Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases

[Puigb]

Florida's government has ordered all public schools to reopen for in-person instruction in the fall and laid out requirements schools must meet if they wish to provide remote learning.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported Monday that the edict was issued by the state's education commissioner, Richard Corcoran. Local health officials can override his decision based on the rate of new coronavirus cases in their counties.

“All school boards and charter school governing boards must open brick and mortar schools in August at least five days per week for all students," Corocoran said, according to the newspaper.

Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases | TheHill

This all happens on the same day Trump tweets "SCHOOL MUST OPEN IN THE FALL". Coincidence? I think not. DeSantis has to keep dear leader happy.

 

[CaughtInThe]

following Trump's tweet? or before?

 

[calamity]

Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases | TheHill

This all happens on the same day Trump tweets "SCHOOL MUST OPEN IN THE FALL". Coincidence? I think not. DeSantis has to keep dear leader happy.

Interesting strategy the GOP has here. Kill US citizens while doubling down on racism and defending things like the confederate flag.

 

[Ikari]

Colorado has projected for some time that school's will be open in the fall for in-person classes. We'll see how everything develops. If it's possible and safe, we should have in-person classes.

 

[Puigb]

following Trump's tweet? or before?

Following.

 

[Puigb]

Colorado has projected for some time that school's will be open in the fall for in-person classes. We'll see how everything develops. If it's possible and safe, we should have in-person classes.

I agree, but if you know anything about DeSantis, he goes by the tune of dear leader. If schools have in person classes in FL in the fall, "safety" will have nothing to do with it.

 

[MaryP]

At the rate things are going, we won't have to worry about a "second wave" in the fall. We're never going to finish with the first one. I've talked to teachers and they say distance learning is not reaching a lot of their students for a lot of different reasons. I've seen pediatricians and others say kids NEED school, that keeping them cooped up at home is not healthy, either.

Maybe the governor is doing this to please the President, but I think he's right.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases | TheHill

This all happens on the same day Trump tweets "SCHOOL MUST OPEN IN THE FALL". Coincidence? I think not. DeSantis has to keep dear leader happy.

Imagine being a teacher and trying to teach while at the same time trying to make kids wear masks and to social distance knowing full well from experience that more than a few parents will send their kids to school when the kids are sick. Nightmare.

If they ever make me King of Florida (and lately it isn't looking too promising) I would order DeSantes to spend one full month of the school year as a substitute teacher. Of course, that would depend on his ability to pass an FBI background check, pass a substance abuse pee test, and pass a child abuse background check.

After a full month, we'd sit DeSantes down and have a chat about sending children back to school in the middle of a full blown state pandemic that he is largely responsible for creating by opening up the state way too soon. And now mandating that children must return to school in the middle of it. If I get wrong answers DeSantes goes back to the classroom for another month.

 

[Napoleon]

At the rate things are going, we won't have to worry about a "second wave" in the fall. We're never going to finish with the first one. I've talked to teachers and they say distance learning is not reaching a lot of their students for a lot of different reasons. I've seen pediatricians and others say kids NEED school, that keeping them cooped up at home is not healthy, either.

Maybe the governor is doing this to please the President, but I think he's right.

Meanwhile the little vectors of disease we call children are causing a surge of cases in childcare centers in Texas. There’s room for compromise. Do remote and in-person learning simultaneously. Those children who do not have documented proof of testing positive for antibodies should remain home and all staff and students should be required to wear masks.

 

[AmNat]

Imagine being a teacher and trying to teach while at the same time trying to make kids wear masks and to social distance knowing full well from experience that more than a few parents will send their kids to school when the kids are sick. Nightmare.

Good point. They better drop the mask and "distancing" requirements so that teachers don't have to deal with it.

And make attendance non-mandatory, so that parents will feel freer to keep their kids home.

 

[AmNat]

Meanwhile the little vectors of disease we call children are causing a surge of cases in childcare centers in Texas. There’s room for compromise. Do remote and in-person learning simultaneously. Those children who do not have documented proof of testing positive for antibodies should remain home and all staff and students should be required to wear masks.

Of all the groups in this country, children are the least in need of being isolated.

Let them go to school and interact as normal. It's how their immune systems get built.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Good point. They better drop the mask and "distancing" requirements so that teachers don't have to deal with it.

And make attendance non-mandatory, so that parents will feel freer to keep their kids home.

Drop the mask and distancing and you've greatly increased the chances of the virus running through the students and the faculty and then that school will be forced to close down.

Truthfully, I don't know how they should handle it in states where COVID is spiking. Kids need to be in school, but I think kids will also spread the virus, unintentionally.

 

[AmNat]

Drop the mask and distancing and you've greatly increased the chances of the virus running through the students and the faculty and then that school will be forced to close down.

Truthfully, I don't know how they should handle it in states where COVID is spiking. Kids need to be in school, but I think kids will also spread the virus, unintentionally.

A small piece of harmless (to children) RNA cannot force a school to do anything. Only politicians and bureaucrats can do that.

 

[MaryP]

Those children who do not have documented proof of testing positive for antibodies should remain home

In many states, kids have never been exposed to the virus. I think that might eliminate the majority of students in many states. Masks are a great idea, but good luck keeping them on the little ones' faces. Not sure it's good during recess either. Can't wear them during meals. Or basketball or band practice (well, not if you play a wind instrument). I know it's a crap shoot, but children generally seem to not be catching this thing. Not in any great numbers, anyway. Let them go to school and get sent straight home if they are displaying symptoms. Just my opinion.

 

[Mongidig]

Interesting strategy the GOP has here. Kill US citizens while doubling down on racism and defending things like the confederate flag.

Not having schools open is horrible for minorities.

 

[US&THEM]

Of all the groups in this country, children are the least in need of being isolated.

Let them go to school and interact as normal. It's how their immune systems get built.

You do understand kids are not the only persons in the school, right?

 

[Risky Thicket]

A small piece of harmless (to children) RNA cannot force a school to do anything. Only politicians and bureaucrats can do that.

However, sick children infect other children AND adults. A school with X number of teachers out with COVID won't be able to stay open. There's also something else to consider. How many teachers and staff have compromised immune systems due to chronic illnesses? How many teachers live with family members who are at high risk?

We cannot assume all teachers will return in the fall and we cannot assume all teachers will stay if COVID begins to infect kids and/or adults their school.

More now it is becoming obvious that younger people are often the spreaders of the virus. Older people for the most part don't go out and mingle. Young people don't appear to be as adversely affected by COVID. That's a good thing. But they are often the people who spread it.

We know that if you don't want to be exposed to COVID it is best to stay home, avoid crowded places, limit your time inside public places, wear masks, social distance and wash your hands well. None of those things are what we'd find much of in a school. Schools are the opposite of where you want to be if you want to avoid getting COVID. It's the nature of both beasts. I'm guessing that many teachers would otherwise do whatever possible to avoid the risks. How do they do that and teach? I don't know.

 

[AmNat]

You do understand kids are not the only persons in the school, right?

Adults aren't at much risk either.

 

[j brown's body]

Colorado has projected for some time that school's will be open in the fall for in-person classes. We'll see how everything develops. If it's possible and safe, we should have in-person classes.

CO is allowing for some remote learning. This order does not - school buildings open, everyday and for all students. Thats a pretty stringent plan in a time that calls for flexibility.

 

[AmNat]

However, sick children infect other children AND adults. A school with X number of teachers out with COVID won't be able to stay open.

If a school temporarily shuts down due to a teacher shortage, that is obviously the lesser evil compared to being indefinitely shut down.

There's also something else to consider. How many teachers and staff have compromised immune systems due to chronic illnesses? How many teachers live with family members who are at high risk?

If you have a weak immune system, you probably shouldn't be working around children. And if you choose to, caveat emptor.

 

[independentusa]

Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases | TheHill

This all happens on the same day Trump tweets "SCHOOL MUST OPEN IN THE FALL". Coincidence? I think not. DeSantis has to keep dear leader happy.

Children face risk for severe complications and death from COVID-19: Most of the children admitted to pediatric intensive care units had underlying conditions -- ScienceDaily
Studies no show that the young are at much greater risk than originally thought, so not only will you kill their parents, but with kill or damage the young., all to satisfy their party. The GOP should take responsibility for this fiasco, but instead they will blame it on Obama.

 

[Casper]

Florida orders all schools to open next month despite surging COVID-19 cases | TheHill

This all happens on the same day Trump tweets "SCHOOL MUST OPEN IN THE FALL". Coincidence? I think not. DeSantis has to keep dear leader happy.

Florida's Governor is an Idiot that follows the orders of a President on his way out, his days as Governor are numbered and he won't be the only Repub that will pay the price of being a trump pawn. I will say it is good to see the right outing who and what they truely are, first they are willing to throw away the lives of the old, then the lives of young adults, it should come as no surprise that children are also on the list of Expendables. The more they reveal their true nature the more People will realize the right has sold their souls to a narcissist that only cares about one thing, himself.
I only hope America has learned to never allow another trump to take power and that the GOP will have to reform or be kept out if positions of power in this Nation.

 

[j brown's body]

Adults aren't at much risk either.

At risk of catching it, at risk of suffering horribly from it, at risk of having long-term ailments after recovery from it or at risk of dying from it?

 

[Slavister]

Colorado has projected for some time that school's will be open in the fall for in-person classes. We'll see how everything develops. If it's possible and safe, we should have in-person classes.

You do understand kids are not the only persons in the school, right?

How many teachers and staff have compromised immune systems due to chronic illnesses? How many teachers live with family members who are at high risk?

Here is Texas experience with daycare facilities:

May 15: 59 cases (from 53 facilities): 36 staff + 23 children.

June 15: 210 cases (from 177 facilities): 141 staff + 69 children. ~3 times increase over 4 weeks

July 6: 1,335 cases (from 883 facilities): 894 staff + 441 children. ~6 times increase over 3 weeks

source

 

[Risky Thicket]

If a school temporarily shuts down due to a teacher shortage, that is obviously the lesser evil compared to being indefinitely shut down.



If you have a weak immune system, you probably shouldn't be working around children. And if you choose to, caveat emptor.

When I was in high school I was hard to handle. My parents raised us to be respectful and I was respectful but I was also bored out of my mind. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the principal's office, sitting outside waiting to go in. Usually, before I'd get three licks with a paddle the principal would ask me if I understood why I was being punished and did I have any questions. The only question I ever asked was, "Are you going to call my father?"

Sometimes they'd have me sit in the library. I don't know why. The librarian was an older lady who loved kids, loved books, loved her job and liked me. She had a way, maybe it was books. She began to turn me around. Bless that woman. It was a bit like having my grandmother at school every day.

She had lupus. As far as I know it never affected her ability to do her job, which she loved. I cannot imagine that fine lady being exposed to COVID daily. No doubt there are many great teachers around today just like her, making a difference, and living with a compromised immune system.