Is your county's school reopening a mess like mine?

[SmallWorld71]

We had a whackadoodle at our school committee meeting - she threatened the members with all kinds of mayhem, including blackmail, over deciding to start school with masks for all. The state is in the process of setting up a mask mandate for all schools (MA) so she's going to have to go after the DOE next, I guess. I feel sorry for her children - they have now been labeled as the kids with "that mom".

Fortunately that mandate passed today so all schools in MA will at least be starting the year with masks. Middle and high schools with more than 80% vaccination rate can lift the mandate as of October but I doubt there are many who meet that quota. The vaccination rate for 12-15 year olds in this state is something like 65% give or take.
Our school committee got lucky. They delayed the vote until the last possible minute and now they won’t have to.
Good luck to the whackadoodle, lol.

On a personal note, I do not understand the argument against masks in schools. We were vigilant about mask wearing last year and managed to stay in person the entire year, with zero spread within the building. Every single case could be tied to home and no sick student spread covid to a classmate.

We also had zero cases of strep, flu, bronchitis, or pneumonia among staff or students. Aside from the outside covid cases, that’s the healthiest the school has been in the 18 years I have been there!

Edited to update the vaccine %

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Teacher here. This is week 3 and it's a mess. We've gone from no masks, to masks but opt out optional, and today we are back to mandated masks. I'm tired, y'all.

Sounds similar to my area. The county mandated masks for elementary school kids (which was different than last year) but even just in my metro the back and forth it's gone. Some of the schools decided to up it and just do all school kids. The district my house is in had said way back in May that masks would be optional this coming school year which I always thought was just too early to make that decision, well when the county did their mask mandate they had to follow it but then they ended up changing their minds and decided all students are required. There's been a few school districts in the metro who started school year then switched to mandated masks, one that did it a few days before schools, another one that did lesser rules than the county where all sorts of exemptions are being allowed (it does have lower population in students but it's still part of our metro), it's just all over the place.

I do feel for the parents because it's a lot of flip flopping. It would make a difference if the parent didn't want their kid to have to wear a mask and could have enrolled in say online schools or did home schooling (which in my state homeschooling is considered private school). And the teachers boy they have one rule one day and another the next day.

 

[Frwinkley]

Fortunately that mandate passed today so all schools in MA will at least be starting the year with masks. Middle and high schools with more than 80% vaccination rate can lift the mandate as of October but I doubt there are many who meet that quota. The vaccination rate for 12-15 year olds in this state is something like 65% give or take.
Our school committee got lucky. They delayed the vote until the last possible minute and now they won’t have to.
Good luck to the whackadoodle, lol.

On a personal note, I do not understand the argument against masks in schools. We were vigilant about mask wearing last year and managed to stay in person the entire year, with zero spread within the building. Every single case could be tied to home and no sick student spread covid to a classmate.

We also had zero cases of strep, flu, bronchitis, or pneumonia among staff or students. Aside from the outside covid cases, that’s the healthiest the school has been in the 18 years I have been there!

Edited to update the vaccine %

We were one the very few districts in western PA that were 5 days in person every day. We were extremely successful. I teach 3rd grade. Last year we were the greatest thing since sliced bread (I truly believe parents were just happy to get their kids out of the house). This year masks are "child abuse". What??? We too were extremely healthy. I think I used 2 boxes of tissues the whole year! Same parents think masks don't work. Should we ever have to close, these same people would be complaining like crazy. We cannot win. I feel sorry for every school board and administrator. We thought calling a 2 hr delay or a snow day was tough! This is insanity.

 

[design_mom]

Having mask trouble here, too. Our school year started last Thursday with masks "optional but recommended" for all students. I was surprised they did that because it was obvious things were headed in the wrong direction. Friday afternoon the e-mail came out, the policy has changed to "masks required for preschool-8th. Strongly recommended, but not required for high school." (The superintendent said the distinction was because students in the high schools have the opportunity to be vaccinated while not all students in the elementary and middle schools do.)

Anyway, parents are livid. I think the superintendent is trying to "play both sides." Someone noticed that in addition to the change in mask rules, the request form for a mask exemption also changed. Last year, you needed the form signed by your doctor or clergy member to qualify for a medical/religious exemption but now you just need to state your reason (no signature needed beyond the parent's). In addition, if your exemption is denied the first time, you're allowed to resubmit with "more details." In short, people have figured out what to say and so anybody who doesn't want their kid to wear a mask is getting an exemption. People are flat-out lying and bragging about it on Facebook. It's shocking! They don't even have any shame. Some of them seem to think they are some sort of freedom fighters -- and the ends justify the means.

And today on that same school-based Facebook group, someone asked what everyone's doing about their emergency medical forms. (You know, the one that says "If I cannot be reached, I do/do not grant permission for my child to be treated..."). This person said "I usually sign them without a second thought, but my gut is telling me not to consent." And it wasn't just one person. It was at least 5 or 6 who said they weren't consenting to have their child treated and several more who'd already signed their forms but were wondering how they could withdraw their consent. I think they're worried that the school is going to wait till they're away from their phone then force vaccinate their kids or something. A woman who claimed to be an RN was telling them "it's fine" to not consent because if it's life-threatening the ER would treat them anyway, even without consent. (Don't know if that's true or not, especially if it's not just "without consent," it's "denied consent.") But, either way, I feel sorry for those kids. My daughter fell and broke her wrist on the playground in 2nd grade. It wasn't life threatening, but she was in a lot of pain. If they hadn't been able to reach me, I would have wanted her to get treatment, not just sit there waiting till I could be contacted.

 

[Frwinkley]

We have a temperature scanner that the kids must walk through when they enter the building. We used it last year too. Same mom who thinks masks are child abuse (upsets me because we see real cases of child abuse) does not want her kids walking through it “because she doesn’t know what it’s doing to their brains”. She should be more concerned about her parenting style!

A few things that I just don’t understand: why not use these circumstances to teach kindness and concern for others? How about something as basic as “this is the rule and we follow it.” Can’t play football without a helmet even though it may be hot and uncomfortable. Same thing.

Same parent I referenced earlier said “it’s not about safety—it’s about control and submission.” I don’t even know what that means. Control of what? Submission to what? Her kid has a severe peanut allergy so I have to have a peanut free classroom. We do that for the safety of her child. Bet she doesn’t think that the rest of the class is being denied their God given right (her words) to have peanut butter for lunch. The absurdity of it all is laughable. It’s all me, me, me.

The real shame of it is that these kids are being ruined. People says kids have changed. They haven’t. They’re still the same lumps of clay they were a hundred years ago that we get to mold. Parents are picking the wrong battles and act like they’re performing this tremendous service for their kids by taking up this mask fight. They’re not. Kids managed just fine last year with masks.

It’s just so disheartening because I feel like this is never going to end.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Parents are picking the wrong battles and act like they’re performing this tremendous service for their kids by taking up this mask fight. They’re not. Kids managed just fine last year with masks.

I was watching a show and they interviewed a dad recently who didn't want his kid to wear a mask at school but then later on in the interview said his kid liked wearing a mask, thought it was cool and it made him feel like a ninja. I like that kid's imagination

 

[Dizmom321]

Our school district's instinct seems to be to do everything possible to put the children in harm's way. A mess would be too kind.

 

[Colleen27]

We were one the very few districts in western PA that were 5 days in person every day. We were extremely successful. I teach 3rd grade. Last year we were the greatest thing since sliced bread (I truly believe parents were just happy to get their kids out of the house). This year masks are "child abuse". What??? We too were extremely healthy. I think I used 2 boxes of tissues the whole year! Same parents think masks don't work. Should we ever have to close, these same people would be complaining like crazy. We cannot win. I feel sorry for every school board and administrator. We thought calling a 2 hr delay or a snow day was tough! This is insanity.

That's how it went/is going here too. We were in person all year last year, elementary on a normal schedule and middle/high school on a modified schedule of fewer classes per day but the normal amount of instructional time. There were a few hiccups - closing early before a break or staying closed longer after - related to exposures, but for the most part school was normal (but masked). Sports and extracurriculars happened. We're not a district where kids have been remote for this whole time. But the whole conversation has changed this year. Last year was about needing to be in person and doing whatever it took to make that possible. This year it is about masks are child abuse and quarantines cause adolescent suicide and other such nonsense. I feel really bad for our superintendent, who worked her way up to the position from a starting point as a classroom teacher and then building principal all in this same district, because she clearly wants to follow health department guidance but is being hamstrung by the board and political constraints.

 

[DisneyOma]

Last year, you needed the form signed by your doctor or clergy member to qualify for a medical/religious exemption but now you just need to state your reason (no signature needed beyond the parent's).

What religion forbids you from wearing a mask?

 

[PezRuth]

Here in New Hampshire, each area is doing it differently. Our town: K-8 while in code yellow masks are required for indoor for staff and students. Will try and be outdoors as much as possible until the weather turns. High school masks are optional. Fairly high rate of vaccination at the high school. A survey was done of the parents of elementary (of which I am one). 1,000 responses 57% wanted required masks (of which I do). At a recent school board meeting, one anti mask parent told the school board that if they voted for masks they were like the taliban. sigh I just can't with these people.

 

[design_mom]

What religion forbids you from wearing a mask?

I'm pretty sure none of them do.

At the risk of getting into forbidden territory on the DIS, I'll just say that people are pulling individual Bible verses and twisting their meanings. I'm pretty sure none of them mean "don't wear a mask to slow the spread of communicable diseases." I'm 100% sure that none of them believe what they're saying, but it seems that if you write SOMETHING, then the exemption is granted. The school is saying that it can't know what is a "sincerely held belief" so they're trusting parents to be honest. (And that is NOT working out very well!)

Some of them are railing against "tyranny," some of them think that masks are dirty and give you "diaper face" (not joking about that terminology). Some think the masks are making their kids anxious, depressed, etc... but apparently medical exemptions are facing a higher bar of scrutiny than religious ones, so it's easier to lie about your religious beliefs than work through the medical exemption process. Some believe that "masks are more dangerous to kids than the virus" and that they are valiantly protecting their kids from... something.

I wish I knew how many people were actually getting them. There are more than a few (at least a dozen) who are being very vocal and encouraging "everyone" to get an exemption, and a lot more who say they are planning to submit one. There was a video circulating from one of the elementary schools of the principal collecting the exemption forms while being shouted at by a mob of parents. She had a whole stack. However, it's a very large district, so I'm not sure whether that's going to come out to 1% of the total student population, or 10%, or more.

But I'm shocked that many seem to have no shame about twisting religion to suit their needs and if anyone calls them out (and some have), they viciously attack... flinging more Bible verses (of the "don't be judgemental" variety) like ammunition.

 

[JediBonas]

We still have no info on protocols and everything for school this year (NY - my kids go to private school starting the 8th). I'm hoping it will be the same as last year - masks, distancing, no moving rooms, etc. They're still in elementary school so none of the kids are old enough to be vaccinated yet. Last year they were back full-time with masks and all the other protocols and it was the first school year my son didn't get sick at all (neither of my kids did, actually), he usually ends up at ER/Urgent Care at least once during the winter for breathing problems because every cold seems to drop to his chest but not last year and it was GREAT! Hoping for a similar experience this year, I plan on making them wear masks even if not required but NY seems to be smarter about forcing the issue then some of the other states.

 

[randumb0]

Orange County (FL) finally decided to require masks with a medical opt out option. Although nothing's perfect it's definitely a start. One of the counties north of here has a mask requirement and there was an article in their paper that said that half of the medical opt outs in the county all came from the same dr

 

[JenBush]

Yes, my family and friends that are teachers have all told me what a mess their school districts are right now. One of my friends had a student test positive yesterday and as of last night still didn’t know if they or half their class will be allowed to return to school today

 

[kdonnel]

School has been back in session for 15 school days now.

It has gone much as expected, mirroring what happened last year.

Since school started the county has averaged 242 cases a day. The schools have averaged 178 cases a day. So the schools, staff and students, account for almost 75% of all cases.

Considering there are roughly 50% more students in person compared to last year the numbers have not increased by 50%.


Edited to add:
For those wondering the county has about 900,000 people. The school system has 186,000 students and 20,000 staff. So the school is roughly 23% of the population but 75% of the cases.

And masks have been required since the first day of school.

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

DD is a freshman and started school on August 12th. The district requires masks indoors. I received the following in an email from the district yesterday:

Last week, we completed our first full week of the 2021-2022 school year. Students and staff are following health and safety protocols and enjoying reconnecting with one another on school campuses.

We had 10 students and 1 staff COVID-19 positive cases in the district from 8 different schools with 14,000 students and 2,000 staff in attendance. Our layers of safety protocols to mitigate the spread of the virus are working, as are the recommendations from public health officials to positive cases, close contacts, and non-close contacts.

 

[bennifer]

We went to welcome back night last night for DS. New school for him, and he was cyber last year. I can see it's going to be terrible. No masks, desks are right up beside each other. We're in a large district, there are over 1100 kids in his building (2 grades). Fortunately, DS is 12 and vaccinated, but he's one of the oldest in his grade/school. Last year there was masking and distancing, but a few parents and the school board (most of which don't even have children in the district) decided to follow politicians advice over science. Not surprised, but disappointed in them.

 

[bcla]

Around here there aren't single school district in any county (save San Francisco) and counties only provide guidance. School districts can span different cities and even unincorporated areas. Some school districts are city specific. There are also some non-unified school districts that might only cover high school, and where the elementary schools are in different districts.

So it's rather messy if different districts operate different reopening policies.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So it's rather messy if different districts operate different reopening policies.

I would imagine many places out there have that. It's been like that in my area all the time, different districts have different policies. Covid or no covid like it or not each school district has the ability to do their own thing in many places such as attendance, dress code, social media policies, different days off in the school calendar, etc.

Most of the ones in my area cross multiple cities and there's 6 main ones in my county alone. That's just talking about my county, then you add in all the other counties that make up my metro of which different counties have different rules and because the metro is split between two states you have differing state rules. But it's always been that way and always will be that way. The metro does things the same in some ways and in other ways they don't.

It's def. confusing at times, hard to keep track of the rules but I'm guessing a lot of places out there are the same way. And it was the case last year for a lot of people too with differing rules.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Our school requires 100% mask compliance so no issues here. Im so glad Im not in a district where parents are picketing against one another on the school lawns.