K-12 Schools & COVID

[SERocks]

The anger is because from a health, scientific, and economic point of view, the decisions are moronic. The decisions will kill people. I tend to have a problem with politicians that make decisions, that will kill people. There was no reason from a legal standpoint that this was done, so it was completely for political gain.

I think, in great part but maybe not completely, the argument is not about masks/no masks or other measures to keep people safe, but fundamentally it is about whether or not it is a function of government to inform and enforce public health mandates.  I agree with you 100% that that is a main function of government in my opinion (assuming you hold that view, but it appears so from your posts), but the one's clamoring for freedom, I believe do not think that is a role of the government.  They believe that people will choose to do the right thing in many cases.

As in many other cases, they are wrong.

[Macallan 18]

The Marquette Law School hosted a webinar earlier this week on What Is Being Learned in K-12 Education in this Difficult Year - https://youtu.be/fAPojLlT8P4

The first session draws on the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington, which has been closely monitoring and analyzing schooling trends nationwide.

Then four Milwaukee education leaders describe what has happened for their schools and what they have learned. Mike Gousha, distinguished fellow in law and public policy, will moderate a panel with Matthew Joynt, superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District; Jennifer Lopez, CEO of Carmen Schools of Science and Technology; Keith Posley, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools; and James Sebert, superintendent of the School District of Waukesha.

[Galway Eagle]

The Marquette Law School hosted a webinar earlier this week on What Is Being Learned in K-12 Education in this Difficult Year - https://youtu.be/fAPojLlT8P4

The first session draws on the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington, which has been closely monitoring and analyzing schooling trends nationwide.

Then four Milwaukee education leaders describe what has happened for their schools and what they have learned. Mike Gousha, distinguished fellow in law and public policy, will moderate a panel with Matthew Joynt, superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District; Jennifer Lopez, CEO of Carmen Schools of Science and Technology; Keith Posley, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools; and James Sebert, superintendent of the School District of Waukesha.

So that was J Lo does when she's between tours?

[pacearrow02]

Yikes!  Researchers who work CDC cited to help put together school guidelines coming in hot claiming they misinterpreted their findings and that schools should be open now.

So much for giving scientists their voice back.  So thankful to live in a community where the local district leadership applied logic and reason to their mitigation and in person learning strategies. Full face to face from the tip with no significant issues!!

[mu_hilltopper]

Yikes!  Researchers who work CDC cited to help put together school guidelines coming in hot claiming they misinterpreted their findings and that schools should be open now.

Link?

[rocky_warrior]

Full face mask to face mask from the tip with no significant issues!!

FIFY

[pacearrow02]

Link?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/03/09/cdc-school-opening-covid-rules-guidance-column/4628552001/

[pacearrow02]

FIFY

Haha, yes good catch!  Like I said the school board and district leadership used logic and reason with proper mitigation measures.

[MU82]

NC elementary school closes after 17 kids test positive for COVID, 95 in quarantine

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article250310269.html?ac_cid=DM417079&ac_bid=-92574378

A North Carolina elementary school switched temporarily to remote learning on Tuesday after nearly 100 students were quarantined due to a "surge" in COVID-19 cases, school and health officials said.

W.M. Irvin Elementary School in Concord was closed after 17 students tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and 95 students were quarantined, Cabarrus Health Alliance officials said. The alliance is Cabarrus County's health department.

The totals represent about 19% of students at the school, officials said.

[#UnleashSean]

NC elementary school closes after 17 kids test positive for COVID, 95 in quarantine

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article250310269.html?ac_cid=DM417079&ac_bid=-92574378

A North Carolina elementary school switched temporarily to remote learning on Tuesday after nearly 100 students were quarantined due to a "surge" in COVID-19 cases, school and health officials said.

W.M. Irvin Elementary School in Concord was closed after 17 students tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and 95 students were quarantined, Cabarrus Health Alliance officials said. The alliance is Cabarrus County's health department.

The totals represent about 19% of students at the school, officials said.A North Carolina elementary school switched temporarily to remote learning on Tuesday after nearly 100 students were quarantined due to a "surge" in COVID-19 cases, school and health officials said.

W.M. Irvin Elementary School in Concord was closed after 17 students tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and 95 students were quarantined, Cabarrus Health Alliance officials said. The alliance is Cabarrus County's health department.

The totals represent about 19% of students at the school, officials said.

Was this written by a bot? Why does the information repeat like 4 times?

[warriorchick]

.

[BrewCity83]

I'm interested to see the follow-up story to this in about a month.  Will there be any hospitalizations or deaths attributed to this "surge"?  Or will there even be a follow-up story if there aren't any?

[tower912]

Having a hospitalization surge in Michigan right now.

[MU82]

Was this written by a bot? Why does the information repeat like 4 times?

Sorry about that. I think I made a cut-and-paste error. Fixed.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm interested to see the follow-up story to this in about a month.  Will there be any hospitalizations or deaths attributed to this "surge"?  Or will there even be a follow-up story if there aren't any?

Given that they are elementary students, there is a very good chance there won't be any hospitalizations from this group. The more direct risk is that continued spread will contribute to the development of variants. If that happens often enough, any immediate health issues among these 17 elementary students might be the least of our problems.

For a look at what the development and spread of variants can eventually lead to, check out Michigan's latest hospitalization numbers. You won't see that within a month as a result of this outbreak, but if it continues repeating around the country over the next several weeks, we will see the cumulative effects by this summer and fall.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/health/2021/03/31/michigan-covid-hospitalizations-concerns-grow-as-more-younger-adults-are-in-icu/#//

[GooooMarquette]

Here in MN, the B117 variant now accounts for about half of new cases...and we are seeing spread directly tied to schools, kids getting much sicker than before, and hospitalizations increasing.

Notably, Dr. Michael Osterholm from the U of MN was once a very vocal proponent of in-person schooling. With the B117 variant spreading in the schools and kids getting sicker, he seems to be rethinking that position.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/04/05/as-schools-reopen-covid19-cases-climb

"Right here in Minnesota we're now seeing the other aspect of this B117 variant that hasn't been talked much about," he said. "It infects kids very readily. Unlike the previous strains of the virus, we didn't see children under 8th grade get infected often or they were not frequently very ill. They didn't transmit to the rest of the community. That was why I was one of those people very strongly supporting in-person learning. B117 turns that on its head."

---------------

Never be afraid to learn as the virus changes and the data changes along with it. Science.

[MU82]

All anybody can talk about when it comes to education is how far kids have fallen behind because of lack of in-person schooling.

NC is looking at options for the next school year, and is leaning toward starting the year a couple weeks early and making the year longer to help get everybody up to speed.

Well, the NC tourism industry is pi$$ed because they don't want kids in school for most of August.

"Yes, kids need school ... unless it takes money out of our pockets."

People who have to make decisions just can't win.

[Marquette Fan]

All anybody can talk about when it comes to education is how far kids have fallen behind because of lack of in-person schooling.

NC is looking at options for the next school year, and is leaning toward starting the year a couple weeks early and making the year longer to help get everybody up to speed.

Well, the NC tourism industry is pi$$ed because they don't want kids in school for most of August.

"Yes, kids need school ... unless it takes money out of our pockets."

People who have to make decisions just can't win.

I see why they may want to do that but it might be a little late to be making that decision.  I bet a lot of people already have vacations planned based on what the previously announced first day of school is supposed to be in the fall.  And there are people who have already signed their kids up for camps where you can't get refunds I would think.

[mu_hilltopper]

It's a law in WI .. no public school before Sept 1, entirely because of the tourism lobby.

[MU82]

I see why they may want to do that but it might be a little late to be making that decision.  I bet a lot of people already have vacations planned based on what the previously announced first day of school is supposed to be in the fall.  And there are people who have already signed their kids up for camps where you can't get refunds I would think.

It's pretty funny (sad?) that vacations and camps would take priority over school after a year like we just went through.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

It's pretty funny (sad?) that vacations and camps would take priority over school after a year like we just went through.

Not after kids have had a summer and multiple sports seasons ruined.

[jesmu84]

We should have year-round school nationwide anyway

[ZiggysFryBoy]

We should have year-round school nationwide anyway

agree.

[pacearrow02]

All anybody can talk about when it comes to education is how far kids have fallen behind because of lack of in-person schooling.

NC is looking at options for the next school year, and is leaning toward starting the year a couple weeks early and making the year longer to help get everybody up to speed.

Well, the NC tourism industry is pi$$ed because they don't want kids in school for most of August.

"Yes, kids need school ... unless it takes money out of our pockets."

People who have to make decisions just can't win.

For the decision makers the "win" was getting kids back in school 7 months ago when it become very clear there was a safe way of doing so. 

So so so thankful to have lived in a community that made many of the right decisions so aside from a lot of mask wearing our kids lives were minimally impacted.  Got to play all their sports, see their buddies/ teachers at school everyday, and there were very minimal disruptions via contactvtravings etc.

[MU82]

For the decision makers the "win" was getting kids back in school 7 months ago when it become very clear there was a safe way of doing so. 

So so so thankful to have lived in a community that made many of the right decisions so aside from a lot of mask wearing our kids lives were minimally impacted.  Got to play all their sports, see their buddies/ teachers at school everyday, and there were very minimal disruptions via contactvtravings etc.

Glad for you, too.

Not after kids have had a summer and multiple sports seasons ruined.

Yes, that is a very valid point.