Thread by @EvanBlake17

Please read and share this moving interview with a New Jersey psychologist, who describes the horrific conditions that presently exist in K-12 schools during the Omicron surge. A 🧵 with some of the key quotes 1/ wsws.org/en/articles/20…

"We came back from break on Jan 3. During that week, two of my students contracted COVID-19 at school. They brought it to their separate homes and inadvertently infected their mom and grandma (who was the primary caregiver), both of whom died last week." 2/

"Before break, both kids told me that their mom and grandma had been staying home, not even going out for groceries, because mom was immunocompromised, and grandma was elderly. The kids were extremely careful and nervous about being in school." 3/

"The conditions at the school are horrible. We had a teacher pass out during class. Administration first said she had COVID, then said it was due to stress. The children watched the EMTs give her oxygen on the floor in their class. That was during the first week of January." 4/

"I think the student walkouts happening in Chicago, Oakland, NYC, etc. reflect the feelings of my students. They know those in power do not care about them. They know their lives are disposable in the view of administration." 5/

"Personally, I cry every day before and after work. I can’t sleep at night because I am worried about these kids. I am angry. If I did not depend on this job for health care, I would leave." 6/

"I did not sign up to be a grief counselor and to be told to lie to students about the buildings being safe. I have no idea how to help these kids. What do you say to a teenager who lost their mom by inadvertently infecting them with a virus that they tried so hard to avoid?" 7/

"I would argue that mental health has been compromised due to experiencing an ongoing collective trauma. There have been no studies in our district measuring mental health pre- and post-pandemic, and no studies were done that examined mental health effects of remote learning" 8/

"Children who lose their caregivers, specifically those who inadvertently infected them, are likely to experience survivor’s guilt, which is a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can lead to depression, anxiety, and difficulties with relationships." 9/

"I think the push to reopen schools is about funding, not mental health or academics. If it was about academics, we wouldn’t have over 100 classes canceled a day, where dozens of kids are sent to the auditorium or cafeteria to be watched by secretaries or security guards." 10/

"The CDC’s change from 10 to 5 days of quarantine was a completely political decision that puts everyone inside schools at risk. What does this do for these individuals’ mental health? It shows them that they are not valued, which can lead to an increase of depression." 11/

"In our society, it’s a privilege to have access to and to understand medical research. The capitalist class depends on people, specifically working class parents at the moment, to not have access to these privileges, and thus information." 12/

"The capitalist culture of the United States is crumbling, and I believe the youth, who have been clearly shown that their lives don’t matter during the pandemic, will be the ones to dismantle it." 13/13 wsws.org/edsafety

Please read 🧵above & share! @Sandyboots2020 @jesamin1 @HoppySaul @SafeEdForAll_UK @cersc_csppb @yaneerbaryam @DrEricDing @GosiaGasperoPhD @chiradsCPS @LauraMiers @wsbgnl @LostToCovid @Cleavon_MD @NyCovid @Incindery1 @zerocovidcanada @TheWHN @WalkerBragman @DmodosCutter

Please read 🧵above & share @JMFischer @jljcolorado @dianaberrent @Marks1Guy @ashleynmcb @thrasherxy @jesamin1 @Lyndab08 @rickygervais @JudahWorldChamp @GKMC18 @ChiStudentResp @jeremyfaust @EpiEllie @denise_dewald @vlamers @MiguelNicolelis @WalkerBragman @MaBovill @CorsIAQ

Please read 🧵above & share @gregggonsalves @HZiauddeen @K_G_Andersen @DrTomori @ArisKatzourakis @fitterhappierAJ @SGriffin_Lab @ZerocovidD @BarryHunt008 @CovidEducators @HuffmanLabDU @lisa_iannattone @alexandraphelan @DrZoeHyde @VirusesImmunity @amymaxmen @AgainstDying

.@Cleavon_MD Thank you for sharing this. I'd like to interview you for the WSWS, please send me a DM if you're interested. Your work documenting #SoulsLostToCovid and #TheySurvivedCovid has been very significant, and it would be important to share your experiences.