Face-to-face school - anyone else's kids start yet?

[Sneezyone]

Governors who take the heat off of local school boards by imposing statewide mask requirements are gonna look like heroes when this is all over.

[Lecka]

I am just back from Open House for middle school.  
 

No mask mandates allowed in Oklahoma.

 

About half of the people there were wearing masks, and all of the teachers were.  
 

In good news — they were holding a vaccine clinic, too, and the line was really long!

 

 

[ikslo]

25 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Does Hillsborough have masks at their schools?

Masking with parent opt out option. No reason must be given by the parent, no vaccination requirement or medical reason. DS says it isn’t being monitored at his high school.  No one is asking or checking.  He says only about 50% or so are masked, including teachers.

[Tap]

Washington requires everyone in school to wear masks. DD14s school allows for opportunities for kids to not wear masks if they  have documented sensory issues (she is in a therapeutic day school) but I am not sure if I will request that or not. She is fine wearing a mask in public unless she gets mad (which makes her very hot) then she refuses to wear one. I will probably text with the principal about it. She is high risk due to obesity (and cant be vax'd), so I would prefer she wear one, but she also spits when she is mad, so she is high risk to others. ⚖️

[sangtarah]

Schools here started last Thursday. We only have weekly updates from the counties, and the school district dismantled the dashboard they had last year. So, we won't know the impact of "masks optional" until Saturday. 

On a different note: does anyone know if kids who had COVID in Dec (one family I know) or in Feb (another family) would still have antibodies and be less at risk? 

[mommyoffive]

COVID: S. Carolina school district back to virtual classes (apnews.com)

[TexasProud]

So many pictures on meet the teacher over the last few evenings. No masks anywhere. None. School starts tomorrow...  All of my friends that are teachers and have kids... I am so worried for them. 

[Faith-manor]

3 hours ago, TexasProud said:

So many pictures on meet the teacher over the last few evenings. No masks anywhere. None. School starts tomorrow...  All of my friends that are teachers and have kids... I am so worried for them. 

I am so sorry! This has to be nerve wrecking.

[heartlikealion]

I don’t know if I should get a Covid test out of an abundance of caution. Not really for me but for others. I don’t think I was exposed and  if I was symptomatic I’d show by now. 

How high up the nose does the Walgreens test go? The rapid 1 hr is not available. Next available is the 24 hr one. 

I ordered a kit for the house that’s coming. I found a store with one in stock so I could just pick up a home kit (that’s like $23). 

[TexasProud]

Our town straddles two counties. One county reported 166 cases in the month of June,  609 for the month of July, so far in August we have 1200 cases so far, with 358 of them reported yesterday. But school is starting today with no masks.  I just have no words and a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach.

[DoraBora]

Though the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday sided with the governor about prohibiting local mask mandates, the Paris school district (about 100 miles NE of Dallas) is going forward by integrating masks into its general dress code.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-district-makes-masks-part-054645876.html

Other districts are simply defying his order.  I thought the wording of the directive was interesting, since they aren't including masks to mitigate Covid specifically.  🙂 

"For health reasons, masks are required for all employees and students to mitigate flu, cold, pandemic, and any other communicable diseases" — will be revisited at every monthly trustee meeting and could be changed later, The Paris News newspaper reported.

[Faith-manor]

1 minute ago, DoraBora said:

Though the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday sided with the governor about prohibiting local mask mandates, the Paris school district (about 100 miles NE of Dallas) is going forward by integrating masks into its general dress code.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-district-makes-masks-part-054645876.html

Other districts are simply defying his order.  I thought the wording of the directive was interesting, since they aren't including masks to mitigate Covid specifically.  🙂 

"For health reasons, masks are required for all employees and students to mitigate flu, cold, pandemic, and any other communicable diseases" — will be revisited at every monthly trustee meeting and could be changed later, The Paris News newspaper reported.

They will have a benefit from it not just for mitigating covid spread. Last year, for the first time in decades, our county elementary schools did not have to close down for influenza spreading like wildfire among students and staff, nor the annual, 1/4 of the class has strep or tonsillitis mess. Several teacher friends said they loved not being sick all winter with the usual round robin of viruses and bacteria. Pneumonia among non-covid folks was at a record low. I had decided that even if the pandemic waned and abated, I was still going to wear my mask in public places this winter. I enjoyed not having respiratory gunk and sore throats last winter. It was a nice change from the usual Michigan winter yucks.

[ktgrok]

1 minute ago, Faith-manor said:

 I had decided that even if the pandemic waned and abated, I was still going to wear my mask in public places this winter. I enjoyed not having respiratory gunk and sore throats last winter. It was a nice change from the usual Michigan winter yucks.

I likely won't wear it all the time, but I'm thinking that will become our new norm whenver we can go back to the science musueum. That place is a freaking petrie dish - they run a preschool there and those kids (who get sent even when sick so mom and dad don't have to miss work) wander the exhibits daily, spreading daycare germs all over. Then add in the school field trips, and it is a known thing that everyone gets sick when they go there. We started using hand sanitizer after every room, which helped, but I'm thinking masks may be permanent for my family at that place. 

[JennyD]

19 minutes ago, DoraBora said:

Though the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday sided with the governor about prohibiting local mask mandates, the Paris school district (about 100 miles NE of Dallas) is going forward by integrating masks into its general dress code.

 

That is a brilliant legal strategy.  There is loads of caselaw upholding school districts' wide latitude to set and enforce student dress codes.  Of course, challenges generally come from individual students, not the state executive, so there are still open legal questions here, but this is smart lawyering on the part of the Paris ISD's counsel.  

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by JennyD

[Bambam]

1 hour ago, TexasProud said:

Our town straddles two counties. One county reported 166 cases in the month of June,  609 for the month of July, so far in August we have 1200 cases so far, with 358 of them reported yesterday. But school is starting today with no masks.  I just have no words and a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach.

Most of the counties in TX aren't reporting daily cases any more. So that 358 is probably a Monday report of the cases from Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - so still not great at all but not quite so bad as 358 cases in one day. 

[TexasProud]

11 minutes ago, Bambam said:

Most of the counties in TX aren't reporting daily cases any more. So that 358 is probably a Monday report of the cases from Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - so still not great at all but not quite so bad as 358 cases in one day. 

You are correct, but still 1200 cases this month alone and it is only the 18th!!!

 

[Longtime Lurker]

47 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

They will have a benefit from it not just for mitigating covid spread. Last year, for the first time in decades, our county elementary schools did not have to close down for influenza spreading like wildfire among students and staff, nor the annual, 1/4 of the class has strep or tonsillitis mess. Several teacher friends said they loved not being sick all winter with the usual round robin of viruses and bacteria. Pneumonia among non-covid folks was at a record low. I had decided that even if the pandemic waned and abated, I was still going to wear my mask in public places this winter. I enjoyed not having respiratory gunk and sore throats last winter. It was a nice change from the usual Michigan winter yucks.

QFT

[Bambam]

3 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

You are correct, but still 1200 cases this month alone and it is only the 18th!!!

 

Yes, it is bad. Every county I see in my local area is increasing rapidly. 

[Bambam]

Another unfortunate thing about TX - at least from the school districts I'm seeing, there is NO requirement to quarantine if you've been exposed to a positive COVID case. One school will publish the number of known positives in each grade on their website. They will not call you to tell you if your child was exposed to a positive. You are not required to have your child quarantine if there were exposed.  

But our governor did just announce that they are opening 10 antibody infusion centers - like that will solve the problem. 

 

[Sneezyone]

In line with my general belief in watching what ppl do…the TX Governor apparently received a booster shot (so he’s had THREE), still got COVID, proceeded to get the antibody treatment, and is STILL trying to prohibit districts from taking basic, non-invasive precautions for students who cannot receive any of those services.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Sneezyone

[TexasProud]

9 minutes ago, Bambam said:

Another unfortunate thing about TX - at least from the school districts I'm seeing, there is NO requirement to quarantine if you've been exposed to a positive COVID case. One school will publish the number of known positives in each grade on their website. They will not call you to tell you if your child was exposed to a positive. You are not required to have your child quarantine if there were exposed.  

But our governor did just announce that they are opening 10 antibody infusion centers - like that will solve the problem. 

 

 

Just now, Sneezyone said:

In line with my general belief in watching why ppl do…the TX Governor apparently received a booster shot (so he’s had THREE), still got COVID, proceeded to get the antibody treatment and is STILL trying to prohibit districts from taking precautions for students who cannot receive any of those.

Yeah, completely ridiculous.  He is an idiot. 

[Not_a_Number]

3 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

 

Yeah, completely ridiculous.  He is an idiot. 

Actually, he’s very canny. He can both ride the anti-vaccine hysteria and also not get sick… very shrewd.

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Actually, he’s very canny. He can both ride the anti-vaccine hysteria and also not get sick… very shrewd.

I believe evil is a synonym in this instance. 
Cold, cruel, inhumane, psychopathic all work too. 
And to think he'll probably get re-elected. 

[ktgrok]

Our "current" dashboard. I use quotes because plenty of parents are pointing out that it doesn't actually stay current, and cases at magnet schools are not being included supposedly. And of course, these are KNOWN positives. 

Article: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/08/17/orange-county-public-schools-shatters-record-of-daily-covid-19-cases-among-students

https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMzdmYWM1N2QtNjIxMS00ODk3LWI3ZGUtYjZmODQzNTY4ZDA0IiwidCI6IjMwYTczNzMxLTdkNWEtNDY5My1hNGFmLTFmNWQ0ZTc0Y2E5MyIsImMiOjF9

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by ktgrok

[Faith-manor]

On 8/16/2021 at 7:57 PM, hjffkj said:

wtf is wrong with people.  I really wish they would press charges on the parents.

Here is a thought. If another child became seriously ill or died from being exposed to this child, is there room for a civil suit? Genetic sequencing in New Zealand has allowed them to trace outbreaks to the carrier and pinpoint exposure.

So many people do not give a damn about human life, but they do cate about the wallets. Maybe if there was room to sue for damages, they would think twice about sending covid positive kids to school.

[ScoutTN]

1 hour ago, DoraBora said:

Though the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday sided with the governor about prohibiting local mask mandates, the Paris school district (about 100 miles NE of Dallas) is going forward by integrating masks into its general dress code.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-district-makes-masks-part-054645876.html

Other districts are simply defying his order.  I thought the wording of the directive was interesting, since they aren't including masks to mitigate Covid specifically.  🙂 

"For health reasons, masks are required for all employees and students to mitigate flu, cold, pandemic, and any other communicable diseases" — will be revisited at every monthly trustee meeting and could be changed later, The Paris News newspaper reported.

Similar here. The metro schools require masks, our idiot Governor gave an opt-out option, but the city is still requiring them. All of my tutoring students in this system have said everyone is masked at school, except at recess and lunch, which are outside. There may be various levels of compliance school to school though. High numbers of cases already.

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, ScoutTN said:

Similar here. The metro schools require masks, our idiot Governor gave an opt-out option, but the city is still requiring them. All of my tutoring students in this system have said everyone is masked at school, except at recess and lunch, which are outside. There may be various levels of compliance school to school though. High numbers of cases already.

The sad thing is that masking won’t do it this time. Delta is way too contagious.

As it turns out, last year should have been masked and in person, and this year should be virtual. Anyone got a time machine??

[TexasProud]

7 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

The sad thing is that masking won’t do it this time. Delta is way too contagious.

As it turns out, last year should have been masked and in person, and this year should be virtual. Anyone got a time machine??

Yep, but the appetite for a lockdown is not there.  Our covid hospitalizations are over 20 percent. Last time as it was over 15 percent for 7 days, they closed stuff to elective. It has been well over that for over a week and a half. Nothing on the news about that this time. I am sure they probably have, but no one is talking about it.

[mommyoffive]

LAUSD reports 3,255 student back-to-school COVID cases - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

[Sneezyone]

1 hour ago, Not_a_Number said:

The sad thing is that masking won’t do it this time. Delta is way too contagious.

As it turns out, last year should have been masked and in person, and this year should be virtual. Anyone got a time machine??

Hindsight is 20/20. If my kids were unable to be vaccinated, I’d be thinking long and hard about sending them back this year. 

[73349]

My pen pal lives in a small rural district in Mississippi. After seven school days, they have had an outbreak and had to return to virtual for their secondary school (grades 7-12). Nine cases (that they know of!) in a district that I think only has ~200 children.

[Spryte]

6 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

Hindsight is 20/20. If my kids were unable to be vaccinated, I’d be thinking long and hard about sending them back this year. 

This.

We have always homeschooled, but with unvaccinated DD - I’m fairly sure I’d be considering it if we didn’t already do it. I know our ability to do so is a privilege and not everyone has the option. We have been making hard choices about extracurriculars as it is.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Spryte
I cannot post without typos. Oops. Fixed it.

[Not_a_Number]

5 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

Hindsight is 20/20. If my kids were unable to be vaccinated, I’d be thinking long and hard about sending them back this year. 

I'm not planning to do in-person stuff this year until the kids are vaxxed. I'm glad we got some camps in before things started going up... 

[KSera]

On 8/15/2021 at 5:40 PM, lauraw4321 said:

Sometimes emails work. The board sent this email reversing the “opt out” mask policy. I had a lot of emails with school board members, and I for once feel like it made a difference. quoted below:
 

If you believe that your student should be exempt from these procedures due to medical, health, or ability concerns, please provide documentation of the grounds supporting your exemption to your school principal.  The school will work with the MCS administration to evaluate each such request.  MCS will consult materials available to it from the ADPH and the AAP to evaluate each request.  

Again, I want to emphasize that in-person learning is our main focus this year, but, in order to ensure safety, we must adhere to our MCS policies. Since the start of this school year, our staff has tried to accommodate and work with parents concerning the mask requirement. However, beginning tomorrow, the only students allowed in a regular class setting will be those that are masked or have been given an exemption via an IEP or 504 plan.

Fantastic update! Way to go you, for writing all those emails!

[TexasProud]

Don't quote. Almost made it. My daughter's last day of work was last Saturday. Got a text today that the owner is positive. We have her scheduled for a PCR test tomorrow in a town 30 minutes away. No rapid tests available anywhere. She has no symptoms, and she wore a mask at work,  but is going to college on Sunday.  So... 

[heartlikealion]

1 hour ago, Sneezyone said:

Hindsight is 20/20. If my kids were unable to be vaccinated, I’d be thinking long and hard about sending them back this year. 

But this delta variant is crazy so even the vaccine isn’t that much peace of mind. 

[heartlikealion]

@TexasProud would it help at all to get an OTC one? I used my apps to locate one in stock (try CVS, Walgreens, Walmart). There might be other pharmacy options as well. 

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

Same policy for us. Useless as far as infection control. Horrible burden to put on teachers to even try to enforce. I expect there will be virtually no one masking after the first few days. 

Yup. The facebook group for county teachers has all of them saying they do not feel they can enforce masks at all. 

[ktgrok]

Just now, heartlikealion said:

@TexasProud would it help at all to get an OTC one? I used my apps to locate one in stock (try CVS, Walgreens, Walmart). There might be other pharmacy options as well. 

Even if they show as in stock they may not be ...found that out the hard way. 

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, heartlikealion said:

@TexasProud would it help at all to get an OTC one? I used my apps to locate one in stock (try CVS, Walgreens, Walmart). There might be other pharmacy options as well. 

I will look, but I am doubtful.

[heartlikealion]

I can see both sides on the masks. If they are worn, they should be used properly. I see adults touching theirs all the time. Readjusting them. The kids will fiddle with them. But I also think when people don’t wear them they spit when they talk etc. 

[heartlikealion]

8 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Even if they show as in stock they may not be ...found that out the hard way. 

I’d place a pick up order. Worst case they cancel it. You should get an alert in a couple hours that your item is ready for pick up. There is a slim chance they will cancel the order after the pick up email. Happened to me with another item at Walmart recently. In face Walmart canceled several of my recent purchases (some pick up some mail). So my second a/c window unit got canceled. But I digress. 

[Sneezyone]

1 hour ago, Not_a_Number said:

I'm not planning to do in-person stuff this year until the kids are vaxxed. I'm glad we got some camps in before things started going up... 

The lack of treatments and vax was the primary reason I kept them home last year. I don’t/never did expect to prevent a covid infection but to prevent serious injury and death. I feel better about the odds now but we’ll still be using masks.

[Sneezyone]

17 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

But this delta variant is crazy so even the vaccine isn’t that much peace of mind. 

As a layman primarily judging by hospital admissions, it gives me A TON of peace. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Sneezyone said:

As a layman primarily judging by hospital admissions, it gives me A TON of peace. 🤷🏽‍♀️

It doesn't give me peace, per se, but I'm sure glad I have it. 

[heartlikealion]

2 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

It doesn't give me peace, per se, but I'm sure glad I have it.

2 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

It doesn't give me peace, per se, but I'm sure glad I have it. 

Yeah. I’m waiting to get my second dose and I’m glad I got the first even though there are a lot of break through cases. I agree the hospital figures are meaningful. Just in the circles of people I know/talk to a lot are getting Covid with the vaccine, though. 
 

(I botched up the quotes but I’m replying to both of you) 

Edited August 18, 2021 by heartlikealion

[prairiewindmomma]

31 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Don't quote. Almost made it. My daughter's last day of work was last Saturday. Got a text today that the owner is positive. We have her scheduled for a PCR test tomorrow in a town 30 minutes away. No rapid tests available anywhere. She has no symptoms, and she wore a mask at work,  but is going to college on Sunday.  So... 

Walmart has them with two day turnaround on their walmart.com website. Nowhere here has them for store pickup.

[ktgrok]

When I ordered with 2 day turnaround it still took a week 😞

[Not_a_Number]

29 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Yeah. I’m waiting to get my second dose and I’m glad I got the first even though there are a lot of break through cases. I agree the hospital figures are meaningful. Just in the circles of people I know/talk to a lot are getting Covid with the vaccine, though. 
 

Yes, I think many people get COVID with the vaccine when it comes to Delta. They get a lot less sick, though. 

[mlktwins]

16 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

When I ordered with 2 day turnaround it still took a week 😞

Me too!