GRAND OPENING - GRAND CLOSING (Florida)

[TLSnell1981]

Our pediatrician says there is very little illness in general right now since kids are staying home. Once they are together I feel like it’s going to spread quickly and I think they do, too. Whomever opens first will be the guinea pigs, ugh. The AAP even walked back their stance a little a few days ago when it was being taken the wrong way. I don’t think anyone disagrees about the benefits of kids returning to school...but it has to be safe and I feel like when schools open we are going to learn even more about this disease...

(Coming from a teacher and parent)

Our pediatrician and many others have a different opinion. Although they do believe precautions should be in place.

Reposting this for you since you apparently didn't see it when I posted it a few days ago.

One family gathering of 24 people in NC ended up infecting 14 family members.

From there, Covid so far has spread to at least 41 different people, in 9 different families, and 8 different workplaces, all in 16 days. It's likely increased since then.

Also, one of the infected was a child, who then infected two grandparents and another elderly neighbor of a grandparent.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article244147427.html

I saw your post.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Our pediatrician and many others have a different opinion. Although they do believe precautions should be in place.

I saw your post.

I see you ignored my post, because it doesn't fit your agenda. That's my reality. You're misinformed.

 

[TLSnell1981]

That’s just absolutely false. Nevermind that my daughter teaches seniors so I’m not talking about young children. But, since children seem to suffer from fewer symptoms, they are much more likely to be super spreaders. Just because you haven’t personally seen it really means nothing. Experts tell us that they believe a great many cases are spread by asymptomatic people.

If you’ve ever worked in a school, especially with older kids, you know that
“encouraging” washing hands really isn’t a thing that will work. You can’t be in the bathrooms monitoring their handwashing and being in a community made up of a great many parents who still believe it’s a hoax makes it even more difficult.

Of course kids can be taught how to use good hygiene. Can't follow them into the bathrooms....provide hand sanitizer. Where there is a will there's a way. If you can't teach a child to wash their hands...think you may have bigger issues.

"Experts" believe? Does that mean nothing too? Although "experts" often disagree.

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/07/08/peds.2020-004879


https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...atricians-call-for-in-person-school-this-fall

 

[godisney14]

Even all doctors don’t always agree. That’s the beauty of getting a second medical opinion.
It may be from geographic bias, but none of my peds friends in CA, including my child’s own ped, would have sent their kids into school full time (if there was even an option).
As I mentioned before, the AAP’s recommendation did not solicit input or survey member doctors. The board just made a decision.

 

[sets14]

Of course kids can be taught how to use good hygiene. Can't follow them into the bathrooms....provide hand sanitizer. Where there is a will there's a way. If you can't teach a child to wash their hands...think you may have bigger issues.

"Experts" believe? Does that mean nothing too? Although "experts" often disagree.

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/07/08/peds.2020-004879


https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...atricians-call-for-in-person-school-this-fall

Where there is a will there is a way....no. Where there is adequate funding, leadership willing to base decisions on science, and people willing to make the sacrifices for others safety, there is a way.

In order for schools to open SAFELY there is no margin for error when it comes to safety precautions. That is just not possible when dealing with a system comprised of hundreds, if not thousands of individuals- kids, adults or a mix of both. Schools are like no other business in how they operate, the physical proximity to large numbers of people, the infrastructure, the transportation. If companies (with their funding, adults who should know how to behave, space, etc) can’t yet find ways to bring all of their employees back to work, why do we expect schools to just be able to open?

 

[onatrek]

““We were notified by the health department, by public health, that two children in our toddler program who are related tested positive for COVID through contact tracing,” said Susan Gilmore, the center’s CEO, adding, “these are kids that never would have been tested. They were asymptomatic, went through the check-in every morning, taking their temperature.”“

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investig...ases-reported-in-california-daycares/2326813/

 

[TLSnell1981]

Where there is a will there is a way....no. Where there is adequate funding, leadership willing to base decisions on science, and people willing to make the sacrifices for others safety, there is a way.

In order for schools to open SAFELY there is no margin for error when it comes to safety precautions. That is just not possible when dealing with a system comprised of hundreds, if not thousands of individuals- kids, adults or a mix of both. Schools are like no other business in how they operate, the physical proximity to large numbers of people, the infrastructure, the transportation. If companies (with their funding, adults who should know how to behave, space, etc) can’t yet find ways to bring all of their employees back to work, why do we expect schools to just be able to open?

Kids need to be in school for social, emotional and academic reasons. Your school board and local leaders should be held accountable. They need to make it happen because it's their job. We are living in unprecedented times. Teachers also need to step up. I keep hearing "we're all in this together" mantra. These schools need to quit saying can't and do it. It's happening for others.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Kids need to be in school for social, emotional and academic reasons. Your school board and local leaders should be held accountable. They need to make it happen because it's their job. We are living in unprecedented times. Teachers also need to step up. I keep hearing "we're all in this together" mantra. These schools need to quit saying can't and do it. It's happening for others.

Do you also think that the school board & local leaders who send the kids back to school & cause more people to contract Covid-19 or possibly die should be held accountable for those illnesses &/or deaths?

 

[Carlob]

School districts can't make it happen. They don't have the money or resources to due so. I just went to a meeting with my daughters school district. They simply do not have the space or money to properly social distance every student. Also many teachers are refusing to work at the school. Also it was brought up that social and emotional learning would not be achieved in in-person learning since they would not be allowed to interactive with other students as they did in the past. Teachers would not be allowed to come within 6 feet of students. There would be no group work or social gatherings. No talking in the hallways. No talking when eating lunch, since talking spreads the virus.

 

[godisney14]

It's legit nuts, all of it. Georgia Governor saying no city or town can mandate masks. Texas Governor also out today saying that Texas isn't shutting down. Florida, well, we all know what they're doing. Deaths are starting the predictable rise, and yet, there's been no shut down to really flatten the curve. And from the administration today...."The Science should not stand in the way of schools re-opening". Got it. Awesome.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-governor-sues-atlanta-mayor-city-council-over-mask-mandate
Well, Georgia governor has pretty much done the unthinkable. A person in charge of the public actually suing a local government (city of Atlanta) for overstepping orders by mandating masks.
This is a new reality.

 

[anthony2k7]

But that doesn't seem to be the norm. At least that's what the pediatricians are reporting.

Kids are more likely asymptomatic so how would pediatricians even know if kids are spreaders or not?

 

[anthony2k7]

I hear CDC removed its dashboard of data?

They (gov) really are trying for the most epic cover-up ever arent they!

Makes China's handling of all this look good.

 

[cakebaker]

5 points to Gryffindor.



They have to come up with new ways to seat them, new ways to feed them, new ways to bus them, and new ways to move them in and out. It can be done, but getting it done in 3 months is a tall order. And unfortunately the kids most vulnerable, those in high school, are usually going to bigger schools with more kids. We have to completely 180 the way schools do business. All in 3 months. That's a very tough ask.

They also have to have the funds to do all that, and they don’t. We have some schools that start here in less than 3 weeks, not 3 months.

 

[cakebaker]

Kids need to be in school for social, emotional and academic reasons. Your school board and local leaders should be held accountable. They need to make it happen because it's their job. We are living in unprecedented times. Teachers also need to step up. I keep hearing "we're all in this together" mantra. These schools need to quit saying can't and do it. It's happening for others.

Just exactly how is it teachers would “ step up”? Our schools need money to implement safety protocols. They can’t just magically make it happen. Our schools are not locally funded. They are funded but the state and federal governments.

Telling schools to just do it isn’t really realistic. And just telling kids to wash their hands won’t cut it either. They both need more than a pep talk.

Btw, my grandson is homeschooled. His mother is a former teacher and quit full time teaching to do it. She was teaching part time as a substitute, but won’t be this year because she has underlying conditions and can’t risk it. Count her as one who won’t step up and volunteer to die because our govt demands it. He is not denied emotional and social support because of it other than the lack of socialization this pandemic demands. Parents are the ones who need to step up. There are ways to fill that void until this virus is under control. It just takes effort.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Kids need to be in school for social, emotional and academic reasons. Your school board and local leaders should be held accountable. They need to make it happen because it's their job. We are living in unprecedented times. Teachers also need to step up. I keep hearing "we're all in this together" mantra. These schools need to quit saying can't and do it. It's happening for others.

it’s easier said than done. To follow the CDC regulations of spacing kids apart you need to have available clsssrooms. I work at a small parochial school and in order to do this we will be losing most of our “specials” classrooms- such as library and music room. We are lucky that we have just enough classrooms to be able to do this. Many schools just do not have the physical space to do this. Grade2 and up will be wearing masks, younger kids will be wearing face shields. We are purchasing disinfectant digger machines especially for cleaning PK and K classrooms since there are so many toys. Lunch will be eaten in classroom with cafeteria staff making deliveries. We are doing all this with the plan to open 5 full days a week. But we know that this can change on a dime Right now NJ is in a good spot but this can all be scrapped to online if out numbers climb again

 

[HeatherC]

Kids need to be in school for social, emotional and academic reasons. Your school board and local leaders should be held accountable. They need to make it happen because it's their job. We are living in unprecedented times. Teachers also need to step up. I keep hearing "we're all in this together" mantra. These schools need to quit saying can't and do it. It's happening for others.

You seem to have all the answers on what schools and teachers should do. When is the last time you worked at a school?

‘Everyone wants kids back in school. But we want them there safely. And we are not there yet. Schools don’t have the funding or the staffing. Simple as that. To say it is their job to make it happen is ridiculous and just shows you obviously have no idea how a school operates.

Summer schools, day cares and camps are seeing increased cases and having to shut things down. Now multiply that by millions of school kids going back. It is not safe the way things stand right now.

I personally would rather we all, as a country, delayed the start of school by six months and everyone wore masks and stayed home as much as possible. Yes...that stinks. But it would knock this virus way down and then maybe we could talk about opening schools safely. We are simply not there right now.

 

[cakebaker]

You seem to have all the answers on what schools and teachers should do. When is the last time you worked at a school?

It's pretty easy to tell someone to step up when you aren't doing the stepping, isn't it?

 

[dvcgirl67]

You seem to have all the answers on what schools and teachers should do. When is the last time you worked at a school?

‘Everyone wants kids back in school. But we want them there safely. And we are not there yet. Schools don’t have the funding or the staffing. Simple as that. To say it is their job to make it happen is ridiculous and just shows you obviously have no idea how a school operates.

Summer schools, day cares and camps are seeing increased cases and having to shut things down. Now multiply that by millions of school kids going back. It is not safe the way things stand right now.

I personally would rather we all, as a country, delayed the start of school by six months and everyone wore masks and stayed home as much as possible. Yes...that stinks. But it would knock this virus way down and then maybe we could talk about opening schools safely. We are simply not there right now.

Agree. Unfortunately, we as a nation have no coordinated plan. And so we forfeited the possibility of a successful nation-wide opening of schools. It'll be exactly what we're seeing now, but even more granular. Not just state by state, but town by town and district by district. We're seeing it already here in NJ. Our governor has put out "guidelines" for schools, but it is leaving it up to the towns/districts to open.

The wealthier districts in our county are offering up a menu of options like online instruction, a hybrid option of some in-person and some online...etc. The district in my town has to accommodate a large hispanic population where all of the parents work...all of the time. Those kids are going back, that's all there is to it.

The town where I grew up, about 45 minutes south of me, is a very large district and I'm hearing from friends it's utter chaos. Staggered arrival and departure times, kids staying in one room all day with teachers rotating in and out, alternate days....just a nightmare. In my current town, there was an "outdoor graduation ceremony" scheduled for last week. It was cancelled when *one* kid tested positive. What happens when they put them all inside, in an older building with a lousy ventilation system? It will be more chaos.

 

[anthony2k7]

Are the daily FL numbers out yet?

 

[CarolAnn856]

I don't know anyone who contracted the virus after exposure from someone who didn't have symptoms. Basically the scenario you are facing....exposure to someone who was exposed. Not saying it isn't possible but what we have experienced.

Do you mean people you know personally? Who cares? I don’t even know anyone personally that has had the virus, but that doesn’t preclude me from reading/watching the news and knowing that people are passing it asymptomatically all over the place.