School Reopening

[Traxion]

I think the "sacrificial lambs" have been waiting in line since March. Namely, the nurses, doctors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, auto mechanics, and everyone else deemed "essential" to keep this country somewhat rolling when the pandemic hit.

And from what I've seen, they haven't been dying off in massive waves. So unless the educators seriously go backwards in the parameters laid out to keep themselves safe, I think they'll be ok

I don't disagree that many "essential" workers have certainly played the role they signed up to. Teacher are ready to do the same. However if you're a 60 year old teacher with a lot of health issues, I think they should be have an option to leave or teach the virtual options.

 

[MuskyManiac]

Sounds like this will be a nightmare for teachers, teachers who will not be compensated for the nightmare. It will be interesting how many of them bolt after this year.

It's going to be a nightmare for everyone, teachers, parents, students. You know some students are going to get sick as well as some teachers and staff at some point. I think they all realize that and are planning for that so it doesn't shut everything down when it happens. Contact tracing and fast test results are going to be key.

My wife is a professor at UND and she has to teach with a mask, a face shield, and behind Plexiglas.

 

[SDMF]

Vulnerable teachers teach from home via whiteboard/TV/projector. In the classroom is any prospective teaching major in their Jr. or Sr. yr.

The split schedule being proposed in Fargo is surely the fastest way to get the slowest kids (or the kids with disengaged parents) to grind the rest of the class to a halt.

 

[Davey Crockett]

It's going to be a nightmare for everyone, teachers, parents, students. You know some students are going to get sick as well as some teachers and staff at some point. I think they all realize that and are planning for that so it doesn't shut everything down when it happens. Contact tracing and fast test results are going to be key.

My wife is a professor at UND and she has to teach with a mask, a face shield, and behind Plexiglas.

That brings on a thought , Why not have a plexiglass cubical with a walk in door and an air filter and teach unmasked ? Mask up when not in there. Masking up is no fun.

 

[shorthairsrus]

My belief is that the testing is inaccurate the younger the person is. I say send em all to daycare and school - let the virus spread like wildfire until it burns out. We have f'd around with this thing to long. Let the SOB burn ---dand turn the air conditioning off!the virus will last a shorter time with a higher air temp. I dont care if its not like other viruses - it doesnt matter it still has a shorter shelf life at a higher temp.

 

[701FishSlayer]

Schools will be closed by Christmas, if they even get started.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Schools will be closed by Christmas, if they even get started.

That's what I'm thinking too. I hope we are wrong.

 

[Sum1]

Well since the Rona is nothing more deadly than any other flu bug without the fear mongering. Go back to school. If you can’t see what is really happening I guess you deserve to live in fear. Can’t believe this sh#t is still going on. Well actually I can.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Nobody said anything about fear . I see what's going on but also see what it really is and have respect for it.

 

[watson]

Schools will be closed by Christmas, if they even get started.

I'm willing to bet that with VB and FB and in room classes that there will be some done before Halloween

 

[raider]

if uncle joe wins, i'm guessing the virus will be officially over nov 4th... no more daily updates and counts - just get back to normal life cuz we need the tax revenue...

 

[zoops]

This doesn't seem that difficult to solve. For the teachers that are members of the "vulnerable" population, they should be the ones to do the virtual learning for the families that don't feel safe sending their kids back to school. Everyone else can head to school take their chances with virus knowing they are infinitely more likely to die in a vehicle crash on the way to school.

While I think what you mention will happen in some way, it will be tricky for the kids that have to quarantine and are forced into distance learning for 2,3,4 weeks. You leave the "in person" class and go to a "distance" class taught by another teacher and then back to the other teacher, doable but yucky. So many logistics nightmares when you get into the planning of this.

Personal opinion is to start the school year in some sort of hybrid model and ramp up every couple weeks if no major issues arise. I just foresee throwing 1500 high school kids + 100 staff into a building being a mess. Kids are going to be on edge with the crowding of a normal school, there's really no precaution that can eliminate that.

 

[CatDaddy]

I'm fortunate to have been able to work from home last school year and have 2 kids who were responsible enough to handle at home work (10 and 13 year olds). They learned a lot of personal responsibility in doing so and it was a life lesson of it's own. My wife gets her 40 hours in from Sunday night to Tuesday afternoon and was able to help tremendously....I get it, probably not the norm. However, it worked really well for us.

The issue I have with school reopening is this - kids aren't going to socially distance, period...masks or no masks. A plan on paper doesn't translate to reality. Ever watched kids single file in a lunch line, at recess, or in the class room? Maybe the older kids will understand, but not elementary. And while they may not suffer from symptoms it doesn't mean they won't bring it home. Schools are a cesspool of germs and infectious spread. Many kids go home to extended families with grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc that and if they can spread it, they will.

I don't live in fear of COVID and agree we need to realize we're going to live with this for quite some time. However, to believe we can put a plan in place for hundreds of kids to get back together daily and not cause more spread is quite naive in my opinion.

So be it, my kids will be back in school. I'm ok with that.

 

[Kurtr]

I have a 15 year old that I worry more about out driving around vs getting the COVID. He needs to be in school and wants to be. I am glad the leader ship here in South Dakota is doing a excellent job when it comes to this. We would be better of banning all processed foods and mandating exercise vs staying the same over weight sedentary unhealthy society of today vs the mask garbage. If you are 200 pounds over weight have diabetes and smoke and then bitch that people not wearing masks are putting you at risk......

 

[Mort]

My wife is a professor at UND and she has to teach with a mask, a face shield, and behind Plexiglas.

Why don't they just put her in a bio hazard suit with hood & respirator and be doing with it?? holy......

 

[Sluggo]

To you parents with kids in school still...don't let this distraction make you forget about the possibility of school shootings. I would suggest that you talk to the schools and make sure they have that covered as well. As if there weren't enough kids that thought shooting up a school was OK before, how many have taken note of the recent lib violence and destruction and are concocting there own plans.

 

[3Roosters]

There needs to be some type of liability protections/limits in place for WHEN/not if, the very first child/teacher/lunch room worker gets COVID from another child/teacher/lunch room worker. In this sue happy world we live in this has the makings of a free for all.

 

[zoops]

Open the dam schools! These kids need a quality education and parents don’t have time to stay home and teach them. More harm is done leaving them at home. If old teachers or parents are not comfortable then they can stay home, let the rest go!

I know you didn't mean it literally but think about that one for a minute.

 

[Kurtr]

I know you didn't mean it literally but think about that one for a minute.

I don’t know why he wouldn’t mean it. With both parents working full time jobs and little to no training in teaching school subjects the kids would be at a huge disadvantage. Been a long time since I did 8th grade algebra so how do I teach that when I don’t even know how to do it?

 

[49994]

Uncle Jimbo posted a video on the first page that everyone should watch. These decisions should not be made by feelings, but by science. If the parents are concerned about their kids, then you should continue distant learning. If the staff is older or have health conditions that make them vulnerable, then teach the distant learning classes or stay home/find a new job. Since this started many people have had large changes in their job(descriptions/safety) and have been dealing with it since March. The schools need to set the standards they think is best, then everyone needs to decide if they are on for the ride or not.