Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[wombat_5606]

But that is a family decision and not the school's decision.

The note the family got said the school was making the decision that the mother and brother should continue working/attending the school.

I feel so bad for all families being put into these positions, especially when they are potentially being forced, in one manner or another, to take these risks.

 

[wombat_5606]

Of course it's ok. Bella was exposed but is not sick. She could not have made brother or mother sick. Brother and mother were not the ones exposed.

Now, if Bella were sick, THEN mother and brother are exposed.

They could be exposed before they know Bella is sick.

 

[monsterkitty]

Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations. If he is unable to perform his job responsibilities, he can contact the human resource department and inquire how to apply for an accommodation. This is the right way to go about it. If his doctors agree that he is at risk by being in the school, he should do this. Maybe he doesn't know. Consider suggesting this to him. He may reject this as an option, but at least he will be aware. It's much better than taking a leave of absence. Not many people can do that and still make ends meet.

It's too late for him to do this as we started school August 20 with kids. Teachers were given a deadline and the district HR department denied his request. He and the union asked for those reasonable requests and were told no. Teachers who were not able to go face to face due to health reasons, documented by their doctors, were told to teach or quit. They were not granting leave of absence to anyone.

Very few people who requested the online teaching positions were granted that position. For example, we have a teacher who is pregnant. Her DH was med school when they found out she was pregnant. The university pulled him from rotations and had him go to remote care so that his wife would be safe. At the beginning of this year the online requests were at 300 students on a Friday but jumped to 1,500 the following Tuesday. She requested to go online. Her request was denied and they took another teacher from our school who DID NOT want to teach online and transferred her to that position. There are many cases such as this.

The teacher who left this spot had enough years in so that he could retire, but was hoping to go two more so that he could then go on Medicare at 65. He is terrified at what will happen to health care before he turns 65.

 

[rjb123]

You see, hearing this bothers me. I handle the social emotional needs of my kids. I want a school to cover content. I homeschool now, but I’m also a teacher. I’m keenly aware of instructional days and I’ve got content to cover! Felt this way when I was in the classroom as well. There is so much to get done and so much to learn. I never want to waste a minute.

Agreed. Having schools do SEL is insane. This is the job of the PARENT. Teachers need to teach content, period. If a child is having issues with SEL then they need to be referred to DSS and assigned a social worker to handle this issue.

 

[Hikergirl]

It shouldn't be done to the point that academics are suffering, that's for sure. But I've seen it done well at the high school level, and it's helped a lot of kids understand how to handle stress before it gets overwhelming. We all feel stressed at some point, so it's pretty useful info, IMO. Especially over the past few seasons!

That's for sure!
Unfortunately my school district isn't one I would consider doing things well overall, so I don't have a whole lot of faith in this year.
We've talked to my ds about what we expect from this school year, and that if he isn't getting the education we feel he needs at this point we will be looking for an alternative. I am hoping it doesn't come to that, as I don't want him to lose the 15 college credits he'll be graduating with this year. It saves a semester tuition for him.

I do feel a little better after overhearing some stuff today, but it's just the beginning of the year, and we have a month and a half of online before they have the option of returning to in class instruction.
Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[SamFaniam]

Agreed. Having schools do SEL is insane. This is the job of the PARENT. Teachers need to teach content, period. If a child is having issues with SEL then they need to be referred to DSS and assigned a social worker to handle this issue.

Like many issues, this is one of the things that has become part of the job of schools. Whether is should be or not, is debatable, but it has already happened. There are not enough social workers to go around as it is.

 

[momz]

It's too late for him to do this as we started school August 20 with kids. Teachers were given a deadline and the district HR department denied his request. He and the union asked for those reasonable requests and were told no. Teachers who were not able to go face to face due to health reasons, documented by their doctors, were told to teach or quit. They were not granting leave of absence to anyone.

Very few people who requested the online teaching positions were granted that position. For example, we have a teacher who is pregnant. Her DH was med school when they found out she was pregnant. The university pulled him from rotations and had him go to remote care so that his wife would be safe. At the beginning of this year the online requests were at 300 students on a Friday but jumped to 1,500 the following Tuesday. She requested to go online. Her request was denied and they took another teacher from our school who DID NOT want to teach online and transferred her to that position. There are many cases such as this.

The teacher who left this spot had enough years in so that he could retire, but was hoping to go two more so that he could then go on Medicare at 65. He is terrified at what will happen to health care before he turns 65.

I see. I am assuming the individuals you are referring to don't qualify as being disabled. What a difficult position to be in. Difficult decisions to make. I'm sorry.

Reading through these comments makes me even more happy with my decision to withdraw our son from his high school and enroll in an online school. The teachers are under such extreme stress and the expectations are beyond what is reasonable. A teacher is just that, and educator. Yet they are expected to be so much more for the students in their classrooms. Public health enforcement officer, social worker, emotional therapist, nurse, the list goes on and on.

 

[etoiles]

But, if Bella's school is assuming she spent more than 15 minutes in close contact with the positive student (were they masked? OP doesn't say.), then Bella's mother and brother are just as likely to have more than 15 minutes in close contact with Bella. So, until it is definitively determined that Bella is not a positive, they should be QT. Because if Bella did get infected, she is going to be able to infect her mother and brother before and if she ever shows any symptoms.

If you wait to find out that Bella is infected, it's too late for Bella's mother and brother, thus too late for their close contacts at their schools.

Most spread is occurring at home with family members and extended family members.

Now if Bella lived alone and stopped at the grocery store on her way home, then the cashier does not need to be QTd.

yes, this was her concern. They were not told who the positive student was so it could be someone they sit next to in class but it could be a lunch mate. Who knows? Plus they eat snack in their classroom. Otherwise they wear masks. It’s a young elementary student so no, she’s not going to quarantine in her room by herself the whole time. I am not sure what she decided to do. Just seemed like it could spread this way.

 

[lanejudy]

The note the family got said the school was making the decision that the mother and brother should continue working/attending the school.

Because that is the school’s official position; mom and brother were not identified as close contacts, therefore the school doesn’t require them to quarantine (and the school isn’t obligated to pay the parent to stay home without using PTO). It now becomes a family decision how to manage the child’s quarantine and who stays home with the child. (Maybe Bella’s parents are divorced and she will quarantine at dad’s home - not exposing mom and brother.)

 

[etoiles]

Because that is the school’s official position; mom and brother were not identified as close contacts, therefore the school doesn’t require them to quarantine (and the school isn’t obligated to pay the parent to stay home without using PTO). It now becomes a family decision how to manage the child’s quarantine and who stays home with the child. (Maybe Bella’s parents are divorced and she will quarantine at dad’s home - not exposing mom and brother.)

No, dad is the primary earner. Mom was a SAHM and recently went part time during school hours. I’m not sure what was decided.

 

[unrequited23]

I would rather my elementary age kids do SEL than active shooter drills, just sayin'.

 

[lanejudy]

No, dad is the primary earner. Mom was a SAHM and recently went part time during school hours. I’m not sure what was decided.

But my point is another child in the same situation may have a different family life. You don’t really expect schools to be determining family dynamics and schedules, do you? That’s over-reaching. Therefore the school officially quarantines only the student(s) identified as “close contact” and allows each family to decide how to manage the impact at home.

 

[lorimay]

Just a rant today, LOL

We are distance learning here in South Florida, I have my grandkids this morning and geez I haven't done this is years.
I made then get up and get ready like they are leaving for school, they didn't like it, LOL
They complain way less when they leave and go to school IMO.
I know they're safer here, so I will go with the flow and gladly pass them back to their Mom & Dad this evening and stick to picking them up for fun things instead.

 

[Colleen27]

But my point is another child in the same situation may have a different family life. You don’t really expect schools to be determining family dynamics and schedules, do you? That’s over-reaching. Therefore the school officially quarantines only the student(s) identified as “close contact” and allows each family to decide how to manage the impact at home.

It is interesting to see how schools around me are responding to their first positives because for the most part they aren't even attempting this sort of targeted isolation. Three schools in my area are now closed for two weeks because each had a single positive case, and another is reportedly considering it after learning of their first positive yesterday. And the district a friend lives in is now 100% remote for the rest of the marking period - so until November - because of 11 cases out of a student population of about 700. I kind of feel like if these were the standards they were going to use, it would have been more honest and less disruptive to families to not bother reopening in-person at all, because if they close down completely for weeks (or longer) every time there is a positive case, there isn't going to be anything even vaguely resembling continuity of education until the majority of the population is vaccinated. But they reopened with detailed definitions of "close contact" and standards for who has to be quarantined... that they don't appear to be using at all.

 

[mom2rtk]

It is interesting to see how schools around me are responding to their first positives because for the most part they aren't even attempting this sort of targeted isolation. Three schools in my area are now closed for two weeks because each had a single positive case, and another is reportedly considering it after learning of their first positive yesterday. And the district a friend lives in is now 100% remote for the rest of the marking period - so until November - because of 11 cases out of a student population of about 700. I kind of feel like if these were the standards they were going to use, it would have been more honest and less disruptive to families to not bother reopening in-person at all, because if they close down completely for weeks (or longer) every time there is a positive case, there isn't going to be anything even vaguely resembling continuity of education until the majority of the population is vaccinated. But they reopened with detailed definitions of "close contact" and standards for who has to be quarantined... that they don't appear to be using at all.

Definitely. I don't get why they bothered.

 

[amylevan]

Definitely. I don't get why they bothered.

Yep. 2 confirmed cases at our HS yesterday. The HS is closed for 1 week for cleaning.

2 cases. We’ve been open 2.5 weeks. I was under the impression that we’ve now determined that surfaces are unlikely to be the main cause of spread. If so, quarantine the cases and close contact and get on with school. We’re hybrid, so shouldn’t at least the opposite cohort be able to continue? (Unless they were from 2 different cohorts, I don’t know.)

 

[Colleen27]

Yep. 2 confirmed cases at our HS yesterday. The HS is closed for 1 week for cleaning.

2 cases. We’ve been open 2.5 weeks. I was under the impression that we’ve now determined that surfaces are unlikely to be the main cause of spread. If so, quarantine the cases and close contact and get on with school. We’re hybrid, so shouldn’t at least the opposite cohort be able to continue? (Unless they were from 2 different cohorts, I don’t know.)

That's what the CDC says, but I think a lot of the school guidelines/policies were written before that was well settled. Our state and school requirements specify surface cleaning frequency, among other things, as well as closure of high-touch facilities like drinking fountains and the elimination of shared equipment like balls in gym class.

 

[SamFaniam]

That's what the CDC says, but I think a lot of the school guidelines/policies were written before that was well settled. Our state and school requirements specify surface cleaning frequency, among other things, as well as closure of high-touch facilities like drinking fountains and the elimination of shared equipment like balls in gym class.

I think the other concern with schools might be that surfaces are not touched briefly. Students sit at desks for a long period of time.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's what the CDC says, but I think a lot of the school guidelines/policies were written before that was well settled. Our state and school requirements specify surface cleaning frequency, among other things, as well as closure of high-touch facilities like drinking fountains and the elimination of shared equipment like balls in gym class.

I think a lot of the focus on touch transmission is because there's more they can actually do in that arena. And it looks impressive to have people wiping stuff all the time. It's much harder to sanitize the air.

 

[amylevan]

That's what the CDC says, but I think a lot of the school guidelines/policies were written before that was well settled. Our state and school requirements specify surface cleaning frequency, among other things, as well as closure of high-touch facilities like drinking fountains and the elimination of shared equipment like balls in gym class.

That’s just it. We already have closed water fountains, extensive cleaning of surfaces, no sharing of equipment, (don’t get me started on my 6th grader’s class of 6 that isn’t even allowed to play 4-square at recess because it uses 1 ball in a class that spends 7 hours together in the same classroom...), hybrid schedule, no changing of classes 8th grade and below.

If we are doing all of that and we’re still going to shut down for every positive case, why did we even go back? Surely they realized we weren’t going to be 100% Covid free?