Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Figure It Out!

—

by

James A. Bacon
in ,

In a column posted earlier today Kerry Dougherty wondered if the GOP can successfully channel COVID frustration into electoral victory later this year. I proffer no predictions on election outcomes, but there are abundant signs that people are fed up. Nationally, that frustration helped boot Donald Trump from the White House. But Democrats are the party in power in Virginia, and public ire at lockdowns, the bungled vaccine rollout, and school closings likely will be directed at them.

Consider the brief rant of Brandon Michon, shown in the YouTube video above, against the Loudoun County School Board. “You’re a bunch of cowards hiding behind our children as an excuse for keeping schools closed. … The garbage workers pick up my freaking trash and risk their lives every day — more than anyone in this school system! Figure it out! … You know what? … There is a line of people out there who will gladly take your seat and figure it out. It’s not a high bar. Raising the freaking bar!”

Michon’s rant went viral (with a boost from Fox News). Frustration and fear appear to be turning into anger. Virginians have been coping with the virus for almost a year now. They understand that their leaders are dealing with complex issues involving hard trade-offs in the midst of significant uncertainty. But many have reached the point where, to paraphrase the immortal words of fictional TV anchor Howard Beale, they’re made as hell and they aren’t going to take it anymore.

Parents see their children getting a sub-standard education. They see their children are socially isolated and depressed. They know the “science” says schools are safe, assuming basic precautions are taken. They know that private school students are in their classrooms, and students and teachers alike are doing just fine. Public school parents are tired of excuses. Now they’re demanding of their school boards: Figure it out! 

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96 responses to “Figure It Out!”

  1. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    If anyone should be able to leverage the school-reopening issue, it’s Kirk Cox, a 30-year public school teacher. And he has been hammering away. As he says in a press release today:

    “Kirk has been a relentless voice in the fight to return students to the classroom. To him, this isn’t a hot-button issue he picked up for the sake of campaigning. Ensuring quality education for students has been his life, his career, his day-one mission in the General Assembly. Kirk Cox has been calling for schools to reopen for months, and so long as schools remain online — that call will not stop.

    “How many more students have to fail, how much further do math and literacy scores need to drop, how many already struggling kids have to fall even further behind until something happens? For months Kirk Cox has been sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of virtual learning. We need to get kids back into the classroom before things get even worse, and the damage becomes irreversible.”

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      To what extent, can Cox make this a non-partisan Virginia-specific issue ?

      This is going on across the country and there are partisan dividing lines.

      Conservatives are pretty much of one mind about it but how many Dems have also become so disillusioned that they’ll vote GOP , Northern Virginia? The lady in Loudoun, strikes me as a Karen/Kerry type… yes, they are “out there” these days but………. Caroline County – a rural county north of Hanover and Trump country just voted to stay virtual – they are not the only rural county in Virginia doing that. I don’t know the vote but next door in Spotsylvania, they also voted to stay virtual on a split vote, 5-4 I think.

      To what extent in places like Caroline and Spotsylvania does Northam and the Dems get blamed?

      At the end of the day, we have a pandemic and ugly stuff is happening. Is it the Dems fault? Surely it is in the minds of GOP and Conservatives but how about voters? Are Dems going to vote for Cox because of Covid? eh… probably not… especially if he is perceived as dragging a bunch of other GOP baggage on issues like pre-k school and childcare, etc.

    2. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      I couldn’t agree more. People are looking for possible solutions to already known problems. The solution must make sense, not point blame, and be doable. People know the problems.

    3. SuburbanWoman Avatar
      SuburbanWoman

      When the pandemic ends- school divisions will need to continue to offer virtual options in order to maintain enrollment. A certain group of parents are managing and enjoying virtual education. It works for them and if not offered by public school they will become homeschoolers.

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        Your point raises more questions than it answers. I must ask some:
        – is the purpose to maintain state funding for schools to which parents will not send their children?
        – With the kids back in school, who will pay for the additional burdens of virtual education?
        – Who will deliver the online content, the teachers with in-person classrooms?
        – Will that service be billed to the taxpayer at the same rates as in-person education?

        Just questions.

  2. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    If anyone should be able to leverage the school-reopening issue, it’s Kirk Cox, a 30-year public school teacher. And he has been hammering away. As he says in a press release today:

    “Kirk has been a relentless voice in the fight to return students to the classroom. To him, this isn’t a hot-button issue he picked up for the sake of campaigning. Ensuring quality education for students has been his life, his career, his day-one mission in the General Assembly. Kirk Cox has been calling for schools to reopen for months, and so long as schools remain online — that call will not stop.

    “How many more students have to fail, how much further do math and literacy scores need to drop, how many already struggling kids have to fall even further behind until something happens? For months Kirk Cox has been sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of virtual learning. We need to get kids back into the classroom before things get even worse, and the damage becomes irreversible.”

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      To what extent, can Cox make this a non-partisan Virginia-specific issue ?

      This is going on across the country and there are partisan dividing lines.

      Conservatives are pretty much of one mind about it but how many Dems have also become so disillusioned that they’ll vote GOP , Northern Virginia? The lady in Loudoun, strikes me as a Karen/Kerry type… yes, they are “out there” these days but………. Caroline County – a rural county north of Hanover and Trump country just voted to stay virtual – they are not the only rural county in Virginia doing that. I don’t know the vote but next door in Spotsylvania, they also voted to stay virtual on a split vote, 5-4 I think.

      To what extent in places like Caroline and Spotsylvania does Northam and the Dems get blamed?

      At the end of the day, we have a pandemic and ugly stuff is happening. Is it the Dems fault? Surely it is in the minds of GOP and Conservatives but how about voters? Are Dems going to vote for Cox because of Covid? eh… probably not… especially if he is perceived as dragging a bunch of other GOP baggage on issues like pre-k school and childcare, etc.

    2. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      I couldn’t agree more. People are looking for possible solutions to already known problems. The solution must make sense, not point blame, and be doable. People know the problems.

    3. SuburbanWoman Avatar
      SuburbanWoman

      When the pandemic ends- school divisions will need to continue to offer virtual options in order to maintain enrollment. A certain group of parents are managing and enjoying virtual education. It works for them and if not offered by public school they will become homeschoolers.

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        Your point raises more questions than it answers. I must ask some:
        – is the purpose to maintain state funding for schools to which parents will not send their children?
        – With the kids back in school, who will pay for the additional burdens of virtual education?
        – Who will deliver the online content, the teachers with in-person classrooms?
        – Will that service be billed to the taxpayer at the same rates as in-person education?

        Just questions.

  3. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead V

    I am surprised it has taken this long for parent frustration to go viral. I have heard this type of a speech a number of times at the Fauquier School Board meetings since last spring. Mr. Michon should run for the Loudoun School Board. The entire board could use a flush and refill.

    1. Eric the Half a Troll Avatar
      Eric the Half a Troll

      He won’t. The loud ones never do the hard work.

  4. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead V

    I am surprised it has taken this long for parent frustration to go viral. I have heard this type of a speech a number of times at the Fauquier School Board meetings since last spring. Mr. Michon should run for the Loudoun School Board. The entire board could use a flush and refill.

    1. Eric the Half a Troll Avatar
      Eric the Half a Troll

      He won’t. The loud ones never do the hard work.

  5. Tom Banford Avatar
    Tom Banford

    The key is to do so safely as social distancing criteria allows. The new variants of the virus have been proven to be more contagious and as such can spread even outside at a distance when masks are not worn. Municipal health directors will tell you that private schools are indeed seeing the majority of the transmission and the outbreaks due to their lack of adherence to CDC guidelines. Teachers and staff have died from Covid when contracted both in and out of school. Quarantines are necessary but do place a large strain on the schools and staff. Community members need to join with the schools to reduce spread and to keep everyone safe.

    1. sherlockj Avatar
      sherlockj

      “Municipal health directors will tell you that private schools are indeed seeing the majority of the transmission and the outbreaks due to their lack of adherence to CDC guidelines.”

      Name one. I will contact that person for validation and clarification.

  6. Tom Banford Avatar
    Tom Banford

    The key is to do so safely as social distancing criteria allows. The new variants of the virus have been proven to be more contagious and as such can spread even outside at a distance when masks are not worn. Municipal health directors will tell you that private schools are indeed seeing the majority of the transmission and the outbreaks due to their lack of adherence to CDC guidelines. Teachers and staff have died from Covid when contracted both in and out of school. Quarantines are necessary but do place a large strain on the schools and staff. Community members need to join with the schools to reduce spread and to keep everyone safe.

    1. sherlockj Avatar
      sherlockj

      “Municipal health directors will tell you that private schools are indeed seeing the majority of the transmission and the outbreaks due to their lack of adherence to CDC guidelines.”

      Name one. I will contact that person for validation and clarification.

  7. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    What COX and Republicans have to do is to say what they plan on doing in the future. If they keep pointing back and what they thought was wrong, they’re gonna lose in places like NoVa.

    Those folks want to know what YOU are going to DO – not what Northam did or not.

    1. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      I couldn’t agree more. People are looking for possible solutions to already known problems. The solution must make sense, not point blame, and be doable. People know the problems.

  8. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    What COX and Republicans have to do is to say what they plan on doing in the future. If they keep pointing back and what they thought was wrong, they’re gonna lose in places like NoVa.

    Those folks want to know what YOU are going to DO – not what Northam did or not.

    1. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      I couldn’t agree more. People are looking for possible solutions to already known problems. The solution must make sense, not point blame, and be doable. People know the problems.

  9. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    School Divisions are required to maintain a virtual option for families. This is a stress for many small districts as they reopen to in person. Classroom experiences are more screen time as the teachers struggle to educate students in the classroom and at home during the same class period. Divisions should report the percentage of students returning to classrooms and those who are virtual.
    Students are eating lunch at desks, little to no socialization is occurring due to the mask and social distancing mandates. These “mitigation strategies” we keep hearing about are part of the in person issue especially in over crowded and aging schools.
    Ask your children what PE, Art, music and shop class look like. You will be shocked. Not to mention – zero mask breaks because it isn’t allowed.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      The “open up the damn schools NOW” folks apparently are clueless
      about the actual conditions at the schools ?

      just open them even if the teacher is basically teaching to both in-person and home as a lecture?

      makes sense… 😉

    2. sherlockj Avatar
      sherlockj

      So children and parents need to adjust to a future of 8 hours of screen time and social isolation as far into the future as the left can see the “need”. The goals never remain stationary so they can never be met. See Peanuts with Lucy and the football.

      There is scientific consensus that children are better off in school than at home. Unable to deny that, the left does not acknowledge it. If you don’t want to teach, find something else to do. If you want your children at home instead of in school, you don’t need to close the school for every other child. That is your right already.

      So don’t feign interest in “the children” to justify a political position. It demeans you and infuriates most.

      And get out of the way.

  10. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    School Divisions are required to maintain a virtual option for families. This is a stress for many small districts as they reopen to in person. Classroom experiences are more screen time as the teachers struggle to educate students in the classroom and at home during the same class period. Divisions should report the percentage of students returning to classrooms and those who are virtual.
    Students are eating lunch at desks, little to no socialization is occurring due to the mask and social distancing mandates. These “mitigation strategies” we keep hearing about are part of the in person issue especially in over crowded and aging schools.
    Ask your children what PE, Art, music and shop class look like. You will be shocked. Not to mention – zero mask breaks because it isn’t allowed.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      The “open up the damn schools NOW” folks apparently are clueless
      about the actual conditions at the schools ?

      just open them even if the teacher is basically teaching to both in-person and home as a lecture?

      makes sense… 😉

    2. sherlockj Avatar
      sherlockj

      So children and parents need to adjust to a future of 8 hours of screen time and social isolation as far into the future as the left can see the “need”. The goals never remain stationary so they can never be met. See Peanuts with Lucy and the football.

      There is scientific consensus that children are better off in school than at home. Unable to deny that, the left does not acknowledge it. If you don’t want to teach, find something else to do. If you want your children at home instead of in school, you don’t need to close the school for every other child. That is your right already.

      So don’t feign interest in “the children” to justify a political position. It demeans you and infuriates most.

      And get out of the way.

  11. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Sen. Stanley has warned folks about aging schools for years. SWVA schools look remarkably different than NOVA schools- but so do the tax rates.
    Half of VA school buildings are over 50 years old. How many have adequate ventilation systems?

  12. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Sen. Stanley has warned folks about aging schools for years. SWVA schools look remarkably different than NOVA schools- but so do the tax rates.
    Half of VA school buildings are over 50 years old. How many have adequate ventilation systems?

  13. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    The open-up-now folks don’t seem to know or care that “in-person” is not at all like it was pre-pandemic.

    In some places because of small classes, there are not enough licensed teachers and they are using school bus drivers, and volunteer parents to “teach”. It’s more like day-care than teaching. The kids are still not really learning.

    And that’s not going to change until classrooms can get back to the way they were before the pandemic.

    Opening up the schools is not what they think it is.

    Folks here should ask James W – a retired teacher who tried his hand at teacher post-pandemic at a private school.

    Ask him what happened.

  14. ksmith8953 Avatar
    ksmith8953

    Suburban woman, the buses only holding 11 kids and other mitigation requirements imposed are a problem. You are correct.

    1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
      SuburbanWoman

      Rural divisions struggle to maintain staff- let four bus drivers get sick at the same time and you have a shortage.
      If these candidates continue to yell about “back to school” they need to produce in depth documents and plans.
      The governor tossed local school boards under the bus.

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        Why do I think “suburban woman” doesn’t give a rats behind about rural school districts, much less understand them. Spare us.

  15. ksmith8953 Avatar
    ksmith8953

    Suburban woman, the buses only holding 11 kids and other mitigation requirements imposed are a problem. You are correct.

    1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
      SuburbanWoman

      Rural divisions struggle to maintain staff- let four bus drivers get sick at the same time and you have a shortage.
      If these candidates continue to yell about “back to school” they need to produce in depth documents and plans.
      The governor tossed local school boards under the bus.

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        Why do I think “suburban woman” doesn’t give a rats behind about rural school districts, much less understand them. Spare us.

  16. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Overall the return to school is actually a planning issue. School boards depend on central office administrators to develop plans- the angry fellow in Loudoun should be yelling for the evaluations of all central office staff making over 80K per year.

    1. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      The angry fellow in Loudoun needs to make a better representation of himself as he is appearing on behalf of children. His mother forgot to tell him to take off his hat in public.

      1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead V

        Michon interviewed on television last night. Nicely dressed with combed hair. I thought he made a good argument in the interview segment.

  17. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Overall the return to school is actually a planning issue. School boards depend on central office administrators to develop plans- the angry fellow in Loudoun should be yelling for the evaluations of all central office staff making over 80K per year.

    1. ksmith8953 Avatar
      ksmith8953

      The angry fellow in Loudoun needs to make a better representation of himself as he is appearing on behalf of children. His mother forgot to tell him to take off his hat in public.

      1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead V

        Michon interviewed on television last night. Nicely dressed with combed hair. I thought he made a good argument in the interview segment.

  18. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    CARES funding expenditures should be on every school division website in detail. What did they do with all of the money?

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      strange you should ask – in our county they’re giving bonuses to county employees!

      😉

      1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
        SuburbanWoman

        Are schools open?

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          they are hybrid but teachers are at he schools.

          1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
            SuburbanWoman

            Teachers received bonuses? All county employees? I don’t know of any school employee who was laid off or lost a job.

          2. sherlockj Avatar
            sherlockj

            Surburban woman inquires about bonuses for public employees. Thanks. Key point.

  19. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    CARES funding expenditures should be on every school division website in detail. What did they do with all of the money?

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      strange you should ask – in our county they’re giving bonuses to county employees!

      😉

      1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
        SuburbanWoman

        Are schools open?

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          they are hybrid but teachers are at he schools.

          1. SuburbanWoman Avatar
            SuburbanWoman

            Teachers received bonuses? All county employees? I don’t know of any school employee who was laid off or lost a job.

          2. sherlockj Avatar
            sherlockj

            Surburban woman inquires about bonuses for public employees. Thanks. Key point.

  20. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    don’t look now, but coal is becoming cheaper than natural gas and poised to overtake natural gas for electricity:

    Why Coal Is Having a Strange Mini-Rebound Now

    After peaking in 1998, the amount of coal produced in the country had fallen by 40% by 2019, and it dropped even more in 2020.

    But the next two years could see a reversal. The U.S. government now expects coal to rise from 20% of electricity consumption in 2020 to 22% in 2021 and 24% in 2022.

    https://www.barrons.com/articles/why-coal-is-having-a-strange-mini-rebound-now-51610627401

    ” Natural Gas Consumption. EIA estimates consumption of natural gas in the United States averaged 83.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2020, down 2.5% from 2019, and EIA expects U.S. consumption will decrease by 2.3 Bcf/d (2.8%) in 2021 and then decrease by 1.7 Bcf/d (2.1%) in 2022.

    The largest natural gas-consuming sector in the United States is the electric power sector. EIA estimates that the power sector will consume an average 28.1 Bcf/d in 2021, which is 11.0% less than in 2020. EIA forecasts that higher prices for natural gas (compared with coal prices) for power generation and rising electricity generation capacity from renewable energy in 2021 will likely cause power sector natural gas consumption to decline in 2021.

    eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/natgas.php

  21. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    don’t look now, but coal is becoming cheaper than natural gas and poised to overtake natural gas for electricity:

    Why Coal Is Having a Strange Mini-Rebound Now

    After peaking in 1998, the amount of coal produced in the country had fallen by 40% by 2019, and it dropped even more in 2020.

    But the next two years could see a reversal. The U.S. government now expects coal to rise from 20% of electricity consumption in 2020 to 22% in 2021 and 24% in 2022.

    https://www.barrons.com/articles/why-coal-is-having-a-strange-mini-rebound-now-51610627401

    ” Natural Gas Consumption. EIA estimates consumption of natural gas in the United States averaged 83.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2020, down 2.5% from 2019, and EIA expects U.S. consumption will decrease by 2.3 Bcf/d (2.8%) in 2021 and then decrease by 1.7 Bcf/d (2.1%) in 2022.

    The largest natural gas-consuming sector in the United States is the electric power sector. EIA estimates that the power sector will consume an average 28.1 Bcf/d in 2021, which is 11.0% less than in 2020. EIA forecasts that higher prices for natural gas (compared with coal prices) for power generation and rising electricity generation capacity from renewable energy in 2021 will likely cause power sector natural gas consumption to decline in 2021.

    eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/natgas.php

  22. djrippert Avatar
    djrippert

    For decades it has been unfashionable and politically incorrect to blame teachers for any of the failures in the American educational system. You can blame politicians, administrators, school boards but not teachers. I think this pandemic changes that. Public school teachers in Fairfax and Loudoun counties are going to come out of this pandemic smelling like an open sewer pipe. Retail stores are open, restaurants are open, barbershops are open, the trash get collected, police and firefighters go to work every day. Many private schools in Fairfax and Loudoun are open. But not the public schools. No amount of “science” can convince the teachers to go back to work in Fairfax and Loudoun.

    Now public school enrollment is down substantially. Sounds like it’s time to cut public school budgets. Fewer students, fewer teachers, less money.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      If you’re saying that Cox should come out of the box blaming school teachers – I’d bet that would be a pretty risky strategy, myself.

      The problem with Conservatives is they blather bad thoughts and believe each other and never check the folks that are not Conservatives.

      I predict if Cox goes to NoVa with a “blame it on the teachers” he’s going to “feel” something more than love.

      You can’t “open” the schools by saying “open sesame” – it costs a bunch of money to open the schools and Conservatives are pretending all that has to happen is for teachers to drive to those schools and walk in.

      They’re not even doing that in more than a few Conservative rural counties…

      1. djrippert Avatar
        djrippert

        Please find anywhere in my comment where the word “Cox” appears. I’ll wait.

        A lot of people in Northern Virginia are sick of the public school teachers in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. It’s not just the guy in the video.

        Liberals claim to love science. But not when the science comes from the CDC and contradicts the teachers’ unions. Or from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Or from the Journal of the American Medic al Association.

        Here’s what was published in JAMA on Tuesday …

        “There has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission,” they wrote. And keeping schools closed “could adversely affect students’ academic progress, mental health, and access to essential services.”

        Pretty clear … unless you’re a teacher in Fairfax or Loudoun Counties.

        What happened to your love of science Larry? Or are you now better scientifically versed than the CDC, American Academy of Pediatricians, JAMA, etc.

        I guess science is important until it conflicts with liberal special interest groups.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          as usual and like your buddies – you ignore the words of the CDC – “with proper precautions” …

          In terms of COX – if you think folks hate the teachers in NoVa AND you think that will cause them to vote for someone besides a Dem for Gov?

          no? Yes? what do you think?

  23. djrippert Avatar
    djrippert

    For decades it has been unfashionable and politically incorrect to blame teachers for any of the failures in the American educational system. You can blame politicians, administrators, school boards but not teachers. I think this pandemic changes that. Public school teachers in Fairfax and Loudoun counties are going to come out of this pandemic smelling like an open sewer pipe. Retail stores are open, restaurants are open, barbershops are open, the trash get collected, police and firefighters go to work every day. Many private schools in Fairfax and Loudoun are open. But not the public schools. No amount of “science” can convince the teachers to go back to work in Fairfax and Loudoun.

    Now public school enrollment is down substantially. Sounds like it’s time to cut public school budgets. Fewer students, fewer teachers, less money.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      If you’re saying that Cox should come out of the box blaming school teachers – I’d bet that would be a pretty risky strategy, myself.

      The problem with Conservatives is they blather bad thoughts and believe each other and never check the folks that are not Conservatives.

      I predict if Cox goes to NoVa with a “blame it on the teachers” he’s going to “feel” something more than love.

      You can’t “open” the schools by saying “open sesame” – it costs a bunch of money to open the schools and Conservatives are pretending all that has to happen is for teachers to drive to those schools and walk in.

      They’re not even doing that in more than a few Conservative rural counties…

      1. djrippert Avatar
        djrippert

        Please find anywhere in my comment where the word “Cox” appears. I’ll wait.

        A lot of people in Northern Virginia are sick of the public school teachers in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. It’s not just the guy in the video.

        Liberals claim to love science. But not when the science comes from the CDC and contradicts the teachers’ unions. Or from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Or from the Journal of the American Medic al Association.

        Here’s what was published in JAMA on Tuesday …

        “There has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission,” they wrote. And keeping schools closed “could adversely affect students’ academic progress, mental health, and access to essential services.”

        Pretty clear … unless you’re a teacher in Fairfax or Loudoun Counties.

        What happened to your love of science Larry? Or are you now better scientifically versed than the CDC, American Academy of Pediatricians, JAMA, etc.

        I guess science is important until it conflicts with liberal special interest groups.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          as usual and like your buddies – you ignore the words of the CDC – “with proper precautions” …

          In terms of COX – if you think folks hate the teachers in NoVa AND you think that will cause them to vote for someone besides a Dem for Gov?

          no? Yes? what do you think?

  24. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Teachers are questioning how “science” and the media continue to say 6’apart but that goes out the window in overcrowded classrooms. It is 3′ or whatever you can do.
    This goes back to poor planning by the highest paid school employees who could have started this planning in March of 2019. CARES money was available for PPE and planning. The problem could be many teachers, custodians, principals, parents and bus drivers feel excluded in the planning process. Parent representation on committees who planned reopening would have been beneficial.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      When you look at the staff in most schools, a good percentage are older and/have co-morbidities and famlies that are at risk and those folks are not keen on coming to a school that has not been modified to deal with covid , no testing, no contingincy if others get sick and stay out , the ones that are left have to do more and endure even higher levels of risk.

      People are frustrating but they are demanding that teachers who are at risk – just suck it up and do it but teachers are not dumb folk… and if the schools are not re-configured to deal with covid, they’re not doing it.

      1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead V

        In Virginia school teacher ages:
        21% are 55 and older
        20% are 50-54 age
        50% are30 to 49 age
        13% are under age 30
        https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables/sass1112_2013314_t1s_002.asp

      2. djrippert Avatar
        djrippert

        More Larry-science that contradicts actual science. The outbreaks aren’t happening in the open schools. You can spew your nonsense all day and night long but the open schools in Europe and the US have not become breeding grounds for COVID-19 outbreaks. The science directly contradicts your made up theories. More and more people are seeing just what the guy in the video is seeing – the problem is the teachers.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Well no. THe CDC actually has provided the guidelines that need to be addressed to open the schools but some just ignore them and say the CDC say “open”. Not true.

          not my idea or view… go see what the CDC is saying needs to be done.

          This is not not NoVa. It’s all over the country. Are you going to say that teachers all over the country are all engaging in bad behavior? Think about that.

    2. djrippert Avatar
      djrippert

      The only thing teachers in NoVa are questioning is how long they can continue to avoid the daily commute to and from school by working from home.

      Private schools have adopted hybrid schedules where students go in person two days per week. That keeps the schools at half capacity and allows for social distancing. That isn’t a theory. That’s what is happening. And the students and the teachers aren’t dying. It isn’t happening. Reality contradicts the teachers’ claims.

      From JAMA this week …

      The researchers said fall semester data from schools in the U.S. and internationally show that schools are not responsible for the same type of worrisome outbreaks that have been reported at nursing homes, correctional facilities and “high-density worksites,” such as meatpacking plants.

      “There has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission,” they wrote. And keeping schools closed “could adversely affect students’ academic progress, mental health, and access to essential services.”

      I guess the English teachers at McLean High School know more about epidemiology than the medical researchers who publish in JAMA.

      Once upon a time the question of outbreaks in schools was debatable. Then the Europeans kept their schools open and some US schools stayed open and guess what? Just like the JAMA researchers wrote – the outbreaks didn’t happen.

  25. SuburbanWoman Avatar
    SuburbanWoman

    Teachers are questioning how “science” and the media continue to say 6’apart but that goes out the window in overcrowded classrooms. It is 3′ or whatever you can do.
    This goes back to poor planning by the highest paid school employees who could have started this planning in March of 2019. CARES money was available for PPE and planning. The problem could be many teachers, custodians, principals, parents and bus drivers feel excluded in the planning process. Parent representation on committees who planned reopening would have been beneficial.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      When you look at the staff in most schools, a good percentage are older and/have co-morbidities and famlies that are at risk and those folks are not keen on coming to a school that has not been modified to deal with covid , no testing, no contingincy if others get sick and stay out , the ones that are left have to do more and endure even higher levels of risk.

      People are frustrating but they are demanding that teachers who are at risk – just suck it up and do it but teachers are not dumb folk… and if the schools are not re-configured to deal with covid, they’re not doing it.

      1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead V

        In Virginia school teacher ages:
        21% are 55 and older
        20% are 50-54 age
        50% are30 to 49 age
        13% are under age 30
        https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables/sass1112_2013314_t1s_002.asp

      2. djrippert Avatar
        djrippert

        More Larry-science that contradicts actual science. The outbreaks aren’t happening in the open schools. You can spew your nonsense all day and night long but the open schools in Europe and the US have not become breeding grounds for COVID-19 outbreaks. The science directly contradicts your made up theories. More and more people are seeing just what the guy in the video is seeing – the problem is the teachers.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Well no. THe CDC actually has provided the guidelines that need to be addressed to open the schools but some just ignore them and say the CDC say “open”. Not true.

          not my idea or view… go see what the CDC is saying needs to be done.

          This is not not NoVa. It’s all over the country. Are you going to say that teachers all over the country are all engaging in bad behavior? Think about that.

    2. djrippert Avatar
      djrippert

      The only thing teachers in NoVa are questioning is how long they can continue to avoid the daily commute to and from school by working from home.

      Private schools have adopted hybrid schedules where students go in person two days per week. That keeps the schools at half capacity and allows for social distancing. That isn’t a theory. That’s what is happening. And the students and the teachers aren’t dying. It isn’t happening. Reality contradicts the teachers’ claims.

      From JAMA this week …

      The researchers said fall semester data from schools in the U.S. and internationally show that schools are not responsible for the same type of worrisome outbreaks that have been reported at nursing homes, correctional facilities and “high-density worksites,” such as meatpacking plants.

      “There has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission,” they wrote. And keeping schools closed “could adversely affect students’ academic progress, mental health, and access to essential services.”

      I guess the English teachers at McLean High School know more about epidemiology than the medical researchers who publish in JAMA.

      Once upon a time the question of outbreaks in schools was debatable. Then the Europeans kept their schools open and some US schools stayed open and guess what? Just like the JAMA researchers wrote – the outbreaks didn’t happen.

  26. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    The tendency here and elsewhere is to blame teachers and the Governor for keeping the schools closed. It is not that simple. Chesterfield County was scheduled to resume in-class education for elementary teachers on February 1, which is in keeping with advice from CDC, the American Pediatrics Association, and most studies. The School Board has been confronted with a petition signed by over 4,000 residents, mostly parents of school age students, demanding that schools remained closed until all staff, not just teachers, are vaccinated. Oh, to be a school board member now–pulled on both sides. A no-win sitution. https://richmond.com/news/local/education/thousands-of-chesterfield-residents-push-for-delay-of-feb-1-return-to-schools-after-vaccine/article_6560dcb0-8f90-57a8-8229-eacdf5dde8ec.html

    1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
      James Wyatt Whitehead V

      So true Mr. Dick. They could pull it off though. Run the in person classes with cameras on. Let the kids who want in person come to school. Let the kids who want to stay home view the classes virtually. That is how they have done at Randolph Macon. Seems to work. Teachers have been able to in person and virtually teaching in the same block.

      1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        Are the classes at Randolph Macon elementary level? This seems like a good idea, but I think it would be hard on a teacher to pull it off. For in-school elementary school class, the best teaching involves a lot of interaction on the part of the students. I would think it would be tough to design a class that could reach both audiences–in school and those at home. Unless, that is, the teacher restricted himself to teaching the in-school kids and let the ones at home catch-as-catch can.

        1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
          James Wyatt Whitehead V

          The RMA staff had three years of experience and training on this virtual/in person blend. So when the switch flipped last March the transition to virtual was smooth. This year when students had to quarantine, they were still able to be involved with the virtual/in person blend. It seems to have worked. I know my daughter had to sit out 2 weeks but was still able to be involved with the in person classes from home until she had the all clear. RMA is 6-12 grade.

          1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
            Dick Hall-Sizemore

            Being grade 6-12 is a big advantage for doing virtual/in person blend. I am not sure that it could be done so well with grades k-5 and that is what Chesterfield was planning to open on Monday (I don’t know if that decision has been changed). Also, having three years of experience helped tremendously.

          2. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
            James Wyatt Whitehead V

            Let’s wish all of my teaching friends in Chesterfield the very best on Monday. We have seen enough failure. Maybe starting Monday we can see what success looks like again.

        2. SuburbanWoman Avatar
          SuburbanWoman

          Open school divisions look like this:
          Masks at all times
          6feet apart or ” as much distance as feasible”
          6 feet apart when eating a meal
          no sharing of supplies ( so no shop class, art is difficult, no fun play time in PK and K and a weird PE class)
          Lunch in classroom 6 feet apart- discouraging talking
          walk in line 6 feet apart in hallway
          most classes are conducted on the laptop due to the number of students learning from home.
          Athletics are in swing but halted for 10-14 days at a time depending on cases and exposure.

          School is open.

          1. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            and if it’s 100% in-person for all , you’ll need 3-4 times as many buses and drivers.

            People are pissed off with respect to the pandemic. They need to blame someone and they are, but ‘re-opening the schools” is not what many think; they want them to be like they were before the pandemic and that’s not the reality.

            There’s simply not enough professional staff and the ones that ARE opening are filling in staff with people who are volunteer parents , bus drivers, and unlicensed subs… they call it “all hands on deck” and it is, but the resulting “school” is not the school it was before the pandemic struck.

            No matter… someone has to be responsible to be blamed and teachers and unions make good bogeymen.

    2. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      This is why I say the open-schools-now folks are likely partisan.

      There are lots of schools in Virginia, small rural ones with conservative leadership are still no fully open.

      The CDC has a list of things that need to happen including things like changing the HVACs. A lot of schools don’t have the dollars nor the staff if some of their staff is older and/or has comorbidities and that’s not even looking at the risk to the teachers families.

      This is going on across Virginia and across the nation.

      And it’s not just teachers. As Dick points out a substantial number of parents are also not on board with the “open up now” folks.

      How much of this is partisan?

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        “open-schools-now folks are likely partisan”.

        Actually, Larry, those “folks” are called parents and grandparents and aunt and uncles. I am all of those.

        You see the devils of partisanship in every opinion. Not that there aren’t any, just that not everyone conducts their life jumping only to lily pads of a predetermined shape.

        Partisanship is rarer in average Americans who just want to live their lives and raise their children than you have ever acknowledged. Open up your mind.

  27. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    The tendency here and elsewhere is to blame teachers and the Governor for keeping the schools closed. It is not that simple. Chesterfield County was scheduled to resume in-class education for elementary teachers on February 1, which is in keeping with advice from CDC, the American Pediatrics Association, and most studies. The School Board has been confronted with a petition signed by over 4,000 residents, mostly parents of school age students, demanding that schools remained closed until all staff, not just teachers, are vaccinated. Oh, to be a school board member now–pulled on both sides. A no-win sitution. https://richmond.com/news/local/education/thousands-of-chesterfield-residents-push-for-delay-of-feb-1-return-to-schools-after-vaccine/article_6560dcb0-8f90-57a8-8229-eacdf5dde8ec.html

    1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
      James Wyatt Whitehead V

      So true Mr. Dick. They could pull it off though. Run the in person classes with cameras on. Let the kids who want in person come to school. Let the kids who want to stay home view the classes virtually. That is how they have done at Randolph Macon. Seems to work. Teachers have been able to in person and virtually teaching in the same block.

      1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        Are the classes at Randolph Macon elementary level? This seems like a good idea, but I think it would be hard on a teacher to pull it off. For in-school elementary school class, the best teaching involves a lot of interaction on the part of the students. I would think it would be tough to design a class that could reach both audiences–in school and those at home. Unless, that is, the teacher restricted himself to teaching the in-school kids and let the ones at home catch-as-catch can.

        1. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
          James Wyatt Whitehead V

          The RMA staff had three years of experience and training on this virtual/in person blend. So when the switch flipped last March the transition to virtual was smooth. This year when students had to quarantine, they were still able to be involved with the virtual/in person blend. It seems to have worked. I know my daughter had to sit out 2 weeks but was still able to be involved with the in person classes from home until she had the all clear. RMA is 6-12 grade.

          1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
            Dick Hall-Sizemore

            Being grade 6-12 is a big advantage for doing virtual/in person blend. I am not sure that it could be done so well with grades k-5 and that is what Chesterfield was planning to open on Monday (I don’t know if that decision has been changed). Also, having three years of experience helped tremendously.

          2. James Wyatt Whitehead V Avatar
            James Wyatt Whitehead V

            Let’s wish all of my teaching friends in Chesterfield the very best on Monday. We have seen enough failure. Maybe starting Monday we can see what success looks like again.

    2. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      This is why I say the open-schools-now folks are likely partisan.

      There are lots of schools in Virginia, small rural ones with conservative leadership are still no fully open.

      The CDC has a list of things that need to happen including things like changing the HVACs. A lot of schools don’t have the dollars nor the staff if some of their staff is older and/or has comorbidities and that’s not even looking at the risk to the teachers families.

      This is going on across Virginia and across the nation.

      And it’s not just teachers. As Dick points out a substantial number of parents are also not on board with the “open up now” folks.

      How much of this is partisan?

      1. sherlockj Avatar
        sherlockj

        “open-schools-now folks are likely partisan”.

        Actually, Larry, those “folks” are called parents and grandparents and aunt and uncles. I am all of those.

        You see the devils of partisanship in every opinion. Not that there aren’t any, just that not everyone conducts their life jumping only to lily pads of a predetermined shape.

        Partisanship is rarer in average Americans who just want to live their lives and raise their children than you have ever acknowledged. Open up your mind.

  28. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    The open-up-now folks don’t seem to know or care that “in-person” is not at all like it was pre-pandemic.

    In some places because of small classes, there are not enough licensed teachers and they are using school bus drivers, and volunteer parents to “teach”. It’s more like day-care than teaching. The kids are still not really learning.

    And that’s not going to change until classrooms can get back to the way they were before the pandemic.

    Opening up the schools is not what they think it is.

    Folks here should ask James W – a retired teacher who tried his hand at teacher post-pandemic at a private school.

    Ask him what happened.

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