🚨Today my 3 children (6, 9, 10) were expelled ("unenrolled") from public school for excessive absences.🚨

WHY?

Cuz I don't:
- send them to school when they're sick
- send them to school when illness is above a threshold outlined by their pediatrician.

The full story⬇️🧵 I've worked in education for >25 yrs. I know the rules & laws.

I also know that the school is violating multiple regulations/laws that make it unsafe when illness levels are high.

But schools are allowed to break the rules, then punish kids & families.

It's not OK.

We, the @CRFoundationUS, are looking to donate hundreds of pre-made modified CR boxes to those affected by the #lafires. One 2" Merv13 carbon filter & a fan.

⬇️Here are4⃣ways you can help, whether you are in the area or not. Pick one & join the cause of helping those in need.
🧵
1⃣ If you are in the area of the #lafires and can receive 25-50 of these DIY air cleaners, please reach out to @CRFoundationUS via DM.

I will be coming Sunday or Monday with a giant truckload.

My sister made a 💰fortune💰 off of California school's misuse of Covid-relief funds.

Her income has now dropped over 20% since those relief funds expired.

This is just 1 story that highlights how schools spent that $$ on things unrelated to pandemic prevention/recovery.
🧵
1/ Soon after relief funds were made available, my sister got a call from a friend who needed help completing the massive influx of jobs coming in.

What line of work was this friend in?

Installing large sports-related equipment: score boards, video boards, etc.
2/

Everyday for the past 2 years I have walked past the nursing home in our neighborhood.

Today I walked in, for the first time, and offered them free air cleaners in anticipation of an influx of visitors they’ll have in the next few days.

How it went …
🧵 An unmasked employee greeted me with suspicious eyes.

I tried to calm her worries by stating I was cautious, not contagious.

I introduced myself as a neighbor who wanted to make a donation to help their residents stay healthy during a time of increased visitors and viruses.

An uncomfortable thread comparing school's handling of school shootings and Covid. 🧵

I experienced my first school shooting as a young teacher in 2001 when a student killed multiple classmates at our neighboring high school down the street. 😢
1/ I have lived through the evolution of both of these tragic threats to schools - school shootings and an airborne pandemic.

I'd like to highlight 2 things:
- 1 way in which these two threats have been handled similarly
- 1 way in which they have been handled differently.

2/

4 days ago my 6yo attended a field trip to a local science museum.

A parent chaperone repeatedly "pressured and begged" him to remove his mask for part of the experiment.

This morning I was awake at 4am cleaning up his vomit.

🛑Stop bullying children! Yes, he caved to the pressure for a short time. It's hard being a 6yo standing up to adult harassment.

Yes, my husband or I ALWAYS accompany our children on field trips. Only a few were allowed into a small room for an experiment. My husband was not allowed in.

📢📢California Dept of Public Health has published new indoor air quality guidance for schools!📢📢

Every school should be following this concrete guidance.

A summary 🧵⬇️ of @CAPublicHealth 's new guidance.

Share widely!


1/cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/D… @CAPublicHealth does a great job stating all the reasons why indoor air quality matters, up front:

- ⬇️ spread of respiratory viruses spread through air
- ⬇️ exposure to harmful chemicals & wildfire 🔥smoke

- ⬆️ student performance
- ⬆️ attendance

2/

My son tested positive for Cov1d for 13 days. We kept him home that whole time to prevent forward spread.
(Testing + = contagious)

The school never once sent an email (or phone call) to check on him.

You wanna know what they did send us?

An excessive absence notice! When a child is absent for an extended period, lead with empathy.
Ask questions.
Listen.
Like, truly listen.
Show you care about them a person 1st, student 2nd.

Then #cleantheair to stop the spread of viruses at school.

6 days ago Cov1d entered our family for the 1st (known) time, undoubtedly from school.😡😭

We have thus far been able to contain it to just 1 of our children.

Amidst the tsunami of rage and despair, I had a moment last night with different emotions that I want to share.
🧵 We were on Zoom, trying to maintain normalcy by reading a bit of holy text as a family.
I became overwhelmed with gratitude.

Not for this experience.
Not for vaccines.
Certainly not for public health leaders.

But for all of YOU who have taught me things to make it this long.

My kid's teacher sent me this picture today from school.

This is a 🧵about:
football,
masking,
and belonging.

Stick with me - especially those of you that work in education. Tonight the NFL season is kicking off with the (Super Bowl champs) St Louis Chiefs taking on the Baltimore Ravens.

Thousands of strangers are gathered in the Chief's stadium, instantly finding a sense of belonging with other fans wearing jerseys, hats, etc. from "their team".

I guess it's time to share this story ...

(Sometimes I wait cuz the pain is so deep in the moment)

This story begins with my 6yo being assaulted at school for wearing a mask.

This story ends with security being called on me at a school board meeting.
🧵

https://twitter.com/JohnSnowProject/status/1829165203969523770

(Unbeknownst to me) My 6yo was being bullied and assaulted for wearing a mask in kindergarten.

He masks to protect himself, you, and his high-risk big brother. He has never complained about masking.

🔟 Reasons Why '24-'25 School Year is THE Most Important Year to Advocate for Better Indoor Air Quality in Schools.

(Seriously, we're in big trouble if we don't make significant progress in this area.)
🧵 1⃣ Covid wastewater levels are at record highs for this time of year, as tens of millions of kids head into poorly ventilated, over-crowded classrooms.

As if that isn't bad enough ...

https://x.com/michael_hoerger/status/1822127699667628315

I tested several DIY portable air cleaners to see how they performed in an active classroom environment.

My focus was on PM2.5 measurements.

Here's what I found, and how it's influencing my advocacy for my own kids and beyond ...
🧵 tl;dr
- classrooms produce a TON of PM2.5
- classrooms desperately need better ventilation/filtration
- the original CR box performed the best (of those I tested)

One of education's leading magazines is running a special issue on chronic absenteeism this summer. I got an advance copy.

Here is a list of titles (& summary lines) for each article they published. None focus on illness or the need for clean air.
🧵 Disclaimers:
- Chronic absenteeism is complex. I support many of the suggestions they published.
- I'm not here to name/slander the publisher.
- Intentionally omitting the topic of illness & clean air (I submitted an article with @drseanmullen & Dr. Sarah Layton) is unacceptable.

Last week I attended a conference for educators in New Orleans.

I was one of the few masking at this large indoor gathering. It can feel isolating and like my mask is a barrier.

Here is what I did to make my mask be more inviting without compromising protection:
🧵 I bedazzled my 3M Auras to match my outfits. Instead of my mask being the elephant in the room, it became a topic of conversation and compliments.

I imagine many people who see me wearing a mask indoors assume I'm a person consumed with fear, unwilling to task a risk.

That couldn't be further from my personality. You might be surprised to know I enjoy an adrenaline rush.

I love bungee jumping.
🧵 My (now) husband and I went skydiving on our first date.

The last time I went skydiving the plane was duct taped together and they had to jumpstart the airplane with a pickup truck.

(sorry, can't find a photo!)

Today @CDC issued new guidance for preventing spread of infections in schools.

Another assignment turned in 4+ years too late.

Here are my 🔟 highlights (👍) and lowlights (👎) from this new guidance.
(In no particular order)
🧵

https://twitter.com/CDCgov/status/1791480990549876900

1⃣
👍 The guidance is framed with the attendance crisis in mind. They are acknowledging that illness is a leading factor in absences.

👎 It could have been more explicit in naming that a lot of this spread is happening IN school buildings.

✨School Leaders & Clean Air Advocates✨

US Sec of Ed, @SecCardona, issued a letter recently (3/22/24) to all school leaders to address the chronic absenteeism crisis.

YES!! He addresses the need to improve indoor air quality to improve attendance.

🧵www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/gui… The letter says, "I'm writing today to ask each State to commit to three key actions that can help more students attend and engage in school each day."

Finally!! Journalism that is highlighting the role of illness in the chronic absenteeism crisis.

Here are two articles (1 published yesterday; 1 published fall of 2021 that discuss how classrooms are too-often the source of illness spreading to classmates & teachers.
🧵 First, from yesterday!

This article shares the perspective of teachers & parents ... the folks with the closest view of what is happening with illness in classrooms.
The closing quote from my dear friend @mslisa2u sums it up so well.
thecut.com/article/school…

📢📢PARENTS, TEACHERS, & SCHOOLS 📢📢

I figured it out!!

@CAPublicHealth's new guidance allowing Covid+ students in school (fever-free, 😷recommended) can NOT be adopted by California schools.

Here's why: stick with me (& please share)
🧵 Here's the original guidance, first posted by @CAPublicHealth on Jan 9, 2024.

We've all been up in arms by #1 that says Covid+ folks only need to stay home for 24 hrs post fever.

We all know this will lead to ⬆️ infection & ⬆️ long covid.



#3 is our 🛟 cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/D…

I know I've been fairly quiet on @CAPublicHealth's new policy allowing Covid+ students and staff be at school (without a fever, requesting they mask).

It's knocked the wind out my sails. I don't know what it means for my family but, for now, I'm still fighting.

An email:
🧵 (I feel like I've gone back in time to where all my focus was on my own kids' school. I'm begging them to not adopt this new guidance. We haven't received word yet. 🙏
This is the email I sent to my kids' principal this morning ...)