Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #93

[10ofRods]

One would think at this point that people would realize their grossly hypocritical actions would end up being called out. It baffles me that this guy is trying to defend himself. CA teachers union president who led school closure charge seen dropping daughter off at in-person preschool

Preschools have been open in most counties for quite some time, partly due to the research that shows reduced classroom size alone seems to keep COVID at bay in preschools. The real reason is that COVID doesn't get down into the lungs of most small children (99.999% or something like that) and so, they can't transmit it very well. Or at all.

That's a very different thing than opening public schools K-12 (attendance in K-12 is compulsory). It would probably have worked to have more K-2 open, except that parents were reluctant to send kids back - and in fact, it remains to be seen what will happen with the new California plan, announced today (to have K-2 open by end of March).

The teachers' union represents all teachers, but many of us were in real world teaching situations throughout this pandemic. Some of us did use childcare, available in various ways. Many kids went back to school in November or December, but the unions have been against mandatory in classroom work for all teachers. Where that was tried (Orange County), large numbers of teachers resigned.

It's been a lot to deal with. Today is the first day of open vaccination for teachers - with Pfizer, it's about 6 weeks until strong immunity, with Moderna, it's almost the same, with both vaccines apparently providing additional immunity at the 8 week mark.

Anyway, our union leaders did what we wanted them to do, overwhelmingly teachers responded to q'naires and polls saying they didn't to risk their lives unless all the issues were fixed (starting with ventilation and smaller class sizes). Now, we will also have vaccines - and non-teaching personnel should be able to get them, as well, so that bus drivers and cafeteria workers will be safe.

 

[mickey2942]

I don't understand why schools in California are not open, schools in Montana have been able to stay open, with staggered classroom dates, rotation, plexiglass barriers. It has been a bit rocky, with some weeks off from Thanksgiving until after Christmas. It will be almost a full year soon, that children in California have not been in school.

I have friends in California who have school age children, and they have had to come back to work. "Telework Flexibility", only lasts so long, there are tasks that require people to come to work...it has been an endless struggle for them. Frustrating for everyone.

Why can't teachers be issued N-95 masks? I wear one 8 hours a day. Yes, it is stifling. Yes, it is hard. I still wear it, and go to work. I have been issued seven. A clean one every day.

 

[nightowl1975]

Preschools have been open in most counties for quite some time, partly due to the research that shows reduced classroom size alone seems to keep COVID at bay in preschools. The real reason is that COVID doesn't get down into the lungs of most small children (99.999% or something like that) and so, they can't transmit it very well. Or at all.

That's a very different thing than opening public schools K-12 (attendance in K-12 is compulsory). It would probably have worked to have more K-2 open, except that parents were reluctant to send kids back - and in fact, it remains to be seen what will happen with the new California plan, announced today (to have K-2 open by end of March).

The teachers' union represents all teachers, but many of us were in real world teaching situations throughout this pandemic. Some of us did use childcare, available in various ways. Many kids went back to school in November or December, but the unions have been against mandatory in classroom work for all teachers. Where that was tried (Orange County), large numbers of teachers resigned.

It's been a lot to deal with. Today is the first day of open vaccination for teachers - with Pfizer, it's about 6 weeks until strong immunity, with Moderna, it's almost the same, with both vaccines apparently providing additional immunity at the 8 week mark.

Anyway, our union leaders did what we wanted them to do, overwhelmingly teachers responded to q'naires and polls saying they didn't to risk their lives unless all the issues were fixed (starting with ventilation and smaller class sizes). Now, we will also have vaccines - and non-teaching personnel should be able to get them, as well, so that bus drivers and cafeteria workers will be safe.

As a healthcare professional who has worked since day one of this virus hitting US soil, I just can’t grasp the concept that many teachers seem to have that they should receive full pay and benefits without having to actually go to work. It just boggles my mind.

I also didn’t want to risk my life to go to work, but I need to work to provide for my family. I wonder how long it would take for teachers as a whole to get past their fear if they stopped getting paid. There are very real, devastating, long-lasting consequences for children being out of the classroom for a solid year, many with no apparent end in sight.

My children have been in person, five days a week, at both the middle and high school level since August. The cases within the school have been FAR lower than the cases within the community this entire time.

I also find it fascinating that some of the most vocal opponents screaming how “unsafe” teaching in the classroom is right now are the very ones I see out and about on social media in restaurants, going to rallies or protests, attending church and sporting events, etc. Not to be cynical, but at some point along the way, it became glaringly obvious that many simply want to “work from home” while galavanting all over the place.... just not to work. It’s ridiculous. I don’t know a soul in the medical community with an ounce of respect for any educators still declaring they just cannot possibly go back to work.

 

[nightowl1975]

He certainly should have considered the optics and realized he would be called out. I’m not sure I would call what he did “grossly hypocritical” though. He make a good point in his explanation. Still, bad optics and he should have refrained from taking his child to preschool until public schools were open just to avoid this kind of criticism which borders on faux outrage IMO.

"There are major differences in running a small preschool and a 10,000 student public school district in terms of size, facilities, public health guidance and services that legally have to be provided," Meyer added. "We all want a safe return to school. The Berkeley Federation of Teachers is excited that Berkeley Unified will be reopening soon with a plan, supported by our members and the district, to get our students back in classrooms starting later this month."

CA teachers union president who led school closure charge seen dropping daughter off at in-person preschool

<modsnip> Our school district is nearly four times this size, and our covid numbers have been VERY manageable with ZERO deaths among faculty or students. Even more telling is the fact that once adequate contact tracing is completed among positives attending in-person school, guess what they are NOT seeing? Transmission at school.

He acts like they cram all 10,000 students into one classroom. Give me a break.

The research has shown and continues to show that schools can be safely reopened with basic precautions in place... and vaccines aren’t even a necessary requirement to re-open. That’s coming straight from the very top. <modsnip>


Community, Work, and School




“Access to vaccination should not be considered a condition for reopening schools for in-person instruction.”

 

[LadyL]

Manitoba

Indigenous, Black, Filipino people disproportionately affected by COVID-19: report

 

[SouthAussie]

There are very real, devastating, long-lasting consequences for children being out of the classroom for a solid year, many with no apparent end in sight.

Have any US children been out of school for a full year? By requirement. (Not speaking of the ones whose parents have chosen to home school them.)

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Archdiocese calls Johnson & Johnson vaccine 'morally compromised' due to abortion ties

The Archdiocese of New Orleans is warning local Roman Catholics that the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine is "morally compromised" and should be avoided, if possible, in favor of other vaccines because of a connection to abortion.

 

[LadyL]

High Staff Turnover at U.S. Nursing Homes Poses Risks for Residents’ Care

 

[Cool Cats]

<modsnip> Our school district is nearly four times this size, and our covid numbers have been VERY manageable with ZERO deaths among faculty or students. Even more telling is the fact that once adequate contact tracing is completed among positives attending in-person school, guess what they are NOT seeing? Transmission at school.

He acts like they cram all 10,000 students into one classroom. Give me a break.

The research has shown and continues to show that schools can be safely reopened with basic precautions in place... and vaccines aren’t even a necessary requirement to re-open. That’s coming straight from the very top. <modsnip>


Community, Work, and School




“Access to vaccination should not be considered a condition for reopening schools for in-person instruction.”

I kinda see both sides of this coin.

Updated March 1, 2021

Map: Where schools are reopening in the US

Looks like some States are really working on it and it's hopeful that next fall a whole lot more students and teachers will be back together in a building.
Shots for teachers are starting to roll out so this will make a difference.

But yes, they have to go to work without a shot if their school district reopens, just like correction officers and EMT's and law enforcement personnel and the millions of other workers who have no choice. Teachers are no different in that universe.

On the other hand....

I wonder why the unvaccinated teachers in your school district are so different from, say, the Chicago teachers who are worried about the legitimate concern of kids being silent carriers and passing it to them and their families?

I think most teachers are not mouthing off and running around like hypocrites. I think most are just hard working people wanting to teach in their classrooms and actually really miss their classrooms but would be more confident of not catching covid if they got a covid shot.

They are far less likely to catch covid with a shot, according to Fauci.

 

[realanastasia]

As a result of closed schools, it's estimated that about 13 million young girls have been forced into marriage.
Miljontals har dött av restriktionerna

Gotta say I’m skeptical of this correlation, if only because it seems implausible that countries and/or cultures which allow young girls to be forced to wed (usually older) men would even allow those same young girls to attend school.

 

[weepingangel]

We’ve Been out for almost a full year now
It varies by district here /Massachusetts

Have any US children been out of school for a full year? By requirement. (Not speaking of the ones whose parents have chosen to home school them.)

 

[nightowl1975]

Have any US children been out of school for a full year? By requirement. (Not speaking of the ones whose parents have chosen to home school them.)

California has districts that shut down last March and are perhaps maybe sort of kind of considering opening up partially maybe by the end of March.

Editorial: What's keeping California's schools closed

This article says 79% of students in California remain on “distance learning”.

California education news: What’s the latest?

From a bit further down in the above article:

“Our kids have been out of school for 349 days. We are rapidly approaching the one year mark of public school closures. It is time for action, not further negotiation,” wrote Megan Bacigalupi, a parent in Oakland Unified who’s president of the Open Schools California parent group.”

Also of interest is from what I recall, California stats aren’t any more better or worse than Florida stats., despite shutting down like this. Just seems.... interesting. IMO

 

[Gibbo214]

California has districts that shut down last March and are perhaps maybe sort of kind of considering opening up partially maybe by the end of March.

Editorial: What's keeping California's schools closed

With no online teaching?

 

[nightowl1975]

I kinda see both sides of this coin.



On the other hand....

I wonder why the unvaccinated teachers in your school district are so different from, say, the Chicago teachers who are worried about the legitimate concern of kids being silent carriers and passing it to them and their families?

I think most teachers are not mouthing off and running around like hypocrites. I think most are just hard working people wanting to teach in their classrooms and actually really miss their classrooms but would be more confident of not catching covid if they got a covid shot.

They are far less likely to catch covid with a shot, according to Fauci.

Our school district opened in August. If they wanted a job, they came to work. The end. If they didn’t, they either no longer had paid employment or had to find some other work from home gig. But staying home while continuing to receive their full teacher pay and benefits wasn’t a choice. I’m sure some opted not to return. I had a couple of staff that opted to stop working when things got really ugly with covid initially. But they didn’t have the option to stay home and get paid.

Of course our teachers were nervous. Some were legit afraid. So were the healthcare professionals who dealt with this from day one.

This reminds me of a quote we have posted at work.

“Fear may be what we feel, but brave is what we do.”

With no online teaching?

Online learning is a joke for the vast majority of students from what I’ve heard and read. Article after article talks about how it’s not even remotely comparable as a general rule. So, no, I don’t personally consider “remote learning” in any way on par with in-person learning.

 

[24Roses]

Iowa numbers and news for Mon. March 1: Mar. 1: Hospitalizations are still below 200, Iowa approaching 180,000 fully vaccinated 180 new confirmed cases, 314 more recovering, & 1 more had passed away.
Tyson to vaccinate thousands of Iowa workers starting this week
These counties will receive Iowa's first doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
UNI, ISU & UI announce plans to hold in-person graduation ceremonies
Iowa Reps. urge Biden Admin. to provide more COVID-19 vaccines for rural areas

 

[SoCalDavidS]

About 15 minutes down the freeway from me:

San Clemente City Council sent home after councilwoman refuses to wear mask

A San Clemente city councilwoman sparked some controversy when she refused to wear a mask during a meeting.

Councilwoman Laura Ferguson was the only council member not wearing a mask during San Clemente’s Feb. 16 meeting, which was the first time the council had met in person for months.

The in-person part of the meeting didn’t last long. The council was sent home to reconvene the meeting on Zoom after Mayor Kathy Ward called Ferguson out for not wearing a mask.

“We have one council member who doesn’t have a mask on,” Ward said. “I am going to ask you to put a mask on and if you aren’t going to, you have the option of going home and we will wait for you to go home and you can Zoom into our meeting.”

San Clemente City Council sent home after councilwoman refuses to wear mask

 

[Gibbo214]

Our school district opened in August. If they wanted a job, they came to work. The end. If they didn’t, they either no longer had paid employment or had to find some other work from home gig. But staying home while continuing to receive their full teacher pay and benefits wasn’t a choice. I’m sure some opted not to return. I had a couple of staff that opted to stop working when things got really ugly with covid initially. But they didn’t have the option to stay home and get paid.

Of course our teachers were nervous. Some were legit afraid. So were the healthcare professionals who dealt with this from day one.

This reminds me of a quote we have posted at work.

“Fear may be what we feel, but brave is what we do.”

Online learning is a joke for the vast majority of students from what I’ve heard and read. Article after article talks about how it’s not even remotely comparable as a general rule. So, no, I don’t personally consider “remote learning” in any way on par with in-person learning.

Are you an educator?

 

[mickey2942]

With no online teaching?

That whole "Distance Learning" is not working from what I hear from a lot of my friends who have children. Technology issues, or just the sheer boredom of sitting in front of a computer screen for 3 hours plus...not to mention the issues for children who have disabilities.

I taught school for 18 years. And had four kids at home. Seriously, I thank God, I never had to homeschool them. I probably could have done it, but I would have also been working from home as well. Sounds like a recipe for insanity to me.

Some people have managed better than others....but we are not all in the "same boat" in this situation. We have families living in small apartments, without internet, and maybe a single parent working and families living on huge estates with Wi-Fi, tablets, monitors, and computers in every room of the house, with both parents at home. Can't even begin to compare the same results...

 

[Cool Cats]

Our school district opened in August. If they wanted a job, they came to work. The end. If they didn’t, they either no longer had paid employment or had to find some other work from home gig. But staying home while continuing to receive their full teacher pay and benefits wasn’t a choice. I’m sure some opted not to return. I had a couple of staff that opted to stop working when things got really ugly with covid initially. But they didn’t have the option to stay home and get paid.

Of course our teachers were nervous. Some were legit afraid. So were the healthcare professionals who dealt with this from day one.

This reminds me of a quote we have posted at work.

“Fear may be what we feel, but brave is what we do.”

Online learning is a joke for the vast majority of students from what I’ve heard and read. Article after article talks about how it’s not even remotely comparable as a general rule. So, no, I don’t personally consider “remote learning” in any way on par with in-person learning.

BBM

I wonder why home schooling works for the kids who get schooled at home normally?

They use computers too....Humm....A whole 'nother kettle of fish!

Great quote:

“Fear may be what we feel, but brave is what we do.”

Sometimes people equate fear with weakness but it's that fear that creates bravery.

It's so easy to help someone without the fear, like throwing a rope to someone drowning in deep H20. This is not bravery.

Now the drowning person misses the rope and someone else, facing their own fear of drowning, dives in to retrieve the rope making sure the drowning person gets it.
This is bravery.

 

[nightowl1975]

Are you an educator?

I have been an educator prior to my current role in healthcare.