What do you think school will be like in the fall? UPDATE page 29 for Mass.

Here's what the CDC says about children and transmitting COVID:





Not sure where people are getting the "children can't transmit" misinformation from.
I would think by now people would have enough common sense to simply realize this is a brand new virus we know very little about. Of course kids can probably transmit it. I don’t even need the CDC to tell us that. Even if they told us they couldn’t, why would anyone take that at face value anyway? It is a new virus. Scientists are just beginning to figure this thing out.
 
The district I work in has been sending us dates for back to school and other usual nights, supplies ordering deadlines, and our schedules for next year come out next week. Maybe then we’ll know what the heck we’re in for next year. Maybe not. Very little information has been said except what comes from the Governor’s office.

My district was hit hard and my husband is concerned about me bringing the virus into our home. I have been putting off a surgery, and am contemplating when to do it. What school looks like in fall will factor in.
 
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I actually like the idea of starting school in July—kids have been home for basically a summer break at this point anyway, and they could take a much longer winter break during the height of flu season. Kids need school. There are so many reasons why but bottom line is school is essential.
 
maybe this is a silly question but-have districts figured out a way to even provide all the extra disinfecting cleaners they will need? i ask b/c even when my kids went to school we were asked to help teachers out by sending tissue and clorox wipes. if people can't get ahold of wipes for their homes how will they send them to school? the hospitals complain they can't get enough despite amazon and all the producers funneling the bulk to them-so how will the schools aquire them?
 


maybe this is a silly question but-have districts figured out a way to even provide all the extra disinfecting cleaners they will need? i ask b/c even when my kids went to school we were asked to help teachers out by sending tissue and clorox wipes. if people can't get ahold of wipes for their homes how will they send them to school? the hospitals complain they can't get enough despite amazon and all the producers funneling the bulk to them-so how will the schools aquire them?

Nope. You can't buy Clorox Wipes anywhere. My principal is getting hand sanitizer from a neighbor who owns a brewery. The schools will be purchasing spray disinfectants to clean desks and other high touch surfaces. Teachers will be responsible for cleaning using the sprays because students are not allowed to touch the sprays.
 
I didn’t read the article you mentioned, but I think there is still a significant risk of transmission in schools. Since many scientists believe a very large portion of cases are being transmitted by asymptomatic carriers, this is very concerning to me. We simply don’t know whether we have the virus or not. Bringing millions of kids and adults together on a daily basis with the possibility of a large portion being asymptomatic is concerning to say the least.

The other concern is with the pediatric multi-inflammatory syndrome they are now seeing. While rare, it is still something that warrants concern. I wonder exactly how rare it might turn out to be or to find it is not rare at all when we send kids back to school. Will we see a large increase in cases as a result? We just don’t know.

‘I also know kids need to be in school and millions of kids rely on schools for stability, food, etc. which makes this all the harder to manage.
The whole thing is a nightmare and I certainly am glad that I am not the one who has to make these decisions and put plans into place which will inevitably upset a large portion of the population no matter what is decided.

There are going to be things we don't know. We're going to have to figure out how to move forward anyway.

But I do think your post points to one of the biggest challenges schools will face in the fall - you didn't read the article and aren't particularly interested in the developing science, but you believe what you believe and think the schools need to make their plans around a lot of what-ifs and fears without regard to what new information science might have to offer. I'm not saying that to pick on you, just to be clear - I'd say a third of the parents at our school fall into the same category, and they're not interested in hearing that the CDC and WHO now believe surfaces aren't a common means of transmission or in understanding just how rare the inflammatory syndrome is, and they're especially not comfortable with the idea of sending the kids back before we know everything there is to know about the virus and its potential after-effects. They're scared and there's really nothing that is going to make them not-scared when it comes to sending their precious children back to school. Schools are going to have to find a way to either overcome those fears (unlikely, in the current environment) or accommodate a significant minority of families continuing to opt-out of in-person classes while still expecting the school to provide an education to their kids.
 


The district I work in has been sending us dates for back to school and other usual nights, supplies ordering deadlines, and our schedules for next year come out next week. Maybe then we’ll know what the heck we’re in for next year. Maybe not. Very little information has been said except what comes from the Governor’s office.

My district was hit hard and my husband is concerned about me bringing the virus into our home. I have been putting off a surgery, and am contemplating when to do it. What school looks like in fall will factor in.
I need to have double knee replacement soon. I’ve got 5 to 7 pounds left to lose before I can schedule it. My plan was to do it over the summer as soon as school got out (6/5 for us), but I’m not too concerned if it takes me a little while longer to lose the weight. I may just have to miss the first few weeks of school in the fall.
 
There are going to be things we don't know. We're going to have to figure out how to move forward anyway.

But I do think your post points to one of the biggest challenges schools will face in the fall - you didn't read the article and aren't particularly interested in the developing science, but you believe what you believe and think the schools need to make their plans around a lot of what-ifs and fears without regard to what new information science might have to offer. I'm not saying that to pick on you, just to be clear - I'd say a third of the parents at our school fall into the same category, and they're not interested in hearing that the CDC and WHO now believe surfaces aren't a common means of transmission or in understanding just how rare the inflammatory syndrome is, and they're especially not comfortable with the idea of sending the kids back before we know everything there is to know about the virus and its potential after-effects. They're scared and there's really nothing that is going to make them not-scared when it comes to sending their precious children back to school. Schools are going to have to find a way to either overcome those fears (unlikely, in the current environment) or accommodate a significant minority of families continuing to opt-out of in-person classes while still expecting the school to provide an education to their kids.

I’m not the person you quoted, however, from a teacher/school standpoint, a major concern is the sue-happy world we live in.
I’m already concerned for the “what if” when my sinus/allergies kick in and I’m hacking and coughing and gagging due to drainage and end up called in the office and told I have to use days/go home/go to a dr because a student told their parent I was hacking and coughing and gagging and just have “the rona”.

Or what about the tensions and fights that will ensue when students are coughing like that scene in “the mask” and start going after each other? Or parents get involved in that ? “I don’t want my kid around student x because he’s coughing and might have “the rona”.

what if I’m not comfortable being the new part time janitor in between classes wiping down desks and sanitizing books and everything else? Just because cdc says it’s not transmitted through contact with items doesn’t mean that parents don’t still believe it is.

Heck never mind the personal preference, we are told we can’t use cleaning supplies or sprays or even air fresheners ourselves because it could cause a reaction in students and then we are liable.
 
I’m already concerned for the “what if” when my sinus/allergies kick in and I’m hacking and coughing and gagging due to drainage and end up called in the office and told I have to use days/go home/go to a dr because a student told their parent I was hacking and coughing and gagging and just have “the rona”.

don't be surprised if they make it a policy right out the gate-that's what my dd's employer has done. she went back to work 3 weeks ago in a place that mandates employees wear masks/public is not required. within a week my kid gets sick (coughing, sore throat) so their new policy kicks in-have to go home and get a covid test (soonest she could get was 3 days later), wait for results (another 2 days-negative, it's an upper respiratory 'thing') and then-only when all symptoms were gone could she call in and then wait another 72 hours before she could report in.

she's been off work going on 2 weeks b/c the original cough left but the air is full of pollen.
 
don't be surprised if they make it a policy right out the gate-that's what my dd's employer has done. she went back to work 3 weeks ago in a place that mandates employees wear masks/public is not required. within a week my kid gets sick (coughing, sore throat) so their new policy kicks in-have to go home and get a covid test (soonest she could get was 3 days later), wait for results (another 2 days-negative, it's an upper respiratory 'thing') and then-only when all symptoms were gone could she call in and then wait another 72 hours before she could report in.

she's been off work going on 2 weeks b/c the original cough left but the air is full of pollen.

Is that a school or just office work? (I’m getting at if she is gone, does someone else come in or does she just have an empty office/work from home?

With teachers we HAVE to have a sub, and then that makes me wonder, if someone even suspects “The rona” (sorry I just think it’s funny to call it that) would there even be a sub willing to expose themselves?

And would they also have to send a note home to all parents that it’s suspected someone has it and is being tested/quarantined?
 
Good news, maybe? Or at the very least, a reason to wait and see what happens from school reopenings elsewhere before making decisions about the fall? (Have to log in to read the full story, but if you create an account and back out of the payment step for the free trial, it will open).

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politic...kuuCN5t7PrGobE6WpAuTYXFEJejYQ8VVmtANqSag3EpXA

I’m not able to read the full article, but it looks like it was an extremely small sample, and it looks like it just tracked transmission to students and teachers, not those with whom students interact, such as family members. I’ll look to see if there’s an article that’s accessible.

ETA...Not ready to jump on the bandwagon yet:

The study mentioned in the article you found was from a month ago, very small, and not, at that time, peer reviewed. Also, the results may be misleading because most schools there at the time we’re experiencing extremely low attendance, and strict cleaning protocols had already been in place. You absolutely can’t say that this study “proves” kids don’t transmit the virus.

A bit more detail about the study:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...ays-study-cited-in-pms-push-to-reopen-schools

NYT article citing other studies with different conclusions:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ny...navirus-children-transmission-school.amp.html
 
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Is that a school or just office work? (I’m getting at if she is gone, does someone else come in or does she just have an empty office/work from home?

With teachers we HAVE to have a sub, and then that makes me wonder, if someone even suspects “The rona” (sorry I just think it’s funny to call it that) would there even be a sub willing to expose themselves?

And would they also have to send a note home to all parents that it’s suspected someone has it and is being tested/quarantined?

I don’t know about where you live, but here in CA, the schools are required to send notices home to every family in the classroom if a student contracted any form of communicable disease that isn’t just the usual cold. It’s supposed to be anonymous, but it’s not hard to notice a student being absent for a few days.

Technically, you’re not allowed to send a kid to school if they are showing any kind of symptoms. Of course, as we all know, many will drug their kid to mask symptoms. If a kid is suspected to have the virus, then that is because most likely the kid is showing symptoms and, therefore, should not be at school to begin with.

Especially with the current situation, I would hope schools and work places do notify everyone in the event of a positive case. Wouldn't YOU want to know if someone at work or your kid’s school was infected? (Of course keeping it as anonymous as possible).

Hopefully, we don’t have situations like what happened in the Pennsylvania state house.
 
I don’t know about where you live, but here in CA, the schools are required to send notices home to every family in the classroom if a student contracted any form of communicable disease that isn’t just the usual cold. It’s supposed to be anonymous, but it’s not hard to notice a student being absent for a few days.

Technically, you’re not allowed to send a kid to school if they are showing any kind of symptoms. Of course, as we all know, many will drug their kid to mask symptoms. If a kid is suspected to have the virus, then that is because most likely the kid is showing symptoms and, therefore, should not be at school to begin with.

Especially with the current situation, I would hope schools and work places do notify everyone in the event of a positive case. Wouldn't YOU want to know if someone at work or your kid’s school was infected? (Of course keeping it as anonymous as possible).

Hopefully, we don’t have situations like what happened in the Pennsylvania state house.

im not talking of true positives. If you read my post, it mentions hacking and coughing and gagging as a result of sinus/allergy issues.
 
well.....so far we have heard no break, so people don't travel and come back to school, a later start, and yes...likely online for some classes to cut back on larger groups. Would you still pay the almost $80K a year....thats if the area is safe enough, right now, not so much
 
im not talking of true positives. If you read my post, it mentions hacking and coughing and gagging as a result of sinus/allergy issues.

I also wasn’t only talking about true positives.

My wife who has allergies sometimes in the Spring takes Zyrtec. Maybe others can take an antihistamine before going to work/school if it’s causing issues?
 
I also wasn’t only talking about true positives.

My wife who has allergies sometimes in the Spring takes Zyrtec. Maybe others can take an antihistamine before going to work/school if it’s causing issues?

You clearly don’t even understand my point.
 
There are going to be things we don't know. We're going to have to figure out how to move forward anyway.

But I do think your post points to one of the biggest challenges schools will face in the fall - you didn't read the article and aren't particularly interested in the developing science, but you believe what you believe and think the schools need to make their plans around a lot of what-ifs and fears without regard to what new information science might have to offer. I'm not saying that to pick on you, just to be clear - I'd say a third of the parents at our school fall into the same category, and they're not interested in hearing that the CDC and WHO now believe surfaces aren't a common means of transmission or in understanding just how rare the inflammatory syndrome is, and they're especially not comfortable with the idea of sending the kids back before we know everything there is to know about the virus and its potential after-effects. They're scared and there's really nothing that is going to make them not-scared when it comes to sending their precious children back to school. Schools are going to have to find a way to either overcome those fears (unlikely, in the current environment) or accommodate a significant minority of families continuing to opt-out of in-person classes while still expecting the school to provide an education to their kids.
I agree we will have to move forward. I also am very interested in the developing science. For you to say I’m not because I didn’t read the whole article you choose to believe is correct does not mean I’m not interested.
I still stand by the fact that this is a brand new virus which we know very little about.
One small study means nothing. For every study that comes out there are two or three contradicting it. Schools are going to have to make some very large changes going forward. We all agree on that. Businesses are being required to follow social distancing guidelines for adults and are learning to adapt as we move forward. Schools will have to do the same. But we can’t say businesses have to meet the requirements for adults yet send kids back to school like nothing is different.

I know kids have to be in school....I work and have worked in schools for over 25 years. I was devastated when our schools had to close this year.

To require businesses to meet CDC guidelines before they are allowed to reopen, but sending kids back to school because it happens to be the start of a new school year without having figured all this out is irresponsible.
Like I said before, we don’t know how rare that inflammatory syndrome is. if you bring groups of kids together...some which may very well be asymptomatic, we may find it is not that rare after all, or it may very well continue to be rare. The point is...we simply don’t know.

We also do know this virus spreads more easily in close quarters. Classrooms are close quarters. You are talking 25-30 plus kids in a room all day together for six hours a day. I consider that close quarters.

Funding for schools is being cut as I type and and almost every district in this country is struggling to get by, never mind implement all these new protocols. Who is paying for these protocols? Schools can’t afford more buses to social distance kids on the way to school, they can’t afford the disinfectants that will be needed or the masks that may be required. Teachers and parents have been paying for tissues and wipes and hand sanitizers out of their own pockets for years already. They can’t afford new computers or supplies, etc. so kids don’t have to share.
Just the size of classrooms make it impossible to social distance. There is not enough floor space. With all the protocols to worry about, how are teachers even supposed to teach? Do people realize how a classroom even operates? Kids touch everything and they spread germs...everywhere.

All of these things are the new reality of what schools have to deal with. It is not me basing it on fear. This is the facts we are going to have to work with going forward. Without federal assistance, I don’t know how schools will implement all this effectively. I want kids back in school more than anybody. I am just not ready to see them go back like things are normal until these problems are addressed.

I sincerely hope schools across the country can figure these things out before the start of the new year. I’m just not convinced they have the resources needed for it to happen so quickly and safely and effectively.

One other thought on this is that I do think people feel differently based on where they may live. Where I live, I am hearing from lots of parents and teachers that they are very worried about September because we are “just not there yet” to send kids back. My state was hit hard (MA) and is re opening very slowly and cautiously. We still don’t have stores or restaurants open yet. Most people we know agree with this and would rather take the time to follow the science and data to get things going again.

Other states have pretty much reopened fully and people are more ‘ready’ to just get back to normal as quickly as possible. I do think that can play a big role in affecting peoples views on schools reopening.

It will certainly be interesting to see this all play out.
 
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The Governor of Georgia gave permission for in person summer school. I wonder if any of the school districts will give it a try to see how some of their plans for fall might work?

My local school district sent home a letter in every middle and high school report card that if you were not satisfied with how digital learning went, you could send your child to summer school. I am not sure how they plan to handle that if lots of parents respond in the affirmative. They usually have trouble staffing summer school as it is despite it paying $4000 for 2 weeks work.
 

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