Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[kandb]

This exactly! We are spending all this time trying to make opening schools safe. But once the virus gets going and students and teachers get sick, the schools will close. We’ll move back to remote learning with little preparation. I’ve been saying this to my school’s admin since June, but they are so hell bent on in person learning that it’s falling on deaf ears.

I’m just going to protect myself the best I can with PPE, make the kids in my room wear masks at all times, disinfect my room regularly, wash my hands constantly and pray I don’t get sick. When the school closes, I’ll do distance learning the best I can. This year is not going to be normal, and there’s no way we can make it so.

I don't think parents would have been that against remote learning if the first round since March went better. EVERY parent I have spoke to did not have anything positive to say about the effort the teachers put in. We had 1 teacher who went online every other day but most didn't teach. My son actually had 1 teacher (English) that never went online in 3 months! Sorry, that's not acceptable. Most teachers went on for around 20 minutes twice a week. Kids can't learn that way. I have to say, the high school was the worst, my son in Middle School had a decent experience with remote learning and the teachers taught. High school was a huge disappointment.

 

[SaintsManiac]

All our classrooms in our schools have windows for fresh air to be brought in

That sounds awesome for you, but that isn’t the case where I live. There isn’t a one size fits all solution.

 

[kandb]

My classroom had no windows and would get over 90 degrees on warm days and 100 on hot days. Basically, if it was above 80 outside, it was 90 in my room.


How can schools follow safe precautions like medical professionals when many schools aren't even requiring students to wear masks? Thankfully my old district is requiring masks for everyone and if a parent doesn't agree then they go 100% remote. If student refuses to put the mask on or wear it correctly they get sent home.

I agree, no masks, they cannot be allowed into school.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

No. But I would if I had kids.

 

[motherof5]

I work in the early education field and with our regions child care programs. There have been several child care programs that in-spite of following the COVID19 safety protocols have had to close because a child has come into the program with the virus. One child care provider is in the hospital with it and her adult pregnant daughter expecting twins in the next month is sick with CoVid - quite ill but still at home. All the families in the program are having to deal with their child care program closing, testing and quarantining. The provider will have to pay for a deep clean (a shave the other child care programs that have experienced exposure) as well as hospital expenses once she recovers. Praying that she will. Reopening schools and child comes with significant risks and school systems shouldn’t dismiss those risks just because young children don’t spread the infection as much as adults.

I want my child to go back to school safely. Parents in my town even started a go fund me to raise money to provide the teachers with what they need. We are currently split at 50/50 of teachers and students who want to go back versus those who want virtual. Most likely schools are talking about going back with a hybird model. If 50% of students and teachers don't feel safe going back and are given the option of 100% virtual. So then why can't the remaining be in school full time when classes are already cut down more then they were originally planning for. Those who want to stay home have the option but we are not being given the option of 100% in school. Parents are being told to be educators and put their careers on hold. We are going backwards in society. My husband can work from home but he has to actually work, not sit by our 1st grader to make sure he knows how to navigate his lessons. He also doesn't have the expertise the teachers have to properly teach a child. I'm a nurse and nurse's don't have a flexible schedule. So I need to decide if I should work or educate my children. This is a lose/lose situation. I'm not the only one feeling this way. I want my children to be safe and we as parents are willing to help the schools financially with providing the equipment needed. Our PTO has raised lots of money and have offered to buy what school needs. The first step is opening the schools so our children can grow academically and socially. This can not be done virtually and that has been proven in the past 4 months of school.

We also live in a small town. One size doesn't fit all but that is what is being applied to opening of schools.

 

[JM23457]

I don't think parents would have been that against remote learning if the first round since March went better. EVERY parent I have spoke to did not have anything positive to say about the effort the teachers put in.

That is not necessarily the teachers' fault in every case. My district wouldn't allow us teachers to teach online lessons, or even to create our own assignments to give to our students based on their needs. They wanted everything to be standardized & review-level only, to avoid "widening learning gaps" between students, because they were already aware of the fact that some students can learn well online while others can't. I assume that they thought this situation wouldn't last as long as it has, as obviously such non-teaching is unsustainable. This fall they will have us teach actual lessons online.

I was completely against non-teaching, but as a teacher I had no choice or voice & had to comply with district policy. I could have been fired for doing anything besides pushing out the district-created review-material slide decks to my students.

 

[motherof5]

That is not necessarily the teachers' fault in every case. My district wouldn't allow us teachers to teach online lessons, or even to create our own assignments to give to our students based on their needs. They wanted everything to be standardized & review-level only, to avoid "widening learning gaps" between students, because they were already aware of the fact that some students can learn well online while others can't. I assume that they thought this situation wouldn't last as long as it has, as obviously such non-teaching is unsustainable. This fall they will have us teach actual lessons online.

I was completely against non-teaching, but as a teacher I had no choice or voice & had to comply with district policy. I could have been fired for doing anything besides pushing out the district-created review-material slide decks to my students.

You sound like a good teacher. I have 5 kids in school and only 2 received a education during the virtual learning. 1 child met with their teacher virtually 15 minutes a week with the class. 15 minutes! What could they possible learn. Nothing! They were read a story and said hi to each other. And this was 3rd grade. The teacher then assigned work and parents were told to work on it with them, but not to worry they wouldn't be graded. This isn't learning. Another child of mine is behind on reading and writing. I had to beg for help. He is still 1 grade behind. Now if we continue this virtual learning, I have to watch my child suffer academically? We are weighing our children's mental health versus physical health, when both can be met. We have had more than 5 months to prepare and get school ready to have children back in the building safely. This should be assessed on individual bases of schools and towns. We have small schools and some classes with less than a dozen kids. Yet everyone is going by a one size fits all approach.

 

[JM23457]

If 50% of students and teachers don't feel safe going back and are given the option of 100% virtual. So then why can't the remaining be in school full time when classes are already cut down more then they were originally planning for.

This. I'm a teacher & at my district the numbers are also about 50/50. I don't get why the school can't just open at the beginning of the year for that 50%, and teach the other 50% online.

Instead, our district along with others in our city, is going to be virtual for the first 3 weeks, which can (& probably will) be extended up to 8 weeks. But at that point in-person classes will need to resume re the state education agency's rules.

Why muddle the first quarter & force a huge transition in the fall, when 50/50 is probably what we'll do the rest of the year, anyway? It would be more effective to just use that model from the get go.

There is so much denial & wishful thinking, it seems, that if we just keep waiting and holding back, this situation will resolve itself. It won't.

 

[dvcgirl67]

As you pointed out, the students had parties that were maskless. Schools are NOT going to allow that and they are going to take temperature checks. The group you just pointed out that are ill, had neither of those done!

Ok, well, in my experience, teens aren't exactly compliant all of the time. And they are not easy to keep apart. They "clump" together. They test boundaries. And they'll do the same in that environment, especially when adult eyes aren't on them. The slightly older members of their generation are largely responsible for spreading the virus nationally right now, certainly in the sun belt.

 

[motherof5]

This. I'm a teacher & at my district the numbers are also about 50/50. I don't get why the school can't just open at the beginning of the year for that 50%, and teach the other 50% online.

Instead, our district along with others in our city, is going to be virtual for the first 3 weeks, which can (& probably will) be extended up to 8 weeks. But at that point in-person classes will need to resume re the state teacher agency's rules.

Why muddle the first quarter & force a huge transition in the fall, when 50/50 is probably what we'll do the rest of the year, anyway? It would be more effective to just use that model from the get go.

There is so much denial & wishful thinking, it seems, that if we just keep waiting, this situation will resolve itself. It won't.

I completely agree. We fear virtual learning will not be successful and the constant change in schedule isn't one that parents can have and maintain their jobs. Children are also being negatively affected emotionally and socially.

 

[Renarr]

In my area, the county Health Department forced everybody's hand and determined that it was not safe to open schools for in-person learning, even though a supermajority of families had indicated that they wanted in-school learning on a survey conducted two weeks ago.

 

[motherof5]

In my area, the county Health Department forced everybody's hand and determined that it was not safe to open schools for in-person learning, even though a supermajority of families had indicated that they wanted in-school learning on a survey conducted two weeks ago.

I was hoping the surveys would help determine who wanted to go back to school so they could see how to make accomodations. Doesn't seem like they are listening to parents.

 

[HeatherC]

All our classrooms in our schools have windows for fresh air to be brought in

I wish ours did. The high school here is the worst. And the ac and heat only work on the first floor really.

‘My daughter also teaches in another district and her classroom last year was minuscule with over 30 kids and no windows. They also were required to keep their doors closed for safety all day. Her heat and ac were broke all the time and would take weeks to fix before it broke again. It was miserable. Unfortunately, I think there are actually a lot of schools like this....old buildings and falling apart due to no money to fix.

 

[Renarr]

I was hoping the surveys would help determine who wanted to go back to school so they could see how to make accomodations. Doesn't seem like they are listening to parents.

The district that I work for certainly seemed like it was pushing hard for a hybrid option, but they can't override the Health Department.

 

[mjkacmom]

Come move to NJ, the teachers make $100K+ and they don't want to go back to work. My thoughts on teachers not wanting to go back to work, is to compare yourselves to nurses, cashiers and thousands of grocery stores/home depot workers etc. MANY worked thru the pandemic with precautions. Precautions and guidelines are being offered for the schools BUT the teachers still don't want to return. They have been getting full pay since March, many not even having to do anything. I don't hear medical workers/store employees/restaurant employees complaining like they are!

I know some NJ teachers who put in way more hours teaching from home since March, and most teachers don’t make $100,000+ those that do are older and will probably retire. Healthcare workers are less likely than most to contract covid because they have adequate PPE and know how to use it. Store workers aren‘t exposed to an infected person for literally hours a day, 5 days a week. Children are much more likely to be asymptotic. Heck our local MVC closed after being open only a week.

 

[KittyKitty]

I live in a suburb. New teachers get $52K starting salary. Rent for 1 bedroom is $2000+, 2 bedroom houses go for $400K( I'm always shocked at prices on Fixer Upper. I want to move there!)

After reading this thread I came to realize we all have struggles on education this year. Lots of decisions on what is safest for students/teachers/parents/family. Do students attend school, and hope they don't get sick/exposed? Do students study at home and maybe not get the same quality of education?
One thing I know, is that (cue the music) our Country is in it together. Maybe this next year won't be the best learning year, but the whole country will be in the same boat. Heck the whole world.
We all want our children to have the best education while the EVIL Covid (what I call it) is active.

It sucks, but we will learn from it, whatever that is.

 

[mjkacmom]

I was hoping the surveys would help determine who wanted to go back to school so they could see how to make accomodations. Doesn't seem like they are listening to parents.

Many parents are basing their options on needing childcare.

 

[motherof5]

Many parents are basing their options on needing childcare.

I disagree. We want what is best for our children socially and academically. I don't need a babysitter. If virtual learning was successful I wouldn't have been so opposed to it. Teachers state they want to teach not die. What makes it more dangerous for them versus other essential workers? Education is essential not a luxury.

 

[mjkacmom]

I disagree. We want what is best for our children socially and academically. I don't need a babysitter. If virtual learning was successful I wouldn't have been so opposed to it. Teachers state they want to teach not die. What makes it more dangerous for them versus other essential workers? Education is essential not a luxury.

I answered that above. Teachers had one week to completely switch to online. My daughter’s college professors had the same issue, it wasn’t great, one of her professors never even used canvas before and was way overdue for retirement. I paid $15,000 for the semester (because she has a scholarship, others paid more). Plans are for a hybrid between in person and online, I’m guessing it will be 100% online. Parents are so upset that their kids haven’t been socializing, so they are okay with them socializing in school, but won’t let them socialize at home? Makes sense. Many kids are in school 100% online.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I also think many parents are projecting their feelings about this. I know I was doing that until I realized that my kid could not care less whether she goes in person or not.

This year will be a blip on the radar for most kids. I went to 4 different high schools in 4 different states, sometimes moving in January. Then I was out of my senior year for 4 months due to knee surgery. It didn't scar me for life emotionally.

Kids missed entire academic years after hurricane Katrina.

It's going to be ok in the long run. Everyone will get through this.