Thread by @RayneyDaze

So...I'll address what the question was about in a thread here, but...anyone notice how the QUESTION was commented on, not the reporter that asked it? And then the question was STILL ANSWERED. Finally we have a competent @PressSec. Okay, onto my thoughts re opening schools.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1357379245169868801

I know that part of the issue with parents returning to work is students returning to their socialized daycare (cough...I mean schools). I also know that a lot of kids will do better in a classroom environment than at home. I would have been one of them if I were school-age now.

These are both arguments for opening schools sooner rather than later. From the teacher side, I know several teachers, the one I've talked to the most being a high school teacher, second an early Elementary teacher. Both are scared to go back.

Why? Because while students may not be as likely to show symptoms or severe symptoms (though when they do, it's bad), they are carriers. Teachers know this. Would anyone want to go into that environment? Then there's the issue of students' families. Teachers know this too.

Those who follow my timeline here know that I've been opposed to this "opening in the first 100 days" thing that Biden's been promising. I don't think this should have a timer on it. We need things to be safe first, not decide that there's an expiration date on not opening.

Ventilation: How? Are we going to hold classes outdoors? Open all the windows? Some schools are in areas that it's still freezing cold around that time. Others don't even have windows.
Distancing: What about lunch? Kids have to take their masks off to eat in crowded cafeterias.

We already know that eating in close quarters spreads the virus. Why do you think places keep closing restaurants...even when they're set up for physical distancing? Not only that, but a lot of our schools are overcrowded, especially in high-risk zip codes where mostly POC live.

So what do we do about that? Half-days where there's no school lunch (or breakfast probably) and students only get half their education? We already have issues with students who can't afford decent internet accessing class. Would this be any better?

Masks: This is fine for high school except if students of anti-maskers follow their parents' ways. With the new variants taking hold in the US, this is even more important (not that it hasn't been - it has). The early elementary teacher told me that when she was still teaching...

...(she quit to protect her own kids), she had a very hard time with young students not keeping their masks on. There was supposed to be a rule where they got 3 warnings & had to go home. Home to where? Will we have the ability to enforce this in the lower grades - or the upper?

I'm all for this being done safely. But that's key. I haven't heard anyone addressing these issues - though I can't exactly keep up on everything. If I'm wrong, if all of this has been addressed, I'll happily get on board. Until then I'm more concerned for teacher/student safety.