff feel safe to start in whichever choice they make.
As they have said and I explained to my kids school is going to be different this year, its not going to be a social as it once was. But this is what we have to give up to have in class school.
Also any other parents out there, just a tip, before making my decision, I had my kids where masks for an entire school day amount. They woke up, ate breakfast and then put a mask on. They had to wear it for 3 1/2 hours, then a 1/2 hour lunch break and put the mask back on for another 2 1/2 hours. Because I figured if they couldn't handle that we would need to be remote. They said it was a challenge for the first hour or so, but then they forgot they had them on. I think having mask wearing sessions is a great way to get your kids used to what a typical school day is going to be like now versus waiting until they start and they can't handle it.
Sorry for so long post, but want to give another take on how a school district is preparing in the Northeast with a low positivity rate. It is not perfect and many different outcomes can occur of course, but they are trying their best to minimize the health impacts as much as they can for students, staff and families.

 

[harllee]

Let's stick with the facts as set forth in the article. I'm not talking about the kid who was suspended (that's a whole other issue and a problematic one.) No, the disciplinary action threatened by the principal was for any other student who criticizes the school online. Not publishes photos. Not makes threats or otherwise disturbs the school. Merely criticizes the school, which can and probably will occur outside of school. That is a prior restraint by a governmental entity, and it violates the First Amendment under any interpretation of the law. I suspect the school district lawyers will be busy.

Just heard on the news that the kid who was suspended is being let back in school and the kid's record wiped clean. This is after the mother of the suspended kid filed an appeal. I guess the principal heard from the school board lawyer.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Governor Cuomo gave the green light for in class learning today. I assume now it is up to individual school districts to decide.

 

[cathy63]

Just heard on the news that the kid who was suspended is being let back in school and the kid's record wiped clean. This is after the mother of the suspended kid filed an appeal. I guess the principal heard from the school board lawyer.

Also, they suspended her for 3 infractions of their code of conduct, then it was pointed out that only 2 of them happened and only 1 of those (posting a photo that included other students) is actually an infraction; and they haven't suspended other students for doing the exact same thing in pre-pandemic times. It was not going to survive an appeal to any higher level authority.