sdlaura that’s my speculation as well. DD has been in an in person program since June with NO issues and it’s not prisonlike. If a school is making it that way, it’s because they chose to, not because they needed to.
Post by mustardseed2007 on Apr 13, 2021 7:14:06 GMT -5
There is a big battle here in the public school district regarding an at large position that is up for election. One of the candidates has been recruited by a parent group that started as advocating for in person school and has now jumped the shark, leaving some of its original members behind. The candidate's platform is he wants to ensure all students are in person, no masks, Christian values, Conservative values, and no revisionist history.
For me, it's another example of pushing things too far too fast here and also adding in really icky stuff on top.
Yeah I think at first a lot of parents were like oh school won’t be the same and it will be awful in person. And it really isn’t. There are some changes for the worse- no hot lunch this year and cold lunch options are more like a snack. And they won’t let them in the playground probably because it’s too congested but they play fun games instead. It’s a million times better than remote, and our district has tried to be safe and transparent.
mustardseed2007, all that sounds awful especially no masks during a pandemic and especially the lack of science. It doesn’t have to be a battle between religion and science but certain religions make it that way. Actually now that I read it you didn’t mention science but I inferred it from revisionist history but maybe he just means they can’t teach about racism and slavery.
I have to say when we took our trip for spring break we went to KY and the 2 museums we went to mentioned slavery front and center. Probably because there was white washing before. But in the north, we go to museums all the time and slavery isn’t mentioned like that because we didn’t have slavery. They word it different more the African Americans did this... rather than enslaved people. I was like wow I am in the south. I am not writing this to be offensive like I didn’t know slavery existed because of course I do. I just don’t go to KY often or other southern states that much. I think the other time we were in the Carolinas. Florida has a different vibe. I came away from that trip- not sure I can live in the Bible Belt.
Our district is elementary only, but the middle/high school district is fighting over a board seat too. A group of parents started a recall effort for one board member who was against reopening in person, so she resigned. Next year is an election year, so normally the board would just appoint someone to serve for the next year. But the anti-in person school faction thinks that the remaining board members, who lean toward reopening 3 to 1, will appoint someone who is pro-reopening as well. So the anti-reopening teachers and parents want to hold a special election for someone to serve for a year, at a cost of over $500k that would otherwise go to kids/teachers/education.
Post by mustardseed2007 on Apr 14, 2021 11:08:25 GMT -5
It's gotten even worse. This candidate isn't just attacking school administrations, he's attacking the heads of PTAs and the volunteers with the council of PTAs (which I didn't even know was an organization until now). You want to disagree with the school board about reopening? Ok. But attacking a PTA president...why? Why are you doing that? This is a mom who is a volunteer. Even if you suspect she doesn't agree with you, why are you attacking her online and during debates?? And it's really being driven by the families that support the candidate.
SS: Our district has 200 schools. Many of them (maybe 3/4?) are now "able" to bring back all students that opted for in-person 4 days/week. Some schools that's 80%+ of their membership. For other schools, it's in the 30-40% range.
We chose virtual learning for our kid. I work in a school and the change happens on Tuesday (previously it was 250 on Tu/W and 250 on Th/F, with a smattering of kids who really needed as much in-person as possible going all 4 days). We will have 500 students in the building (that's about 50%)--middle school--we'll see how it goes. I am very concerned about mask compliance and distancing during transitions (10 minute pass period between classes).