Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[MookieMonstah]

1 minute ago, naptownskinsfan said:

I also think we should just cancel the fall sports now.  It sucks, because I love football at all levels, but with the amount of testing that needs to happen, it's just not going to work.  

Right now, I'd rather focus on getting the kids in class and having all of the extra help that they might need, before we start throwing sports into things.  

Agreed. I heard an interesting proposal to move Spring sports to Fall as they just happen to involve way less contact (except Lacrosse) and move Fall sports to Spring but yeah I agree. It's just hard to take a Seniors last season away. A lot of kids spend years looking forward to it.

[MookieMonstah]

Just now, naptownskinsfan said:

What about the numbers of kids who were left out from distance learning in the area that you are working on policy for?  In my county, it's 3500 kids.  I know each case is different, and as you said in the post above this, it's nearly impossible to figure this out.  And we've had a lot of time to look at it, and most schools are 1-2 months from returning. 

My school had about 25% of our students not have consistent internet connection. It was definitely an issue.

[naptownskinsfan]

Just now, MookieMonstah said:

Agreed. I heard an interesting proposal to move Spring sports to Fall as they just happen to involve way less contact (except Lacrosse) and move Fall sports to Spring but yeah I agree. It's just hard to take a Seniors last season away. A lot of kids spend years looking forward to it.

Trust me, I know, I was a senior on the golf team and that meant a lot to me, as were the other groups- music and drama- that I did as well.  

I could see moving those sports around, but even baseball is having a hard time getting things off the ground in MLB right now.  I just don't think most of the school districts are going to have the ability to get the needed testing. 

[MookieMonstah]

1 minute ago, naptownskinsfan said:

Trust me, I know, I was a senior on the golf team and that meant a lot to me, as were the other groups- music and drama- that I did as well.  

I could see moving those sports around, but even baseball is having a hard time getting things off the ground in MLB right now.  I just don't think most of the school districts are going to have the ability to get the needed testing. 

Yeah, its a terrible reality. I know my Track seniors last year were devastated.

[vikesfan89]

What's to stop schools from implementing face masks as part of the uniform? I imagine it would be impossible to enforce and a lot of people would be worked up about but any option they go with is going to have people bitching

[MookieMonstah]

1 hour ago, vikesfan89 said:

What's to stop schools from implementing face masks as part of the uniform? I imagine it would be impossible to enforce and a lot of people would be worked up about but any option they go with is going to have people bitching

I would imagine most schools will mandate masks but last year I saw a kid try to start a fist fight with a teacher over wearing a hat in the hallway, so I absolutely can’t wait to see how this goes.

[bucsfan333]

Yeah. Uniforms aren't a thing around here. And with how stupidily divided adults are about facemasks, could you imagine trying to force kids to wear them? For six straight hours?

School cafeterias are a whole 'nother mess of sitting an inch apart from everyone. Without masks, because how tf are you gonna eat? And kids are gross anyway. 

Forcing schools to open now is an evil publicity stunt that's just gonna kill more people. And really test the idea that young'ns don't ever die from Covid-19.

On top of school faculty and (grand)parents of every student.

[SwAg]

2 hours ago, naptownskinsfan said:

What about the numbers of kids who were left out from distance learning in the area that you are working on policy for?  In my county, it's 3500 kids.  I know each case is different, and as you said in the post above this, it's nearly impossible to figure this out.  And we've had a lot of time to look at it, and most schools are 1-2 months from returning. 

It will depend on the situation.  For the most part, they are doing one of two things: foregoing ideal safety standards in anticipation of limited issues or a liability shield (hope for the best), or hybrid re-open pending developments.  Both have their own set of issues, which is why it’s important for the DoE and Congress to give us something if they don’t want every jurisdiction doing something different (something does not include threats of withholding funding, because that’s not helpful in devising a plan to re-open).

The first is exactly what it sounds like, and the issue is that it’s not safe.  Class and classroom size make social distancing difficult, and forcing everyone to wear a mask correctly is futile.  But, they will have substantially increased sanitation.  Some are considering staggering arrivals and departures with a condensed schedule due to a lack of class switching.  Then it’s simply “business as usual,” until practical reality puts it into a tailspin.  I’m not optimistic on this one because a handful of cases will be enough to shut it down because it risks infecting the entire community.

The other option is safer, but the liability issues remain, which is a hybrid model with distance learning and limited attendance where unavoidable.  Many of the schools that I am dealing with have purchased laptops and/or tablets for their entire student base, K-12 to be used for the distance learning, where some of the students return to school to use necessary facilities (Internet, etc.) while under social distancing and mask requirements, and supervised by essentially a proctor.  Some have even explored expanding access to remote learning by providing Internet adapters for the individual laptops and tablets (essentially providing a data plan for students without internet access at home).

Right now there is a reprieve on IEPs due to the suddenness of the pandemic, but with the hybrid model, it would be necessary to start addressing IEP concerns and evolving to reflect our current situation.

The critical issue is that there is going to be a discrepancy in the education provided under these circumstances, along with the availability of it all, which is where the legal issue of what constitutes an “appropriate” education during a pandemic where most instruction is remote... and the discrepancy between an IEP student and non-IEP student.  And we don’t have those answers, and we won’t have those answers until there is some new law, or people start suing and judges set precedent under existing law.

Edited July 11, 2020 by SwAg

[bucsfan333]

2 minutes ago, SwAg said:

It will depend on the situation.  For the most part, they are doing one of two things: foregoing ideal safety standards in anticipation of limited issues or a liability shield (hope for the best), or hybrid re-open pending developments.  Both have their own set of issues, which is why it’s important for the DoE and Congress to give us something if they don’t want every jurisdiction doing something different (something does not include threats of withholding funding, because that’s not helpful in devising a plan to re-open).

The first is exactly what it sounds like, and the issue is that it’s not safe.  Class and classroom size make social distancing difficult, and forcing everyone to wear a mask correctly is futile.  But, they will have substantially increased sanitation.  Some are considering staggering arrivals and departures with a condensed schedule due to a lack of class switching.  Then it’s simply “business as usual,” until practical reality puts it into a tailspin.  I’m not optimistic on this one because a handful of cases will be enough to shut it down because it risks infecting the entire community.

The other option that is safer, but the liability issues remain, which is a hybrid model with distance learning and limited attendance where unavoidable.  Many of the schools that I am dealing with have purchased laptops and/or tablets for their entire student base, K-12 to be used for the distance learning where some of the students return to school to use necessary facilities (Internet, etc.) while under social distancing and mask requirements, and supervised by essentially a proctor.  Some have even explored expanding access to remote learning by providing Internet adapters for the individual laptops and tablets (essentially providing a data plan for students without internet access at home).

Right now there is a reprieve on IEPs due to the suddenness of the pandemic, but with the hybrid model, it would be necessary to start addressing IEP concerns and evolving to reflect our current situation.

The critical issue is that there is going to be a discrepancy in the education provided under these circumstances, along with the availability of it all, which is where the legal issue of what constitutes an “appropriate” education during a pandemic where most instruction is remote... and the discrepancy between an IEP student and non-IEP student.  And we don’t have those answers, and we won’t have those answers until there is some new law, or people start suing and judges set precedent under existing law.

I mean. In this scenario, wealthy areas will continue to get good educations while poor areas won't. Which is how it's drawn up.

[SwAg]

4 minutes ago, bucsfan333 said:

I mean. In this scenario, wealthy areas will continue to get good educations while poor areas won't. Which is how it's drawn up.

Yeah, I know.  One of the good things that I hope will come from the pandemic is a bright light being cast upon the education discrepancies and opportunities to lead to some genuine reform.  We are trending that way on a lot of issues at present, so I am optimistic in that regard.

Edited July 11, 2020 by SwAg

[bucsfan333]

7 minutes ago, SwAg said:

Yeah, I know.  One of the good things that I hope will come from the pandemic is a bright light being cast upon the education discrepancies and opportunities to lead to some genuine reform.  We are trending that way on a lot of issues at present, so I am optimistic in that regard.

Would be ideal.

[MWil23]

6 hours ago, SwAg said:

Yeah, I know.  One of the good things that I hope will come from the pandemic is a bright light being cast upon the education discrepancies and opportunities to lead to some genuine reform.  We are trending that way on a lot of issues at present, so I am optimistic in that regard.

I wish I shared your optimism, but when the state cuts hundreds of millions of dollars from the education budget, adds more stipulations in the same breath, and says “Schools will figure it out, because they always find a way to do so” (exact quote), that’s not exactly inspiring confidence.

We are $23 trillion in debt, haven’t been able to approach addressing healthcare and education systematic deficiencies, and our military spending is more than the next 15 countries combined. It’s comical.

[MWil23]

Additionally, your point on IEP’s is 100% spot on. Throw in other issues like free/reduced lunch, how staggered schedules are innately unintentionally discriminatory against those with lower SES factors for parents who have both parents working on site jobs or 2nd/3rd shift, those who have small children who can’t stay at home and care for themselves, building capacity issues/class size issues that make social distancing models impossible (we couldn’t pass a bond issue levy before this, let alone now in our community, and we are a failed renewal levy away from an Armageddon scenario), and teachers/staff who are at risk, the issue of substitute shortages...it’s a nightmare and things need to change in the DoE and specific state levels as well.

[MWil23]

Here’s what my district is doing:

Level 1-2: Face to face, no changes (desk sanitation between periods, face coverings on busses, no visitors, assemblies, or field trips whatsoever)

Level 3: M/Th: Students last names A-L, T/F student last names M-Z, W No Students, teachers report and building sanitation 

Level 4: Remote learning 14-28 days 
 

We are also pretending we are going to have athletics, even though that’s obviously not happening. We will waste everyone’s time until mid August when they inevitably cancel the season after weeks of practice for everyone.

[vikesfan89]

7 hours ago, bucsfan333 said:

Yeah. Uniforms aren't a thing around here. And with how stupidily divided adults are about facemasks, could you imagine trying to force kids to wear them? For six straight hours?

School cafeterias are a whole 'nother mess of sitting an inch apart from everyone. Without masks, because how tf are you gonna eat? And kids are gross anyway. 

Forcing schools to open now is an evil publicity stunt that's just gonna kill more people. And really test the idea that young'ns don't ever die from Covid-19.

On top of school faculty and (grand)parents of every student.

It sounds like they will be eating in the classroom