of course *my kids* will wear a mask but I worry (1) will it be enough and (2) will they be bullied.
My friend and I were just talking about this. Our kids will be wearing masks but concerned that other kids will be jerks about it and teachers/administration will not respect the parents when it comes to the kids wearing the mask. We have a couple teachers in our school that have the ‘this is my classroom and you follow my rules even if they go against what your parents want’. Which I respect until it involves my kids health.
Yes. What’s worse Covid and whatever damage that may cause years down the line that nobody knows about yet or mental abuse from bullying.
I need ham like water Like breath, like rain I need ham like mercy From Heaven's gate Sometimes ham salad or casserole or ham that’s free range, all natural I need ham
We go back mid-August. No mask mandate. I’d guess fewer than 10% will wear them. No social distancing (though our school is fairly roomy as far as public schools go). No contact tracing. Recommended no mandatory quarantines unless a child is symptomatic. Technically there’s a virtual option, but it’s outsourced and not good.
We were home all year. I was comfortable with Covid risk the last half of the year, but stayed virtual because they were enjoying it and LOVED their teachers.
I’m certain they’ll end up with Covid. Part of me is considering whether to make them wear masks. We don’t know yet if Covid has any long-term effects (and for the most part, a year out, it doesn’t look like it), but we know for certain that being bullied has significant life-long effects. I know Covid-wise, it’s best to wear a mask & if they’ll be in a classroom with maybe half of the kids wearing them, there would be no question for us…but considering the way that non-maskers treat those who wear masks…getting teased and/or bullied is almost guaranteed. (My oldest even got verbally attacked with strong finger pointing from a former friend when we saw him at the end of last school year. “You’re virtual. Virtual is BAD. You need to be in school!”)
Post by Velar Fricative on Jul 22, 2021 10:00:53 GMT -5
My kids attend NYC public schools. They don't go back until 9/13! But, it's already been announced that masks will be required (though they left the door open for reconsideration if conditions improve, which...lol) and remote options will not be available at all. They went with 3 feet of distance this past spring so that enabled DD1 to go to school 5 days a week in May (before, it was 1-3 days per week in school). So I expect 5 day school this year too, and our school has said they want to bring back before and aftercare which wasn't available this past school year. They're just waiting for DOE approval.
There was in-school covid testing last school year but I'd really like to see it ramped up due to Delta. But of course, all the vocal "Unmask our Children!!!!" idiot parents are also anti-testing in schools and also anti-vaccine. I'm glad the DOE seems to be ignoring them so far. I'd also like to see changes to the quarantine guidelines because I am not looking forward to 10-day quarantine after 10-day quarantine with Delta.
DD1 got covid in school in January despite masks and 6 feet of distance, so I admit I'm a little more concerned this year with Delta. I treat her as not having had covid at all (she remained asymptomatic and had no long-term complications), and DD2 has never tested positive nor had symptoms that made me think she had it so there's a risk to her too. But, I need them to have a normal school year with minimal disruptions too (and by "normal," I do mean with masks because that doesn't impact whether they can go to school or not).
Post by plutosmoon on Jul 22, 2021 10:01:52 GMT -5
We don't go back until after labor day, so far the district has not released anything about next year. They might still be negotiating with the union.
Public Summer school is requiring masks, I hope they will require at least elementary school to mask. My summer care went mask optional and my kid was the only one in a mask. She struggled being the only one, so I've reluctantly allowed no mask since they spend 95% of their time outside. Oddly they are still requiring masks of any unvaccinated adult. Vaccination rates are high and cases low here, but I'm monitoring our case count and taking it day by day with the mask.
I'm sure it will be full time in person since the state mandated schools go back in April. I have no idea if they will have a virtual option, but I doubt they will.
We're not back until after Labor Day and I haven't yet heard the district's plan. DS did virtual all year last year (our choice) and I believe that the district was approved to do virtual again this year, pending the # of kids interested. We are planning to send them both to in-person... hopefully with masks. DS isn't the greatest at wearing his, but DD really isn't bothered by them.
I still don’t know anything that is going on on my area for fall. We go back Sept 6. I do know that for summer programming, some (not sure if all) local schools are using the honor system and if you are vaccinated - staff or student- you don’t have to mask. I teach elementary special ed and my teaching assistants are working summer school and telling me it’s fine. Kids are still wearing them cooperatively when adults stopped. I am a firm believer in modeling what I want them to do and I find it hard to believe the students don’t ask a million times why (my students last year would have). Gonna be a cluster.
We also go back in abut 6 weeks (sept 1) and they released their plan back in June.
- Masks for all students regardless of vaccination status, until the county is 70+% vaccinated which is considered herd immunity/. I suspect they'll just keep them with the Delta variant anyway. I don't think the state will budge with masks. - 3 foot distancing in all classrooms - Still cohorting - No remote option - Back to our regular schedule 5 days. Last year they shortened the days and were remote on Wednesdays. We are back to the usual school day as well. - Sports are happening from what i hear but there wasn't a lot of info on that however fall HS sports already started. - kids will still be quarantining if exposed to the virus. There may be classes that'll go remote if the entire class is out.
thats pretty much the jist.
I'm fine with most of the plan BUT I am annoyed with the quarantining plan. My oldest High Schooler had a cold last year, we kept him home and tested (neg) and he zoomed into class. Totally fine. The middle school forced DS2 home (understandably) BUT he was not given the zoom option. So he missed 2.5 days until his test came back. I think missing classes is a terrible plan. They should allow them to zoom.
Yep I see this being a mess. There was one charter in my county that did allow virtual the first half of the year but then made everyone come back in January. When there were cases that popped up, they just did no school. Doesn’t seem like the greatest of ideas.
We also go back in abut 6 weeks (sept 1) and they released their plan back in June.
- Masks for all students regardless of vaccination status, until the county is 70+% vaccinated which is considered herd immunity/. I suspect they'll just keep them with the Delta variant anyway. I don't think the state will budge with masks. - 3 foot distancing in all classrooms - Still cohorting - No remote option - Back to our regular schedule 5 days. Last year they shortened the days and were remote on Wednesdays. We are back to the usual school day as well. - Sports are happening from what i hear but there wasn't a lot of info on that however fall HS sports already started. - kids will still be quarantining if exposed to the virus. There may be classes that'll go remote if the entire class is out.
thats pretty much the jist.
I'm fine with most of the plan BUT I am annoyed with the quarantining plan. My oldest High Schooler had a cold last year, we kept him home and tested (neg) and he zoomed into class. Totally fine. The middle school forced DS2 home (understandably) BUT he was not given the zoom option. So he missed 2.5 days until his test came back. I think missing classes is a terrible plan. They should allow them to zoom.
Yep I see this being a mess. There was one charter in my county that did allow virtual the first half of the year but then made everyone come back in January. When there were cases that popped up, they just did no school. Doesn’t seem like the greatest of ideas.
Yes. And missing 3 classes in one week as a 6th grader is unfair especially when they are NOT sick. I understand it is difficult to do zoom and in person teaching simultaneously but I feel like they should be able to at least observe and get the lessons and complete assignment independently.
We go back mid-August. No mask mandate. I’d guess fewer than 10% will wear them. No social distancing (though our school is fairly roomy as far as public schools go). No contact tracing. Recommended no mandatory quarantines unless a child is symptomatic. Technically there’s a virtual option, but it’s outsourced and not good.
We were home all year. I was comfortable with Covid risk the last half of the year, but stayed virtual because they were enjoying it and LOVED their teachers.
I’m certain they’ll end up with Covid. Part of me is considering whether to make them wear masks. We don’t know yet if Covid has any long-term effects (and for the most part, a year out, it doesn’t look like it), but we know for certain that being bullied has significant life-long effects. I know Covid-wise, it’s best to wear a mask & if they’ll be in a classroom with maybe half of the kids wearing them, there would be no question for us…but considering the way that non-maskers treat those who wear masks…getting teased and/or bullied is almost guaranteed. (My oldest even got verbally attacked with strong finger pointing from a former friend when we saw him at the end of last school year. “You’re virtual. Virtual is BAD. You need to be in school!”)
Yep we are totally in this. My son had a bad bullying experience in just the two weeks he was in middle school at the very end of the year. I’m not going to make him wear a mask (he’s vaccinated obviously). I feel very torn about what to do with my other two I can guarantee very little masking for the fourth grader and probably none foe my 4yo. My fourth grader is a leader in school and I think he could handle people saying stuff...but he’s also the least likely to fully comply if I/the teacher aren’t there enforcing it. I mean he’d wear it if I told him to, but if he took it off for lunch it would end up stashed in the pocket and he’d forget about it or he’d take it down to talk to someone and forget to pull it back up..:he’s just that kind of kid :/
We go back at the end of August and we will still have a virtual option. They are still requiring masks for summer school and for anyone that enters the schools this summer so I’m expecting they will keep the mask requirement when school starts. I will be upset if they don’t require masks since the younger kids can’t be vaccinated yet. Most people are still wearing masks in stores around us so I think most kids will wear them even if they aren’t required, but I think the kids that wouldn’t wear a mask are the same kids whose parents aren’t vaccinated.
I’m not to the point of seeing bullying, but there have been some kids telling DD basically “your mom ruined our friendship by not letting us hang out during Covid” kind of thing and ya know. I guess I did. But jeez…..if that is a sign of how this is going to go, she is going to have very few friends I guess.
I have a very foreboding feeling - anecdotally we sell masks at work and we were literally giving them away and had marked down the prices 75%+ up until last week. Now the prices are back up I am not feeling very good about being out of the mask and I suspect both I (at work) and my kids will be in masks soon.
I bought several of the Athleta masks when they were so cheap because I just knew I was going to need them again, sadly. It's depressing as hell that the prices went back up since we know what that means.
Post by Velar Fricative on Jul 22, 2021 10:54:26 GMT -5
Also, I'm more concerned about teachers and other school staff. The vaccination rate for them isn't very good compared to the general population (it might be similar, but I would want higher rates for school staff). NYC just announced a policy for public hospital and clinic workers to either be vaccinated or get tested once a week starting in August. The expectation is that this will probably be announced for more city workers soon, including public school staff. The testing was a compromise with the union and I expect the teachers' union will want a similar concession.
It just kills me knowing how there are antivax school staff at my kids' elementary school knowing that not a single student in the school is eligible for vaccination.
I have a very foreboding feeling - anecdotally we sell masks at work and we were literally giving them away and had marked down the prices 75%+ up until last week. Now the prices are back up I am not feeling very good about being out of the mask and I suspect both I (at work) and my kids will be in masks soon.
I bought several of the Athleta masks when they were so cheap because I just knew I was going to need them again, sadly. It's depressing as hell that the prices went back up since we know what that means.
I’m so annoyed with myself. I have a ton, but I could have gotten them for just over $2 a pack. Ugh.
We go back aug 18th. Masks optional. Full time, no remote option that I’ve seen. I doubt there will be many other layer of precaution. I’ll have them wear masks but I anticipate my kids will get covid at some point. Vax rate is 50% here so it seems inevitable to me.
Post by litebright on Jul 22, 2021 11:05:06 GMT -5
I'm in VA, and the state just came out with its recommendations for fall yesterday. I skimmed over them and as best I can tell, they are recommending that local school boards implement 1) universal masking at the elementary school level and 2) masking of unvaccinated people in MS and HS, with the option of making it universal depending on local conditions.
My 13YO just got her second shot and has SO been looking forward to not having to wear a mask indoors or when school starts. In June, I really thought we would be headed into a school year that looked mostly normal. Now I'm really not sure. My 11YO will definitely be masked (they're at the same middle school) and luckily her favorite masks are KN95s.
I don't know what our district will end up doing or if some parts will be left up to individual schools. We have a high vaccination rate, and our cases just recently moved up into "moderate" spread, but ... I just don't know what things will look like in a month. Our first day back in August 26.
Post by maudefindlay on Jul 22, 2021 11:17:27 GMT -5
We go back August 6th (yes, we start on a Friday). There is a virtual option, otherwise full time 5 days a week in person with masks optional except they are required on busses. DS1 is fully vaccinated, the other 2 are not old enough yet. School did say they will monitor cases and while we are low now, they may return to requiring masks if cases go up.
I’m not to the point of seeing bullying, but there have been some kids telling DD basically “your mom ruined our friendship by not letting us hang out during Covid” kind of thing and ya know. I guess I did. But jeez…..if that is a sign of how this is going to go, she is going to have very few friends I guess.
And you know they heard that wording from their parents. Plus screw them that they singled out "Mom". We typically carry the mental load AND get blamed for everything.
I'm in Michigan in a swing district and we start after Labor Day. Our schools were open all of last year and did a really good job with masks and distancing. They are offering virtual again this year.
Two days ago they emailed that they will not require masks this year. DS cannot learn at home. Its a nightmare, virtual Wednesdays were horrible enough last year. DS wears his mask when we go out, but he said he hates wearing it at school. Ill send it with him but I don't know if he will keep it on, so I'm nervous.
I have a very foreboding feeling - anecdotally we sell masks at work and we were literally giving them away and had marked down the prices 75%+ up until last week. Now the prices are back up I am not feeling very good about being out of the mask and I suspect both I (at work) and my kids will be in masks soon.
I bought several of the Athleta masks when they were so cheap because I just knew I was going to need them again, sadly. It's depressing as hell that the prices went back up since we know what that means.
I went to an athleta last weekend (my first time in the store!! I’ve only ever bought online!!!). And literally bought about 40 masks. We were home last year so only had a few. Now the kids and I will all need them for school every day. I bought more at old navy because they had adult masks 5 for $1. Unfortunately the kid masks were still ringing up full price there so I put them back
Catholic school. My kids are in 2nd and 5th and I teach 7th and 8th. Masks required for everyone, inside, but otherwise back to “normal”. We go back August 30th.
Eta: my area is at 75% vaxx rate abs still climbing. I wish we could be unmasked in the middle school as most of my students were vaxxed last spring.
Our school district still hasn't decided/announced about mask or no mask. I'm thinking with all the numbers rising they will be wearing them. My kids don't seem to mind so its fine but hopefully it wont be the whole school year again. We will be back in person again and there is still an option with the district to be remote. I heard very mixed reviews about remote from friends that did it last year- they either loved or or hated it.
Post by InBetweenDays on Jul 22, 2021 12:01:55 GMT -5
School here starts 9/1 and our superintendent said we will be back full time. The district is also piloting a virtual school for families who can't or aren't comfortable returning in person. We'll be opting for in person so I haven't looked to much into the remote/virtual school option.
I don't know whether masks will be required, that will have to come out of negotiations between the district and the union. We have a very high vaccination rate (76% of eligible people are fully vaccinated) as well as high mask compliance. And I would not be surprised if masks were required.
My kids are both fully vaccinated but I'm ok if they still require masks for everyone. DS' good friend just finished frontline treatment for leukemia. He REALLY wants to return to school in the fall in person, but I don't know if he could/would if masks aren't required. I worry about vulnerable kids like him who are old enough to be vaccinated (so most of their peers would be without masks), but are not able to get it yet.
Post by game blouses on Jul 22, 2021 12:31:58 GMT -5
Anecdote: My youngest had a Covid scare at his school-setting camp last week (a kid in his class tested positive). DS had been hanging out with this kid a lot, indoors and outdoors, every day. Camp required masks and social distancing, but kids still ate lunch there.
Everyone at the camp had to be tested before they were allowed to come back. NO ONE (besides the original kid) tested positive. DS did have to quarantine anyway because of his close exposure.
All that to say, masks in school work, because DS should have absolutely gotten it from this kid based on how close they were.
I'm in CA so I'm pretty sure masks will be mandatory at least indoors. I know our district is eliminating the virtual option and most, if not all, families who chose to homeschool are coming back. But even if masks aren't required, I'm requiring my kids to wear them because (see above).
We go back after labor day. We know it will be 5 days in person but what that will look like is anyone's guess. My sisters school district announced no masks and no distancing last week. She lives 40 minutes from me.
Online option but it won't be with a local teacher. DD did well online but we expanded her IEP right before school ended so I don't see the additional services being available online. DD is stressed about going back. So far she says she will wear her mask all the time and refuses to eat at school unless outside or extremely distanced. She doesn't want her gymnastics to get shut down due to COVID so she has a reason for mind set.
Post by redheadbaker on Jul 22, 2021 13:20:02 GMT -5
We're just outside of Philly. Likely will be 5 days a week, in-person only. No word yet on masks but they sent a survey. I know several parents, including myself, indicated we'd be uncomfortable with masks optional instead of mandatory, and we've also emailed the superintendent, but no response from her.