Post by ilikedonuts on Jul 28, 2021 6:11:30 GMT -5
My district just keeps saying ‘recommendation’ isn’t a requirement so they will only recommend. It’s obnoxious how they are twisting what the CDC, AAP and our health department are saying just to get out of requiring masking.
My district just keeps saying ‘recommendation’ isn’t a requirement so they will only recommend. It’s obnoxious how they are twisting what the CDC, AAP and our health department are saying just to get out of requiring masking.
I have a feeling this is how my district will be. They will probably “recommend” masks but won’t make them mandatory. The local health department hasn’t made any statements yet. Our area is still looking good, but that could change before school starts (we don’t go back until after Labor Day).
My district just keeps saying ‘recommendation’ isn’t a requirement so they will only recommend. It’s obnoxious how they are twisting what the CDC, AAP and our health department are saying just to get out of requiring masking.
Same here. And 2 of the 5 board members are loudly posting on the towns FB page anti-mask comments. I’m so fucking angry. These people are so ignorant and rude and selfish.
Yeah, none of our SB/Super made any motions towards changing our optional mask policy, so we're almost definitely starting school in a hot zone with no mask requirements. At least we got rid of mandatory polo shirts (which, ironically, pissed off the anti-maskers a LOT). You can't tell my kid what to wear on their face, but I can tell your kid what to wear on their body!!!
There were some really amazing speakers last night on the pro-mask side (doctors, a Cornell vet well-versed in infectious diseases, a woman who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons- terrified that her kids will have to live with bringing home a virus that could very well kill her.
And then we had the antimaskers- like the "super politically connected" woman that suggested that the district needed to, referencing students: "clip their wings and let them fly" (clearly, her political connections are due to her impressive wordsmithery). It's so frustrating to watch the dumbasses "win" this one.
I just watched our school board meeting. Speakers both for masks and against. The against mask people had the dumbest arguments ever - “when it’s raining, my umbrella doesn’t protect you. It’s a choice” or the parent who scripted her kid to say “masks are bad like BLM is bad”. But the board unanimously voted that masks would be worn inside and they will not go against the local mask mandate, the CDC or AAP recommendations. One parent was mad that our district set up a vaccine clinic for our older students who wanted it because that was forcing the district’s opinion on her family according to her. Someone else said masking kids is the same as rape. Clearly that person has never been raped. It was insane. But the board did not waiver - even the two who wanted the schools open fully (with masks) earlier than the county recommended last year were strongly pro mask to insure minimal days list due to quarantine.
Holy shit! What the fuck wrong with people?!
And here I thought the mom who was crying and saying it breaks her heart and how she cries to see her kid have to wear a mask ever day was bad.
I am SO relieved that our district sent out notice this morning that all staff and students, regardless of vaccination status or age, will be required to wear masks indoors and where they can't distance outdoors when kids go back next month. They're starting the year all in-person with remote only available through the district, not neighborhood schools, with a documented medical need. I'm wondering if there will be a testing program too.
I just watched our school board meeting. Speakers both for masks and against. The against mask people had the dumbest arguments ever - “when it’s raining, my umbrella doesn’t protect you. It’s a choice” or the parent who scripted her kid to say “masks are bad like BLM is bad”. But the board unanimously voted that masks would be worn inside and they will not go against the local mask mandate, the CDC or AAP recommendations. One parent was mad that our district set up a vaccine clinic for our older students who wanted it because that was forcing the district’s opinion on her family according to her. Someone else said masking kids is the same as rape. Clearly that person has never been raped. It was insane. But the board did not waiver - even the two who wanted the schools open fully (with masks) earlier than the county recommended last year were strongly pro mask to insure minimal days list due to quarantine.
Holy shit! What the fuck wrong with people?!
And here I thought the mom who was crying and saying it breaks her heart and how she cries to see her kid have to wear a mask ever day was bad.
Fuck.
Yeah luckily these idiots are the minority in our district and the Board was like "WTF, no!"
Welp, here we fucking go. Just got an email from the school; apparently someone at DDs summer school session tested positive. So, we get to spend our last 2 weeks of summer in quarantine. And she'll miss orientation/meet the teacher which should do wonders for the anxiety she already has about school starting again.
Just like the upcoming school year, summer school was mask optional. DD was masked but from what she tells me, few others were, if any.
This feel like it's never going to end. I don't think I have the emotional or mental bandwidth for this again
Post by firedancer10288 on Jul 29, 2021 9:46:22 GMT -5
Baltimore county, Maryland just announced mandatory masking for all students and school employees for the fall. The Facebook comments are “interesting.” It will be interesting to see if others follow their lead. I live in a red county in Maryland.
Post by maudefindlay on Jul 29, 2021 18:21:42 GMT -5
Well my district voted last week for no masks except busses. This was prior to latest CDC recommendations. The board of health met with school officials yesterday to discuss the new recs, but no decision was made by our school. They will meet formally next week to discuss further. In the mean time other nearby school districts are changing to masks for all. We start school a week from tomorrow. They are being so odd in their decision making too. Only one parent allowed to go to open houses and open house times are scheduled based on your last name to limit # of people in the school and to socially distance everyone (I fully support this). One elementary came back today and changed their open house to be outdoors only. Teachers will be spread out and you can go meet them briefly. I am in full support of all this, but it just seems so odd to have not added masks to all this. Like keep the groups small by going to your last name time, but wear masks so kids can go inside and see where everything is. My oldest starts middle school this year and has never been in the building. He is vaccinated and will gladly wear a mask. I guess we are the minority in our area.
I do think most kids in DD'sclass will have masks on. She is in a multigrade classroom 2nd and 3rd grade and the majority of kids in that class are from India and China and those families have all been trending very careful locally. Their kids were all virtually last year.
Post by maudefindlay on Jul 30, 2021 10:04:01 GMT -5
After being bothered by things over night I went ahead this AM and sent an email to the school board president. May not matter, but it felt good to type out all my thoughts and hit send. At least I tried.
Still no word from our district, but given the latest guidance, I am really hopeful masks will be required in elementary school. They remain optional in DD2's prek class (run at the daycare, not public), but a lot of us continue to send the kids in masks anyway, and I expect they will begin requiring them again soon. I hope they do.
Our district revised their policy and will now be putting shields back up and requiring masks when social distancing can't be done. I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief. Meanwhile, parents in town are starting a petition and planning to protest at the school board meeting because of this "child abuse" that our town is heaping on the kids. I can't even believe some of what is being said...
After being bothered by things over night I went ahead this AM and sent an email to the school board president. May not matter, but it felt good to type out all my thoughts and hit send. At least I tried.
I sent some emails last week too, so that I felt like I had done something. I was guessing the district would have announced last Friday, but they only sent an email that said they're still working on it.
My kids are in private (PS-8) went back full time 5 days last year for the whole year. No public schools in our area went back full time on time.
They just announced that K-6 must wear masks, 7-8 don’t have to if vaccinated. They are allowing visitors in the building this year, which is great - parents can do lunch duty and see kids during the day. They said this could change at any time.
I’m glad they’re wearing masks, but I’m pretty sad that it’s still needed.
I’d really hoped things would be different this year.
My kids are in private (PS-8) went back full time 5 days last year for the whole year. No public schools in our area went back full time on time.
They just announced that K-6 must wear masks, 7-8 don’t have to if vaccinated. They are allowing visitors in the building this year, which is great - parents can do lunch duty and see kids during the day. They said this could change at any time.
I’m glad they’re wearing masks, but I’m pretty sad that it’s still needed.
I’d really hoped things would be different this year.
Does your school differentiate between lower and middle school?
My girls are at a preK-12, but split between two campuses. Lower school (preK-5) and middle school (6-8) are at the same campus. We have yet to hear anything about Covid precautions this year.
Post by maudefindlay on Aug 3, 2021 11:39:27 GMT -5
Our Superintendent will not budge and insists masks be optional. Our local doctors, hospital, and health dept have put pressure on him and he refuses. He says it shouldn't be a school approach, but rather a community approach. He says if local numbers go up that what they do in the schools likely won't affect our numbers. I agree the community needs measures too, but schools are part of the community. DD had her annual well visit this AM and her pediatrician is concerned about the Delta variant coming here. She said if a teacher gets it she could take out an entire classroom and that the kids would be very ill, likely some needing hospitalization. I'm very concerned an educator is choosing to not follow medical recommendations.
My kids are in private (PS-8) went back full time 5 days last year for the whole year. No public schools in our area went back full time on time.
They just announced that K-6 must wear masks, 7-8 don’t have to if vaccinated. They are allowing visitors in the building this year, which is great - parents can do lunch duty and see kids during the day. They said this could change at any time.
I’m glad they’re wearing masks, but I’m pretty sad that it’s still needed.
I’d really hoped things would be different this year.
Does your school differentiate between lower and middle school?
My girls are at a preK-12, but split between two campuses. Lower school (preK-5) and middle school (6-8) are at the same campus. We have yet to hear anything about Covid precautions this year.
This is also our issue. 5th-8th is in middle school. Almost all of the 7th and 8th graders are vaccinated. Virtually none of the younger kids are but they are in the same building and hallways so we’re all masking.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
My kids are in private (PS-8) went back full time 5 days last year for the whole year. No public schools in our area went back full time on time.
They just announced that K-6 must wear masks, 7-8 don’t have to if vaccinated. They are allowing visitors in the building this year, which is great - parents can do lunch duty and see kids during the day. They said this could change at any time.
I’m glad they’re wearing masks, but I’m pretty sad that it’s still needed.
I’d really hoped things would be different this year.
Does your school differentiate between lower and middle school?
My girls are at a preK-12, but split between two campuses. Lower school (preK-5) and middle school (6-8) are at the same campus. We have yet to hear anything about Covid precautions this year.
The school doesn’t differentiate, so the rules seem strange to me. I assumed it would be all or nothing. My kids will be in 3rd and 6th. 6th-8th have teachers in common, classroom space in common… 5th-8th eat lunch together. The middle schoolers “buddy up” with the younger grades - not sure if they will have to mask up when together. The whole school attends Mass monthly - no word about masks then.
We have no masks anywhere. Not even on the bus where it’s a federal mandate. The superintendent and board sent an email to parents stating so. And when I pushed back with receipts from our state health dept and the cdc that masks on school buses are a federal law, I got gaslit by the brand new super on his first day on the job and by the board members saying I was wrong. Then I called the county health dept and they agreed with me but say they don’t have the authority to enforce it because it’s a federal law. So I’m really looking forward to this school year.
We have no masks anywhere. Not even on the bus where it’s a federal mandate. The superintendent and board sent an email to parents stating so. And when I pushed back with receipts from our state health dept and the cdc that masks on school buses are a federal law, I got gaslit by the brand new super on his first day on the job and by the board members saying I was wrong. Then I called the county health dept and they agreed with me but say they don’t have the authority to enforce it because it’s a federal law. So I’m really looking forward to this school year.
Local news? They might be able to report this and put pressure
We have no masks anywhere. Not even on the bus where it’s a federal mandate. The superintendent and board sent an email to parents stating so. And when I pushed back with receipts from our state health dept and the cdc that masks on school buses are a federal law, I got gaslit by the brand new super on his first day on the job and by the board members saying I was wrong. Then I called the county health dept and they agreed with me but say they don’t have the authority to enforce it because it’s a federal law. So I’m really looking forward to this school year.
Local news? They might be able to report this and put pressure
I might try that. The HD told me to contact my local TSA office since they’re the only ones who can enforce it. And of course there’s no contact info to be found other than the generic 1-800 number that got me nowhere. I couldn’t even get a live person. The HD said the schools know it can’t be enforced so they’re just ignoring it. Never mind that it puts the kids’ health at risk.
Our Superintendent will not budge and insists masks be optional. Our local doctors, hospital, and health dept have put pressure on him and he refuses. He says it shouldn't be a school approach, but rather a community approach. He says if local numbers go up that what they do in the schools likely won't affect our numbers. I agree the community needs measures too, but schools are part of the community. DD had her annual well visit this AM and her pediatrician is concerned about the Delta variant coming here. She said if a teacher gets it she could take out an entire classroom and that the kids would be very ill, likely some needing hospitalization. I'm very concerned an educator is choosing to not follow medical recommendations.
Just found out that an acquaintance who teaches elementary in my county didn’t get vaxxed and won’t be wearing a mask because Trump. We don’t have a mandate except on buses. I cannot believe the recklessness and pure evil. Thank God for daycare being small and like-minded and DS wears his mask like a champ and so do his friends at school and most teachers, but this is a person with an MA. Who is responsible for shaping young and impressionable minds!
Still no final word from my admin on our official policy, but I expect masks for all grades, smaller groups/spaced out lunches (but we’re back in the cafeteria), and I expect minimal gatherings of adults even though my campus is 100% vaxxed.
My single dad-friend and his kids got COVID (he is fully vaxxed) and he was miserable for 4 days and the kids are still coughing sometimes 2 weeks later. Apparently this birthday party they went to was a super spreader - just 1 kid had an asymptomatic case as far as they know. Almost everyone got COVID - even the vaccinated adults. The only people he knows who didn’t are a couple who had a bad case back in April of 2020. I think there are a lot of positive cases of people who have been vaccinated that aren’t being reported or registering yet. My state sucks so badly. I wish the Federal Government would declare a state of emergency or whatever and mandate masks across the board and then start a vaccine database. I’m okay with it. You want freedom to choose whether or not to kill people and ruin our healthcare system? Fine. Choosing no vax if eligible =no travel, no school, no federal property, etc or some kind of fine. I’m turning in whatever scrap was left of my libertarian card.
The federal transportation mask mandate (that requires masks on school buses, in addition to planes and other public transportation) is expiring Sept 13 (without a lot of hope that it will be extended).
Does anyone have a recommendation for disposable face masks that fit toddler faces well? My DD is 4 and will be attending a longer day of preK than last year. She is small for her age, though, so even the child size masks we have are too big for her face even with double looping. I’m wondering if there’s a brand that runs smaller or something. I have cloth ones that work for her but wanted to pick up some disposables, too.