Covid: Your Town
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6:45 on a Monday night on vacation, and sitting in a massive Health and Safety meeting for my district right now... did the Buildings and Grounds equivalent a few days ago. I've been doing three and four meetings a week on this, each roughly two or three hours... plus endless phone calls and emails and the like.
Def. a bit of a mess, depending on where you are; remember that I'm in NJ, which is a bit shell shocked from this, even though our current R number is hovering down around 1.
A lot of issues.
In terms of the virus, studies have shown that much younger kids often have higher amounts of virus than adults, and that kids 10 and up shed and spread the same as adults. This is also a lot about the virus itself that is REALLY unknown. We are seeing evidence that there may be serious and long-term lung, heart, and brain damage from this virus, even if it doesn't kill you.
Kids are also kids. They pick noses, they chew things, they sneeze, they hack and cough... they are a MESS. They have very little self control, which will be a problem... and they are required to wear masks for five and a half hours at a time? How is that going to work? You've seen those pictures of the hallways full of kids in states? They are often going to do what they want to do...
And a huge number of teachers are older... that's a big issue.
I won't even get into things like temp checking hundreds of kids, or how to watch kids when they are out of the classroom, like in a bathroom, or the fact that our HVAC systems were installed in the 1960s, or the fact that we have no ability to monitor what families in town are doing, or how to handle subs, or... there are literally thousands of issues.
There is just SO much to do and account for. Like... we are saying "Take your kids outside when you can." Okay, fine. So, you have to let the office know. You also need to get a radio. So, how do you get a radio? Send a kid? Depending on the age, thats tough. So do you walk the whole class down to the office to get it? And there are only two radios in the school, so you have to coordinate with the rest of the school. Then, once you are outside, where do kids take off masks? Where do masks go? How close to each other can they get? If they are sharing equipment, is there an issue? And you are supposed to be livestreaming everything, so what, do you carry the camera and tripod outside? Where do you sit? Will you get internet service? If we don't, then what?
There are ENDLESS issues. Endless. We reached out to find out how to handle lockdown/evac/fire drills, only to find out that the ENTIRE DEPARTMENT in the state has been furloughed, so we literally have nobody to check with.
And SO much of this is being done by people with no real experience with health care or virology or anything... so much is learning-as-you-go, and that's brutal.
Not only is it a mess in terms of how to do it, but the health issue is a big, big issue.
Schools are massive, disgusting, underfunded, unclean petri dishes that bring together an entire community worth of illnesses. And in the end, a **** up can kill a kid or a family member at the school, and that's something nobody wants to do.
An anecdote... was in a meeting with the superintendent, board president, a 30 year board veteran, two teachers, two parents, the county health supervisor, and the head of custodial services... and in a moment of candor, the board president asked who in the meeting would send their own kids back. Keep in mind, this is a meeting of people who have spent hours and hours and hours on this since mid March... not one said they would. That's a bad sign.
Okay, let me go back to this meeting.
Def. a bit of a mess, depending on where you are; remember that I'm in NJ, which is a bit shell shocked from this, even though our current R number is hovering down around 1.
A lot of issues.
In terms of the virus, studies have shown that much younger kids often have higher amounts of virus than adults, and that kids 10 and up shed and spread the same as adults. This is also a lot about the virus itself that is REALLY unknown. We are seeing evidence that there may be serious and long-term lung, heart, and brain damage from this virus, even if it doesn't kill you.
Kids are also kids. They pick noses, they chew things, they sneeze, they hack and cough... they are a MESS. They have very little self control, which will be a problem... and they are required to wear masks for five and a half hours at a time? How is that going to work? You've seen those pictures of the hallways full of kids in states? They are often going to do what they want to do...
And a huge number of teachers are older... that's a big issue.
I won't even get into things like temp checking hundreds of kids, or how to watch kids when they are out of the classroom, like in a bathroom, or the fact that our HVAC systems were installed in the 1960s, or the fact that we have no ability to monitor what families in town are doing, or how to handle subs, or... there are literally thousands of issues.
There is just SO much to do and account for. Like... we are saying "Take your kids outside when you can." Okay, fine. So, you have to let the office know. You also need to get a radio. So, how do you get a radio? Send a kid? Depending on the age, thats tough. So do you walk the whole class down to the office to get it? And there are only two radios in the school, so you have to coordinate with the rest of the school. Then, once you are outside, where do kids take off masks? Where do masks go? How close to each other can they get? If they are sharing equipment, is there an issue? And you are supposed to be livestreaming everything, so what, do you carry the camera and tripod outside? Where do you sit? Will you get internet service? If we don't, then what?
There are ENDLESS issues. Endless. We reached out to find out how to handle lockdown/evac/fire drills, only to find out that the ENTIRE DEPARTMENT in the state has been furloughed, so we literally have nobody to check with.
And SO much of this is being done by people with no real experience with health care or virology or anything... so much is learning-as-you-go, and that's brutal.
Not only is it a mess in terms of how to do it, but the health issue is a big, big issue.
Schools are massive, disgusting, underfunded, unclean petri dishes that bring together an entire community worth of illnesses. And in the end, a **** up can kill a kid or a family member at the school, and that's something nobody wants to do.
An anecdote... was in a meeting with the superintendent, board president, a 30 year board veteran, two teachers, two parents, the county health supervisor, and the head of custodial services... and in a moment of candor, the board president asked who in the meeting would send their own kids back. Keep in mind, this is a meeting of people who have spent hours and hours and hours on this since mid March... not one said they would. That's a bad sign.
Okay, let me go back to this meeting.
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Uh, school would happen... it just wouldn't be in person, just like a million other things. I don't have a single friend who has been in a large, in person meeting up here in the NY/NJ area since mid-March.
Scott Atlas being added to the covid task force is a great addition. Finally a doctor who will add perspective and acknowledge risks outside of the virus itself.
High school football and classes start in Kansas next week. At some point you have to draw a line in the sand. Kids are the demographic least affected. Pair that with 98% or more of all Americans can get it and recover just as easily as the flu. Kids can get it, will get it, will spread it. It’s just going to be the reality. 50% of school might be learning from text and knowledge from the teacher. The other half is socializing, sports, and exposure to different kids with different backgrounds. You go full zoom, the kids are missing out on 50% of learning in addition to not getting the full experience of in classroom learning from text and teacher.
On another covid note, it’s just crazy how the main stream media machine politicizes this thing. Compare and contrast what the anchors say covering mass protests with rioting and violence and the sturges bike rally. One votes blue, one votes red.
Covid is a well sophisticated and woke virus. It has the ability to impact certain demographics while intelligently choosing its victims according to the current political environment. First, it infected church and beach goers while not infecting peaceful rioters. Now it is magically infecting adolescents at a high rate at the same time as the back to school debate heats up.
I’ll never forget how giddy Pelosi was when the outbreak started. What a POS. I have hoped she would contract it ever since.
As I said, I don't know anything about Kansas... I'm in New Jersey
Things may be very different there.Kids may be the demographic least affected (although our understanding has been seriously impacted by national school closings), but they ARE affected, and as the five links I provided started to point out, they can be affected in long-term ways that we don't even quite understand fully yet.
But more importantly, kids aren't just about kids. Kids, and schools, create an intricate web through an entire community, connecting kids, parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers. As a teacher, I literally watch an illness work its way through my classroom every week or two. One kid will look unwell, and then be out the next two days. About two days after that, the kid or two on either side of that kid go out. Right when Patient Zero comes back, the rest of the table goes out. It happens, non-stop. The issue isn't just the kids; its about what the kids bring to school, and bring home, and to the entire community.
You say that kids will get it, will spread it. Of course. But the *numbers* that actually get it and spread it will be decided primarily by whether or not they go back to school. And this isn't forever... is *now* the time to draw the line in the sand, when fingers crossed we will have a vaccine sometime at the start of the new year, so it likely seems we'd only need to minimize danger for four or six months more, which seems worthy of discussion and consideration?
And trust me... I am well aware of what we sacrifice by going pure zoom
I've spent the last two decades with my entire self dedicated to school, and have never been as depressed or saddened as I am by the idea that, in a few weeks, I'll be standing in my classroom five minutes before picking up my homeroom at the outside lineup spot on the first day of school, taking my last mask-free breath for the next six hours and trying to figure out how the **** you indicate that you are smiling to a kid when you are wearing a mask and shield. As of now, I am thinking of doing a "thumbs up when you are smiling" routine, bc you cant really tell if someone is smiling with their eyes from six to ten feet away or online.I figure we likely won't find a ton of common ground on this issue, so we don't need to go back and forth. I'm happy to share what I've seen in my experiences, and hope all is well with you and yours.
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Doctors, nurses, police, fire fighters, healthcare providers, etc. all have worked through COVID. They are essential workers. They have been nervous, scared, anxious, etc. but they have done their job. They didn’t talk about not showing up. They didn’t talk about doing their job virtually. Why? Because they know what they do is essential.
Teachers are also essential. Quit being a huge pussy and go do your job in person. Make sure you are cautious by wearing a mask, cleaning your hands, don’t touch your face or any one of the other recommended things you can do to not get or spread COVID.
Oh, last and certainly not least, quit politicizing this whole thing.
Agree with Ghost. ^^^^^Part of the problem^^^^^As I said, I don't know anything about Kansas... I'm in New Jersey
Kids may be the demographic least affected (although our understanding has been seriously impacted by national school closings), but they ARE affected, and as the five links I provided started to point out, they can be affected in long-term ways that we don't even quite understand fully yet.
But more importantly, kids aren't just about kids. Kids, and schools, create an intricate web through an entire community, connecting kids, parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers. As a teacher, I literally watch an illness work its way through my classroom every week or two. One kid will look unwell, and then be out the next two days. About two days after that, the kid or two on either side of that kid go out. Right when Patient Zero comes back, the rest of the table goes out. It happens, non-stop. The issue isn't just the kids; its about what the kids bring to school, and bring home, and to the entire community.
You say that kids will get it, will spread it. Of course. But the *numbers* that actually get it and spread it will be decided primarily by whether or not they go back to school. And this isn't forever... is *now* the time to draw the line in the sand, when fingers crossed we will have a vaccine sometime at the start of the new year, so it likely seems we'd only need to minimize danger for four or six months more, which seems worthy of discussion and consideration?
And trust me... I am well aware of what we sacrifice by going pure zoom
I figure we likely won't find a ton of common ground on this issue, so we don't need to go back and forth. I'm happy to share what I've seen in my experiences, and hope all is well with you and yours.
Welp. My high school (actually the entire district) decided to go virtual learning for the first semester. Board meeting til midnight last night. Fvck me. Ugh.
Looks like we are past the peak of the southern and western outbreak. There has been a downward trend in deaths since the week ending July 18th. And we're finally seeing a significant drop in daily cases in 3 of the 4 hotspots. With Texas at least staying steady. Notice how when the HHS took over record keeping from the cdc, all of the sudden the hospital hysteria went away?
North Carolina is still cruising along. Fewer total deaths to date this year than last year, little over 1,000 people listed as covid hospitalizations. Not sure the number of people who are in the hospital because of covid. 119,000+ recovered with a little over 16,000 current cases according to NCHHS.
North Carolina is still cruising along. Fewer total deaths to date this year than last year, little over 1,000 people listed as covid hospitalizations. Not sure the number of people who are in the hospital because of covid. 119,000+ recovered with a little over 16,000 current cases according to NCHHS.
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What do you teach again? I know it’s high school, but don’t remember the specifics.
Why do you disagree with the decision? Are businesses having massive, in person meetings down there? I know that up here none of them are, there is no indoor dining, and so on, so some are confused why adults won’t meet in a room or eat for 30 minutes in a room, but schools will have five or six hour “meetings” where you can’t open a window and have HVAC systems from the 60s and nobody can leave... oh, and they will take off masks to eat.
You aren’t looking forward to it either way, I wager. What a shitty situation
. Gotta admit, I’d trade places with you... in person school basically means I can’t hug my mom, and she’s still in a tough place... nothing like losing your spouse of 45 years and then going into pandemic lockdown a couple of weeks later 
Btw, 8:06 AM, and about to start prepping for my 9:00 meeting for Buildings and Grounds. Nothing like endless volunteer meetings over the summer
. And our district just announced they would share the live-streaming and teaching info (we are all expected to be on camera the entire day, so kids at home, and parents obviously, can watch) at a Board meeting zoom, without showing the teachers first. Just not smart... last thing you want is to share something as huge and controversial as that in a public setting where people can ask questions... emailed the superintendent about maybe meeting and sharing with teaches beforehand, to avoid uncomfortable public arguing, but it’s tomorrow, so not much time. The idea of being on camera while I do my job all day is ****ing uncomfortable as hell.
The idea of being on camera all day while doing his job as a teacher makes him uncomfortable? That should make parents uncomfortable knowing that.
High school. Urban. Right up there w the Chicago public schools. Our kids need their teachers and coaches more than most. Missing almost an entire year is going to be awful for these kids.What do you teach again? I know it’s high school, but don’t remember the specifics.
Why do you disagree with the decision? Are businesses having massive, in person meetings down there? I know that up here none of them are, there is no indoor dining, and so on, so some are confused why adults won’t meet in a room or eat for 30 minutes in a room, but schools will have five or six hour “meetings” where you can’t open a window and have HVAC systems from the 60s and nobody can leave... oh, and they will take off masks to eat.
You aren’t looking forward to it either way, I wager. What a shitty situation
Btw, 8:06 AM, and about to start prepping for my 9:00 meeting for Buildings and Grounds. Nothing like endless volunteer meetings over the summer
So let me ask a hard question… What percent of it is educational, and what percent of it is social emotional?
Btw, what county are you in?
Peoria County. 50/50 honestly. Whereas my own children and their needs at their high-achieving school are probably 95/5. And, not all kids fit that bill, but the majority most definitely do.
Yup. What does he have to worry about? Don’t try and indoctrinate our kids and just teach what is supposed to be taught, and you’ll be fine.
What a weirdo. Seriously.
That sucks, and I'm sorry you've got to deal with this
Someday we have to figure out how to take some of this stuff off of the plates of teachers, same as we have to take so much off of the plates of cops... too often teachers and cops and so many others have to pick up the slack for weaknesses in our society.
Yup. That's why teachers are essential. Stop worrying about yourself and start worrying about the adverse impacts on children that depend on teachers/schools. As long as you practice your own safety (ie. masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing as much as possible, etc.) you should be fine.That sucks, and I'm sorry you've got to deal with this
Someday we have to figure out how to take some of this stuff off of the plates of teachers, same as we have to take so much off of the plates of cops... too often teachers and cops and so many others have to pick up the slack for weaknesses in our society.
Things are different in Kansas. Not all areas will have the same restrictions, nor will the people teaching have the same feelings about being in the classroom.As I said, I don't know anything about Kansas... I'm in New Jersey
Kids may be the demographic least affected (although our understanding has been seriously impacted by national school closings), but they ARE affected, and as the five links I provided started to point out, they can be affected in long-term ways that we don't even quite understand fully yet.
But more importantly, kids aren't just about kids. Kids, and schools, create an intricate web through an entire community, connecting kids, parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers. As a teacher, I literally watch an illness work its way through my classroom every week or two. One kid will look unwell, and then be out the next two days. About two days after that, the kid or two on either side of that kid go out. Right when Patient Zero comes back, the rest of the table goes out. It happens, non-stop. The issue isn't just the kids; its about what the kids bring to school, and bring home, and to the entire community.
You say that kids will get it, will spread it. Of course. But the *numbers* that actually get it and spread it will be decided primarily by whether or not they go back to school. And this isn't forever... is *now* the time to draw the line in the sand, when fingers crossed we will have a vaccine sometime at the start of the new year, so it likely seems we'd only need to minimize danger for four or six months more, which seems worthy of discussion and consideration?
And trust me... I am well aware of what we sacrifice by going pure zoom
I figure we likely won't find a ton of common ground on this issue, so we don't need to go back and forth. I'm happy to share what I've seen in my experiences, and hope all is well with you and yours.
You are correct that we don't know the long term affects of covid on anyone, including children. But you really have to balance the pro's and con's of sending kids back to school. I understand you taking the angles of kid's safety first b/c of the unknown affects down the road..but will you have the same stance when they start pressuring parents and kids to take a vaccine with no idea of long term affects? Thats where I disagree with remaining in a holding pattern for another half year. I'm certainly not an anti vaxxer. Both of my boys are vaccinated and I believe in them. But trusting a brand new vaccine that was absolutely rushed (at minimum by a figure of 4) and expecting that to be the savior from a virus that has a very low critical health/death rate in the first place, seems like a gamble more than starting school back up. I think the biggest factor will be the "scare" factor the media has driven. Parents will panic if their kid/s get it b/c they are bombarded with stories of the worst of the worst in the news. In actuality, it will almost always present with mild or undetectable symptoms. Think about that for a second.
Long opinion longer: I do have boys and my oldest is scheduled to start building blocks academy in Sept. I don't want him to be exposed if he hasn't been all ready, but I know its inevitable at some point. We are an active and healthy family and we take care of our bodies. Kids being kids will mitigate 90% of the safety measures being implemented both now and in the future. I'm a realist, so I know that as good as families have been on following guidelines, the majority do plenty of things that negate social distancing and isolation. Its just not rational to do this for months on end...or over a year as you suggested. Not for a virus that has an extremely low death rate.
Opinions can change. If horrible outbreaks occur and cause kids to be hospitalized, then you change your opinion. Day to day life can't continually be run on 'what ifs' at some point.
Coronaviruses have spread across the globe for a long time. The rhino virus (common cold) is a coronavirus. There has never been a cure or a successful vaccine for any of them. Why are we to believe that covid vaccines will do any better?
Just for useless knowledge, school board here allowed kids to pick virtual or in school for the first semester. They reported it was right at 50/50 split. Thought that was interesting.
They will provide meals for all students still, but you must pick it up at school.(churches and other volunteers have been/will deliver to the needy who cant go)
They will provide meals for all students still, but you must pick it up at school.(churches and other volunteers have been/will deliver to the needy who cant go)
I believe they have the same option here in Kansas, but no sports or activities for those that choose to zoom instead of in classroom.
Disagree. We just need to shelter in place. Lockdown everything. Nobody can go anywhere for 9 years. Good luck to those who haven't stocked up on groceries. WE NEED TO LOCK IT DOWN UNTIL THE VIRUS IS GONE!
I say head- head combat. Punch this virus where the sun don’t shine. That’ll show it who’s boss. Dang masks taking away our freedoms.
Man I say we just infiltrate this virus. Get Tom Cruise mission impossible style, cloaked in an American Flag (not kneeling like a damn commie) and just **** this virus up with some dang laser beams.
