Children Going Back To School This Fall

[TomFitz]

I guess Trump finally figured out that his re-election prospects face a real threat if schools don’t open in the Fall.

He politicized it right away!

 

[TomFitz]

Really? You honestly don’t think parents worry about the health issue.

You think it’s all collecting government money? What money does the government offer to keep school age children home?

None that I am aware of.

Perhaps you can explain it to me in more detail. Since I know of no government “cheese “ parents can receive by keeping school age children home from school.

Please explain...I am serious.

The thing about “government cheese” is an old right wing trope that goes all the way back to Ronald Reagan.

Don’t pay any attention to it. Anyone who thinks that every family with children ISN’T thinking about this, is a fool.

Speaking of fools, it appears that this just occurred to Trump.

 

[Josie]

From a teacher's perspective here.....

We're worried about many things. We're worried that if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread to the children. We're worried that if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread among the teachers. We're worried if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread to parents and grandparents.

But we're also worried that our IEP kids haven't a proper education in months. We're worried that our emotionally traumatized students have been more traumatized. We're worried that our students whose parents don't give a damn about their education have done absolutely nothing the past several months and will be even further behind than they were before. We're worried that our students who come from abusive homes have been trapped inside with their abusers for months. We're worried about our students not getting enough to eat and never hearing positive words of affirmation. We're worried about those kids who always hate going home. We're worried about those kids whose only happy place is school.

So ... yeah. We're worried too, but about more than you might think.

 

[goldkam]

I’m not sure what that looks like, or even how to manage it.

Also bear in mind the definition of “essential workers”.

Right now, the working poor and the gig economy are the boots on the ground here. That’s why the infection rates are so much higher in the African American and Hispanic communities.

“Adopted across the country” suggests the presence of some sort of national policy. But the US does not have a national school system, and the right wing is always fighting the idea.

Ordinarily, in the face of the biggest crisis that public education has faced in 100 years, one might think that there might be some guidance, or show of leadership in the Department of Education.

But this is the Trump Administration.

In my view essential workers are essential to respond to the health crisis. Obviously this ignores essential workers for the economy, which is everyone with a job, however the likelihood is they are able to utilise technology to perform their work. An office worker can telecommute to work, a nurse can not.

A national policy can be adopted across the country, despite a state-based school system. Australia is a perfect example of a state-based school system but with a nationally advised and negotiated policy around schools, with adjustments made for each states circumstances.

I agree. The Trump administration has showed no leadership on this issue. He wants kids back to school but has no plan nor willingness to assist with this process. Tells everyone what to do but has not idea how to do it or the implications of these actions.

 

[tres borrachos]

I guess Trump finally figured out that his re-election prospects face a real threat if schools don’t open in the Fall.

He politicized it right away!

I think Trump needs to stop demanding that the schools reopen and stop getting involved in the international students in college horse****. It has nothing to do with him. The school districts have the say here, not him. The colleges have the say, not him. His opinion is not relevant.

My kids all go off to their colleges next month, assuming all of their colleges will be open to welcome them back. I don't know how I feel about it.

 

[snakestretcher]

This is Trump... he needs schools open, so he can have people working, for the hope of an economy he can run on for a 2nd term.

If a few people are killed along the way, including kids, Trump and his “pro-life” supporters will cheer anyway.

Of course they will; for conservatives it's all about profit/loss and cost/benefit ratios. Sadly the cost here is people's lives for limited benefit. Poor or dead? I choose poor.

 

[VySky]

Really? You honestly don’t think parents worry about the health issue.

You think it’s all collecting government money? What money does the government offer to keep school age children home?

None that I am aware of.

Perhaps you can explain it to me in more detail. Since I know of no government “cheese “ parents can receive by keeping school age children home from school.

Please explain...I am serious.

Let me connect the dots. Parent HAS TO STAY HOME from work because kids can’t go to school. Then in comes Federal $$$$ (cheese) like last time to stay home. Wow, a blind man can see that connection

 

[TomFitz]

From a teacher's perspective here.....

We're worried about many things. We're worried that if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread to the children. We're worried that if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread among the teachers. We're worried if we go back in the fall, the sickness will spread to parents and grandparents.

But we're also worried that our IEP kids haven't a proper education in months. We're worried that our emotionally traumatized students have been more traumatized. We're worried that our students whose parents don't give a damn about their education have done absolutely nothing the past several months and will be even further behind than they were before. We're worried that our students who come from abusive homes have been trapped inside with their abusers for months. We're worried about our students not getting enough to eat and never hearing positive words of affirmation. We're worried about those kids who always hate going home. We're worried about those kids whose only happy place is school.

So ... yeah. We're worried too, but about more than you might think.

I know a lot of teachers and administrators.All the points you raise have been the constant topic of discussion for months.

 

[TomFitz]

Let me connect the dots. Parent HAS TO STAY HOME from work because kids can’t go to school. Then in comes Federal $$$$ (cheese) like last time to stay home. Wow, a blind man can see that connection

Yeah, and only a blind man dismisses all the relevant factors so he can cling to an old right wing trope about people just trying to get government money.

 

[Phys251]

One simple question: Would you risk sending your child or grandchild going back to public schools this fall with the current numbers being reported, and the risk of becoming infected/carriers Yes or No? Why, or why not?

If ever this were grounds for a strike, this is it.

Teachers are people too. A physically safe working environment is a right, and forcing teachers to go to work in a physically dangerous environment such as schools during a pandemic violates that right.

There is no good solution to this. America had a chance to manage this pandemic, and we blew it. We're going to have to make hard choices such as delaying the start of the school year by a couple of months and teaching from home yet again.

 

[Logician Man]

If ever this were grounds for a strike, this is it.

Teachers are people too. A physically safe working environment is a right, and forcing teachers to go to work in a physically dangerous environment such as schools during a pandemic violates that right.

There is no good solution to this. America had a chance to manage this pandemic, and we blew it. We're going to have to make hard choices such as delaying the start of the school year by a couple of months and teaching from home yet again.

Yeah, Phys. Just one huge mess on every level. Of course, my kids are grown, but I also have teenage grand kids, and 4 and 6 year old great-grand kids. We've all seen what happened when we had our test run with re-opening bars, eating establishments, etc. I'm no expert, but the results of that test tells me it's just going to be a bad outcome. No easy answers for sure. My 2 teenage grand daughters will be going back, if/when schools open in August. Scares the hell out of me, for all parties involved. And I'm sitting here listening to a Mayor from Arizona who says hospitals will soon have to start turning people away because of no beds, and staff shortages. Florida and Texas not far behind in doing the same. And now Pence is on TV lying and mimimalizing the whole damn thing. *sigh*

 

[Airyaman]

Our kids have all tested positive for the virus, so hopefully, that means they're immune.

COVID-19 antibodies may fade in as little as 2 months, study says - ABC News

 

[mrjurrs]

COVID-19 antibodies may fade in as little as 2 months, study says - ABC News

The study is the source, not ABC. Gotta link?

 

[CaughtInThe]

Five bucks says that a bunch of the tough talking conservatives supporting Trump's plan to reopen schools will have their wives overrule them and keep their kids home.

 

[upsideguy]

Given the current numbers being reported? Absolutely. So long as your child has no underlying conditions, there's probably more risk associated with getting kids to and from school than there is from COVID.

that actually is not true. In fact, to put this in perspective, statistically speaking, a drunk driver is less of a threat than a person not wearing mask in public.

The ultimate risk, however, is about the spread, not necessarily directly to the child in school. When we have a transmission rate of greater than 1 to 1, we have spread. Your child could get it from another child, give it you and you give it to your elderly parent before you even know you have it. This is a deadly matter, and not only death, but there are a large number of survivors that will never be the same... not to mention that an extended hospital stay could cost you a lot of money.

That is not an argument against returning to school, but just don't go so far as to suggest that driving to and from school is the greater risk. It is not. You need to fully embrace the magnitude of the risk before you can make an intelligent call as to whether returning to school this fall is appropriate. I don't think you have yet grasped the real risk here.

COVID-19 antibodies may fade in as little as 2 months, study says - ABC News

There is much we do not know about CoVid..... too many people just ASSUME that once you have it you are immune. There is no real evidence that tells us that is the case. The good news here is that time is on our side. If we can slow transmission, we have time to study this and truly understand the correct course. Without real knowledge, we are flying blind into battle.

 

[avatar]

The study is the source, not ABC. Gotta link?

Sure. You go to the ABC article, read down to about the second paragraph and click on the words "a new study" in blue. OK?

 

[Airyaman]

The study is the source, not ABC. Gotta link?

It's in the article.

Clinical and immunological assessment of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections | Nature Medicine

 

[Taylor]

that actually is not true. In fact, to put this in perspective, statistically speaking, a drunk driver is less of a threat than a person not wearing mask in public.

Of course it's true. Hundreds of kids die each year on their way to and from school, while 10's of thousands are injured.

The ultimate risk, however, is about the spread, not necessarily directly to the child in school. When we have a transmission rate of greater than 1 to 1, we have spread. Your child could get it from another child, give it you and you give it to your elderly parent before you even know you have it. This is a deadly matter, and not only death, but there are a large number of survivors that will never be the same... not to mention that an extended hospital stay could cost you a lot of money.

That is not an argument against returning to school, but just don't go so far as to suggest that driving to and from school is the greater risk. It is not. You need to fully embrace the magnitude of the risk before you can make an intelligent call as to whether returning to school this fall is appropriate. I don't think you have yet grasped the real risk here.

There is much we do not know about CoVid..... too many people just ASSUME that once you have it you are immune. There is no real evidence that tells us that is the case. The good news here is that time is on our side. If we can slow transmission, we have time to study this and truly understand the correct course. Without real knowledge, we are flying blind into battle.

At this point, the idea that children are a significant "silent spreaders" has pretty much been debunked. Yes, there's still much to learn, but we do know that children are much less susceptible, and the majority of the evidence suggests that they are much less likely to pass it on to others.

 

[RAMOSS]

Our kids have all tested positive for the virus, so hopefully, that means they're immune.

Only a small portion of people keep antibodies for any length of time.

 

[molten_dragon]

One simple question: Would you risk sending your child or grandchild going back to public schools this fall with the current numbers being reported, and the risk of becoming infected/carriers Yes or No? Why, or why not?

Yes, I'll be sending my daughter back to school this fall if I'm allowed to. Distance learning was an abject failure.

 

[KevinKohler]

While there is indeed risk to kids, I am also concerned with the risks the kids propagate to those they further come in contact with outside school.

At a certain point, that will no longer hold water. Folks who are at risk know who they are, and need to act accordingly, instead of expecting all the rest of the world to uproot and change to suit their needs.

 

[Rexedgar]

Florida, Texas and Arizona seemed to have opened a little too early.

It’s not safe for Manafort and Cohen to stay in jail. But kids need to return to school?

I’m not getting the logic behind this pressure.

Now CDC advice is “too restrictive.”

Mixed messages ‘R’ us!

 

[d0gbreath]

I don't know what to do. Seemingly, no one else does either. When all of the students go back to school, the virus is going to bloom to epic proportions. I'm pretty sure of that.

 

[upsideguy]

Of course it's true. Hundreds of kids die each year on their way to and from school, while 10's of thousands are injured.


At this point, the idea that children are a significant "silent spreaders" has pretty much been debunked. Yes, there's still much to learn, but we do know that children are much less susceptible, and the majority of the evidence suggests that they are much less likely to pass it on to others.

It has? If that is your assertion, let's see the evidence. I ran a Google search of "children are not silent spreaders"..... I came up with ONE British Medical Article that seems to agree with one, only one..... everything else on the search "not silent spreaders" said they very much are, and could be reasonable for as much as 1/2 of the existing cases. One article of many is not a debunking.... so, if you wish to make the assertion that it has been debunked, kindly produce compelling proof that is so (or we can assume its not, as it defies conventional wisdom and general sense of how viruses get spread).

Children are not silent spreaders - Google Search

Hundreds of school children killed pales in comparison to the deadly impact of this virus, so no you first statement is far from true.

I think you have your head in the sand as to seriousness of this pandemic.

 

[minnie616]

Let me connect the dots. Parent HAS TO STAY HOME from work because kids can’t go to school. Then in comes Federal $$$$ (cheese) like last time to stay home. Wow, a blind man can see that connection

That only happened when schools were closed during stay home stay safe and most parents did not qualify anyway.
If public schools are open a parent will not qualify.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out.