Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[siren0119]

Slightly off topic but the bolded is so very true. The schools are meant to educate children, that is it. They were never designed to feed your children (outside of lunch since it happens mid-day) or bethe primary resource for their physical or mental health. They shouldn't be the only source for extra-curricular activities. Over the past couple of decades we have moved far too much out of the homes where these things belong and into the schools where they don't. It isn't sustainable and it sets up a single point of failure which is never a good scenario.

Oh boy that's a whole other discussion that gets into class structure, and income based access to enrichment. Some kids can only participate in sports or extra curriculars because it's offered through the school and kids on reduced/free lunch also generally get reduced or waived program fees. If we are going to talk about moving those enrichment opportunities out of schools, then we also need to talk about proportionately increasing access to those activities through free programming (whether via the local rec department, the Y or volunteer organizations).

 

[SaintsManiac]

My kids have literally only socialized with their cousins and one kid from the neighborhood in person, between March 17 and today.

Hmm so you're agreeing with me, right? I said I didn't know anyone who literally stayed home all summer long.

ETA: I have used the word literally too much today. lol.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here's the thing I feel like 90% of the discussions around the school year are missing - IF WE GET THIS RIGHT it will not be for the full school year. That is a HUGE IF but assuming we don't throw kids to the fire, and adults are smart(er) about precautions and modeling good precautions for their kids....there's a decent chance that schools could resume something closer to "normal" in the second half of the year. If we mess it up, and schools become COVID petri dishes, yes we are going to find ourselves singing this song long into the spring.

Respectfully I think you have to be realistic and think about it as a long-term as in the possibility. There is no doing this right IMO because we have zero clue how long this virus will be around. Many places did do it right all around the world and have only seen resurgences in cases. That's because the virus didn't just go away and many of those places were edging along the 'eradication' plan.

Much of how we deal with things is because we have a routine. So for traditional schools that operate with a longer stretch that means 2-2 1/2 months off of school for summer then back to school with breaks here and there (longer for college in the winter) for 8 1/2-9 months. At this point many kids have been without a traditional school for nearly 5 months (or 4 months depending on when your school system ended school and when it was originally supposed to end) and the beginning of their school systems still up in the air.

Unfortunately I think people are still under this concept that if only we do this and this and this the virus will just fade away. There's nothing to indicate that it will. There are things that indicate management of the virus in so much that the virus can be traced more efficiently reducing just how much spread ends up occurring but no indication that if we just do whatever it is at that time deemed right that it won't be this or that.

Look at how people react now when it's a single case in a school be it a student or a teacher. There's no leeway for any cases in school it would appear (pros and cons to that line of thinking) thus public court of opinion along with many schools reopening plans.. it's going to be a long school year of upheaval. It IMO is not advisable these days to go thinking that Spring semester will be good to go, most especially with an idea that if only we do this and that we can. I don't mean any of this intentionally harsh though truly

 

[siren0119]

Respectfully I think you have to be realistic and think about it as a long-term as in the possibility. There is no doing this right IMO because we have zero clue how long this virus will be around. Many places did do it right all around the world and have only seen resurgences in cases. That's because the virus didn't just go away and many of those places were edging along the 'eradication' plan.

Much of how we deal with things is because we have a routine. So for traditional schools that operate with a longer stretch that means 2-2 1/2 months off of school for summer then back to school with breaks here and there (longer for college in the winter) for 8 1/2-9 months. At this point many kids have been without a traditional school for nearly 5 months (or 4 months depending on when your school system ended school and when it was originally supposed to end) and the beginning of their school systems still up in the air.

Unfortunately I think people are still under this concept that if only we do this and this and this the virus will just fade away. There's nothing to indicate that it will. There are things that indicate management of the virus in so much that the virus can be traced more efficiently reducing just how much spread ends up occurring but no indication that if we just do whatever it is at that time deemed right that it won't be this or that.

Look at how people react now when it's a single case in a school be it a student or a teacher. There's no leeway for any cases in school it would appear (pros and cons to that line of thinking) thus public court of opinion it's going to be a long school year of upheaval. It IMO is not advisable these days to go thinking that Spring semester will be good to go, most especially with an idea that if only we do this and that we can.

Have you read up on how New Zealand handled things? They literally did certain things that removed the ability for the virus to propagate. The country is fully reopened domestically. They have had no new confirmed cases since mid June.

 

[gwynne]

Have you read up on how New Zealand handled things? They literally did certain things that removed the ability for the virus to propagate. The country is fully reopened domestically. They have had no new confirmed cases since mid June.

And they continue to be vigilant.

 

[siren0119]

And they continue to be vigilant.

They have actually lifted ALL covid restrictions (including social distancing and group gatherings) other than still restricting international travelers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52961539

 

[DisneyOma]

While I don't at all think kids should be in school, the argument that they should isn't just because of social interaction. Some parents have to go back to work and can't leave small kids on their own all day.

This is back to schools being babysitters. What did the parents do before the child was school age?

Slightly off topic but the bolded is so very true. The schools are meant to educate children, that is it. They were never designed to feed your children (outside of lunch since it happens mid-day) or be the primary resource for their physical or mental health. They shouldn't be the only source for extra-curricular activities. Over the past couple of decades we have moved far too much out of the homes where these things belong and into the schools where they don't. It isn't sustainable and it sets up a single point of failure which is never a good scenario.

And we are seeing that failure now - hungry kids because they got two free meals a day at school, parents pissed because a sport season may be missed so their little jock misses out on something (?), and some really miserable kids who have parents who don't know how to parent and school was the kid's safe zone and sanity. Luckily, our district still fed kids (until summer break), we tried our best to do wellness checks, and we've managed to tune out the jock parents. Not sure how the sports season can exist if we are doing remote learning to start, but I'm sure the district will figure it out.

 

[DisneyOma]

Have you read up on how New Zealand handled things? They literally did certain things that removed the ability for the virus to propagate. The country is fully reopened domestically. They have had no new confirmed cases since mid June.

The luxury of being a small island nation? (population 4.9 million or so)

 

[siren0119]

The luxury of being a small island nation? (population 4.9 million or so)

Or the luxury of a leader who acted swiftly and a population that was willing to be inconvenienced for some weeks for the greater good.

Anything that happened on a national scale in NZ is 100% reproducible on a smaller scale with local management vs national federal management. Our issue in the US wasn't a matter of "can't" as much as "won't"

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Have you read up on how New Zealand handled things? They literally did certain things that removed the ability for the virus to propagate. The country is fully reopened domestically. They have had no new confirmed cases since mid June.

Really? We're going to go that way? Just ignore what I post and go with whatever suits you? I said "Many places did do it right all around the world and have only seen resurgences in cases." and you're like "nope here look at NZ". *sigh* It's an accurate statement that many places have seen resurgences in Europe as well where things are being tightened up again in certain places.

Here's Australia by the way: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12352918 one of their territories is back under a very very strict lockdown

NZ did have a resurgence in cases brought on by quarantine issues (two women brought it from UK) and it spread again. Didn't take much. They went a long stretch of no cases then bam they had it. NZ though knows to not to be too boastful because a resurgence is likely: https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceani...are-for-virus-resurgence-20200715-p55cab.html

I don't even know why I'm going back and forth on this topic. These leaders know that it's not that the virus is gone from the world. They know that as soon as xyz occurs it has the opportunity to be around. NZ by the way also knows that it relies on tourism and foreign workers and prolonged border control won't be feasible forever.

In any case this is the school thread. Your comments to me was that if we do things right it'll be good as gravy basically. I disagreed

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Very interesting article about ventilation’s role in spreading the virus. Schools are specifically addressed towards the end of the article.

“There needs to be more assessment of the ventilation systems in all congregate buildings. Recirculated unfiltered air is emerging as a cause of transmission.”

“There are two key mitigation strategies for countering poor ventilation and virus-laden aerosols indoors: We can dilute viral particles’ presence by exchanging air in the room with air from outside (and thus lowering the dose, which matters for the possibility and the severity of infection) or we can remove viral particles from the air with filters.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/...king-more-about-airborne-transmission/614737/

 

[yeahdisney]

Uiuc said everyone to be sent home nov 20.

 

[Mango7100]

And they continue to be vigilant.

I want to move there ...or maybe Iceland

 

[SaintsManiac]

The luxury of being a small island nation? (population 4.9 million or so)

I agree that it's difficult to compare small countries to the U.S. in trying to fight a pandemic, but boy oh boy were our weaknesses exposed. It's depressing.

 

[gwynne]

I agree that it's difficult to compare small countries to the U.S. in trying to fight a pandemic, but boy oh boy were our weaknesses exposed. It's depressing.

This. Working together will yield fewer sick and dead people.

Testing, tracing, quarantining. Hygiene, masks and social distancing. But we have to stop the uncontrolled spread if folks really want to drive the infected numbers down.

I think saving lives is worth the effort.

 

[SaintsManiac]

This. Working together will yield fewer sick and dead people.

Testing, tracing, quarantining. Hygiene, masks and social distancing. But we have to stop the uncontrolled spread if folks really want to drive the infected numbers down.

I think saving lives is worth the effort.

70% of the people called about contact tracing in my community refused to answer the questions.

70%!!!!

 

[Bambi1942]

When I see that people think their kids' mental health is being harmed by staying home, I can't help but wonder what home life is like, if it makes your school aged child have mental health problems? Most young kids love being at home. I remember summer breaks and holiday breaks being awesome, even in high school. I was a good student and enjoyed learning, and am very outgoing and social, but given the choice, most kids I know would rather be home.

Now if people are saying the pandemic in general is haveing an effect on mental health, I would agree with that. But returning to school and pretending the bad is over won't change that. We're still in a pandemic, even if we pretend we're not.

Not everybody lives in a cookie cutter world. I’m in NY and live in the suburbs. I can provide for my kids with whatever they need. These kids that live in the inner city (Bronx , Brooklyn etc) don’t even have money for paper and pencil. Forget about WIFI. These kids have all been home since March. What about the special needs kids?? Not everyone has the money to provide for them to receive private PT or OT. NY schools are known for their services that these parents can’t provide privately. These are the kids that are suffering the most. Schools are the only outlet for some of these kids in the inner city.

I don’t know what the right answer is but the thought that kids loved being home is not true. My kids have been home since March and I’m seeing a big difference in my 5 year old. Thank God the schools are opening full time here for elementary kids. I can’t imagine these kids being home for over a year. He needs to be out have his mind stimulated. It’s impossible for one person to do it all.

 

[siren0119]

Not everybody lives in a cookie cutter world. I’m in NY and live in the suburbs. I can provide for my kids with whatever they need. These kids that live in the inner city (Bronx , Brooklyn etc) don’t even have money for paper and pencil. Forget about WIFI. These kids have all been home since March. What about the special needs kids?? Not everyone has the money to provide for them to receive private PT or OT. NY schools are known for their services that these parents can’t provide privately. These are the kids that are suffering the most. Schools are the only outlet for some of these kids in the inner city.

I don’t know what the right answer is but the thought that kids loved being home is not true. My kids have been home since March and I’m seeing a big difference in my 5 year old. Thank God the schools are opening full time here for elementary kids. I can’t imagine these kids being home for over a year. He needs to be out have his mind stimulated. It’s impossible for one person to do it all.

My brother lives in Woodlawn Heights and we just had this conversation the other day. The NYC public school system serves just about a million homeless kids across the system. ONE. MILLION. kids that don't have a stable home to quarantine in. Or a place that they can get a meal and feel "normal". It's a terrible predicament to try and figure out how to keep kids safe, while still serving such a huge at-risk population.

 

[SaintsManiac]

My brother lives in Woodlawn Heights and we just had this conversation the other day. The NYC public school system serves just about a million homeless kids across the system. ONE. MILLION. kids that don't have a stable home to quarantine in. Or a place that they can get a meal and feel "normal". It's a terrible predicament to try and figure out how to keep kids safe, while still serving such a huge at-risk population.

Such a sad reminder of how the U.S. has failed so many people. You really expose it all during a pandemic.

 

[lifesavacation]

70% of the people called about contact tracing in my community refused to answer the questions.

70%!!!!

I’ve read something similar in my area. Anyone care to enlighten me why people are so afraid or suspicious of contract tracing? Is it because they don’t want people they know to have to quarantine and miss work? I can sorta see if they are trying to protect someone who is struggling financially and needs to work. I don’t agree with it, but I can understand if this is their reasoning.