BSD: Between a Rock and Classroom Hard Place

For once I don't have a dog in this fight, but from what I am hearing and reading on the School post here, there are strong feelings on both sides of the issue of when to reopen in-person learning at the Burlingame Elementary Schools.  One can only imagine the concern over months and months of video classes for young kids and the absence of school sports, band, plays, speech and language help, etc.  The goodly number of kids at my nearby park (Pershing) daily after school hours is not nearly as many as there are kids in the neighborhood.

Here are excerpts from the latest message from the BSD Board of Trustees:

The recent and sudden changes made by the state which forced our school district to remain in distance learning have been frustrating for all of us. We know that it has been challenging for parents to explain to our youngest learners why, once again, they will not be going to school...San Mateo County is made up of 24 school districts, of which only 3 are open for some in-person learning, with the remaining districts at various stages of reopening plans and waivers. Burlingame School District is next in line for live instruction, with an approved reopening safety plan and approved waiver already in place....If it is safe for one district to conduct in-person education with an approved plan, then it should be safe for all districts with an approved plan.

The state hasn't been exactly helpful in this regard although a comment from Guido (apparently a teacher) on the post linked above does note:

Time to pause and not do anything stupid, I guess they think we are lazy and that's why we should be back in class. I would be teaching with a mask on and the kids in front of screens under the current conditions and probably the "Red" tier. Can't share materials, etc. By the way, the State didn't change the the rules, they clarified them for stupid administrators who can't read and are trying to force the issue for some reason.

Data might help here--or not; but the San Mateo County website provides some here.  As of yesterday, kids age 9 and below have accounted for 2,167 cases out of almost 34,000 (about 6.5%) so it's small but not insignificant.  The 34,000 total is about 4.4% of the county population.  The question is really "What are the trade-offs?"  Are the risks (well known and real) of not reopening worse than the risk of doing so?  Answering that question is what school board elections are all about, but we have to agree this was completely unexpected and not discussed as there were no debates the last time around.  I'm guessing that might change next time.

Comments

[Editor]

How about you just stay on topic? That would be a good start. Your deleted comment didn't have the slightest thing to do with whether BSD reopens for live classes or not--not even in the right universe. And the one right above is pretty much the same. Certainly don't need a tutorial on managing a blog from you.

[Just Looking]

New variants will always come. It's really no excuse to keep the schools closed. And by the way, San Jose is not in San Mateo County. Just sayin'

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Sending any children back to school is using them as a "Canary in a Coal mine." I believe that once all students and Educators are Vaccinated, classroom education can continue.
Not a day sooner.

[Barking Dog]

Holly, I see your SEIU and your sisters CTA union's are hard at work getting the propaganda out to its members.
I know my 5 elementary/middle school age grandkids will not be getting the vaccine in the near future. Does that mean they can't/shouldn't be allowed to attend public school?

[Joe]

Here's SM-FC picking up the pace:

A plan to reopen middle schools amid the pandemic alarmed San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District teachers who are concerned over potential health risks, but district officials are optimistic students can be brought back in a thoughtful and safe manner.

The district Board of Trustees’ decision Thursday, Jan. 21, surprised members of the San Mateo Elementary Teachers Association, according to union president Julie MacArthur who had expected that older students would remain in remote learning for the rest of the school year.

But school board President Ken Chin expressed confidence that the sticky issues encountered in the planning process can be navigated through by the April 12 timeline established for bringing middle school students back after spring break.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/middle-school-reopening-plans-stunning-to-san-mateo-foster-city-elementary-school-district-teachers/article_4dbca9ce-6512-11eb-a524-57ffccacd0cc.html

A quick check of the SM County Covid site shows we had 18 new cases on Sunday and 14 yesterday--in the County.......

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Dear Barking Dog,

The Short Answer is YES!

Before you BD, were allowed to go to Private /Public School, Our Parents were required to provide Proof of Polio, Measles, Chicken Pox, Mumps, Scarlet Fever, Vaccinations. (more or less) What bothers you?
PS
Lighten up on the Misogynism...

I "get in trouble @ BV" for attempting to be Funny. Letting, you old man, speak of Women in the way you did, is not right.
Joe, Editor, time to "Break Out the BV Board of Education.

[Joe]

Actually the word you are searching for is "misogyny". Not only do you not know the correct spelling, but you apparently don't really understand the meaning of the word either. There is no misogyny in BD's comment. He may have left off an apostrophe. I don't know, but it seems like BD may know who you and your family are--I don't actually care. Sorry, you are mistaken about any misogyny.

Again, I don't need any coaching from you. Back to the topic?

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

I must have done something to anger you.
I am sorry your feelings are hurt.
BD:
"I see your SEIU and your sisters are hard at work getting propaganda out-to it's members." (your SEIU and your Sisters, getting propaganda out)
"Misogynism"

Joe you are also wrong about the meaning, spelling, and the definition's of the "Core Word," misogyny.
I hope this response does not upset you much more. You'll be OK
Take it easy Joe.

[Joe]

Just tired of your comments that go off the rails. The one I deleted was idiotic. There is no misogyny or misogynism (yes, it's a word--seldom used, but I stand corrected) in Barking Dog's comment. None. And yet here you are back again with the same claim.

Bruce D's comment said the same thing in many more words and the bit I put above about SM-Foster City does as well.

Back on topic: It feels to me that the union(s) are about to make a big PR mistake. The question is do the actual teachers feel the same way as the union reps?

[TKelley]

So the word on the Ave is that TK-2 go back tomorrow, yes tomorrow. The board will follow up to modify the paperwork to get all grades back. Lets keep our fingers crossed it works.

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Only "History" will determine what we do today. Allowing children and Educators to resume a communal classroom, lunch room, recess and playgrounds.
Bathrooms, Art Class, Music, etc.
Not a good time to be a Child/Teenager.
It may be a good time to be an Attorney.
The amount of rules that may be needed to create 6 foot, etc. will create fear. OCD. It is better for our kids to remain in a "safe place". Home.

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

If anyone is a South Park Fan watch this evenings show.. Yes Joe, it does have something to do with this BV Thread.

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

"The Pandemic Special"

[Bruce Dickinson]

So, another observation from yours truly, Bruce Dickinson is that now that Trump is gone and the Democrats have control of Congress, pretty much disappearing are all the arguments that reopening schools is somehow a Trump/Red State/GOP idea. All of a sudden now that you have the Biden admin saying kids should be in school, people like the CTA or guv Newsom can no longer hide behind the politicisation of returning to school as being inherently unsafe (and flying in the face of overwhelming data). Now people can only focus on the data, and the data tells the entire story.

Now, we have cities beginning to use the court systems to sue the school districts and the district BOARDS for gross negligence/incompetence! And surprise surprise, these Boards have very pro-teacher composition rather than truly independent watchdogs. In Washington DC and SF, the cities are trying to obtain injunctions to either prevent teachers striking or force their return to school.

https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/San-Francisco-to-sue-its-own-schools-reopening-15921348.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight

Who woulda thunk that sitting on a school board, you actually might have to be accountable to the parents and students you purport to represent!

In Burlingame, the Board and District need to expand their waiver to include all Elementary school kids to go back (grades 3-5) and revise the plan for bringing the Jr. High kids back to school too (grades 6-8). The State and County has yanked the chain of the District/Board so many times now that the only thing this whole brouhaha is exposing is weak leadership and flat-footed decision making. And guess what, behind the crazy, inconsistent decisions of Newsom, State Health Officials, non-stances by our elected representatives, and the State and County Departments of Education is a CTA that is lobbying hard and threatening lawsuits.

Well folks, lawsuits can work both ways, and here's a crystal clear message to all school Boards across the State and the US:

Whether at the ballot box or through litigation, bad decisions have consequences and actions.

Welcome to accountability!

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

If the current San Mateo County School District Established Educators have to quit or be fired, who will replace them?
That is a very strong "bargaining" platform.
I believe that people who go into Education never thought one day their Profession may be as dangerous as Logging, Fishing, and Military.

[Science Denier]

This guy is a Science Denier and needs to be de-platformed.

[Bruce Dickinson]

So this question comes up, what happens if a bunch of teachers quit? We can’t let that happen! So we have to cave to every one of their demands! Right? No..Wrong!

Well, let Dr. Dickinson use a little game theory in how I would deal with teachers who threaten to strike, quit etc. It may actually help things out a LOT in the long run.

Already, kids are in distance learning and teachers quitting at this juncture can easily be synergized in online learning with existing teachers. That is, you can have one teacher each many more kids in an online setting, so losses can be tolerated with minimal educational quality loss (i.e. it’s already bad and class size doesn’t matter in distance learning).

Let’s say 25% of the teacher base leaves. Those teachers will likely (not all but most) will be the weakest of the bunch and potentially more highly paid and most entrenched with the CTA.

School districts should use this insistence of distance learning only to really “clean house” and get rid of the teachers who were nowhere to be found from March-June and those who have done minimal work. Instead with that savings, reward those who have done an exemplary job throughout distance learning.

By creating an incentive system much like the private sector, there is actually a real prospect of “busting the union” and maybe even getting rid of CTA chapters. Instead of this, hire and reward teachers who do not contract with the union and offer them higher current pay perhaps in exchange for lower post retirement benefits. These benefits have long time escalators that are really squeezing school budgets and frankly the bigger issue in the Bay area for younger teachers especially is current pay. You can establish 401ks like every other sector practically and fund that with your higher current pay.

I know this approach sounds radical, but this year is pretty much thrown away anyway in terms of education quality. Why not effectuate lasting change and have a decent chance of busting the CTA stranglehold on our schools and really ramp up the quality and accountability big time. Will be much easier going forward to get rid of bad teachers when not beholden to CTA collective bargaining agreements, restrictions etc.

You don’t get to be a captain of industry by accepting the status quo!

[Alex]

A California school district reopened in-person learning. In two days, 81 students were quarantined.

https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/A-California-school-district-reopened-in-person-15927588.php

[Bruce Dickinson]

Want to know how many cases are actually transmitted in schools? Just look at all the media reports, Bruce Dickinson can assure you the media will stiff out every single one. Fact of the matter is in aggregate the percentage of in school transmission is very very low and far, far lower in terms of deaths to students or teachers across hundreds of millions of children and millions of teachers. This is why the CDC, WHO, UCSF, and Stanford experts all say the kids should be in school. The small risks are way, way, way more than outweighed by the benefits.

What the school districts are doing is right. The quarantining of dozens of kids in response to a handful of cases is exactly what should be happening under the auspices of a safe return to school. As should be regular testing, mask wearing, ventilation requirements, safety protocols and exercising abundance of caution.

One-off anecdotes are really stupid way to guide pubic policy decisions let alone any real decision of consequence.

But then again, that’s why yours truly is where he is! ;)

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

Covid is a relatively new disease that effects everyone.
It to soon to accept "studies" that could have dire consequences for children.
Unless you have an "Iron in the Fire" I believe the only people who have a Right to comment on this subject are Teachers, Parents, Children, and of course Science.
Especially the Children-Victims.

[Science Denier]

Which one of these are you, denier?

[Guido]

Bruce, my Vette will blow doors on your Ferrari on El Camino and you know that for a fact. Statistics are great, but how many kids are in school? 10 percent? Hard to get a good read on Covid cases when most kids are at home, not at school. Bring it, Bruce. Bring your pink slip...

[Cassandra]

Expect Climate Crisis Shutdowns...
We’ve been trained to wear our masks and be very, very quiet.

[MBGA]

Joe is posting stats from the county dashboard. In our county there are ZERO (NADA, ZIP, 000.00) deaths in the 0-9 age group. And ZERO deaths in the 10-19, and 20-29 age categories. There is one (1) death in the 30-39 category.
Cases numbers going up and down in the five percent reange don't mean much. They don't even necessarily mean hospitalization.

From the get go this has been mass hysteria. Those people that want to deny children a normal life have ulterior motives. Or at best are just extremely selfish at the expense of the younger generations whose lives are being destroyed.

Let my people go (back to school),

[Paloma Ave]

"...younger generations whose lives are being destroyed."

Really? You're not exaggerating are you?