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Keeping kids out of school would be disastrous for the economy. Online instruction has proven to be a complete failure, too, from talking to my teacher friends. Of course, even if online instruction was successful, that still wouldn't take away from the worsening economic harm that would come from forcing parent(s) to stay home to watch their children. I see that even more of the politicians who were railing against such a plan to return to physical instruction are now coming around to this reality, which is good to see in my view.
No, the economy shouldn't be placed above public health, but if people are out of work and not earning, that will impact public health in many ways, too.
The problem is that DOE, HSTA, the governor, etc. are so hopelessly incompetent that expecting them to come up with any realistic solution is "hope-less". They're all basically kicking the can down the road "hoping" that things get better.
Back in April or May, I wrote them a letter outlining how to handle in-class instruction with minimal risk. The plan was basically to split the fall semester in two, June to mid august and mid august to december, with some distance learning available. Half the kids in the 1st fall semester, half in the second. Even more distancing could be achieved by alternating instruction days or some other scheme.
Suggestion was ignored. Instead, they did nothing from April through July. Then realizing they had ZERO plans for instruction in august, panicked, and wanted 2 weeks to prepare. Then realizing a compressed in-person semester won't work without undue risk of spreading the virus, decide to go to "fake news" distance learning only. So basically they're too lazy to do their jobs, and the kids and taxpayers will suffer. All of the top administrators should be fired. All of the teachers that didn't teach for 2 months in spring and in august should be forced to take leave without pay. The reason why state education is so screwed up is none of these jokers have any accountability.
The problem is that DOE, HSTA, the governor, etc. are so hopelessly incompetent that expecting them to come up with any realistic solution is "hope-less". They're all basically kicking the can down the road "hoping" that things get better.
Back in April or May, I wrote them a letter outlining how to handle in-class instruction with minimal risk. The plan was basically to split the fall semester in two, June to mid august and mid august to december, with some distance learning available. Half the kids in the 1st fall semester, half in the second. Even more distancing could be achieved by alternating instruction days or some other scheme.
Suggestion was ignored. Instead, they did nothing from April through July. Then realizing they had ZERO plans for instruction in august, panicked, and wanted 2 weeks to prepare. Then realizing a compressed in-person semester won't work without undue risk of spreading the virus, decide to go to "fake news" distance learning only. So basically they're too lazy to do their jobs, and the kids and taxpayers will suffer. All of the top administrators should be fired. All of the teachers that didn't teach for 2 months in spring and in august should be forced to take leave without pay. The reason why state education is so screwed up is none of these jokers have any accountability.
Your post contains a lot of misinformation. I will point out a couple of glaring errors.
First, the DOE put together a team of educators and created 7 instructional modules for teachers to use in teaching/managing online classes. They do not include the actual subject material. Instead they instruct educators on how to effectively use virtual learning.
Second, schools have developed plans for when face to face teaching returns September 22nd. As far as I know they have divided student bodies into 3 groups: 2 by last name and 1 for vulnerable students. The two primary groups will come to school two days a week and the vulnerable population, one day a week. (School attendance is adaptable to parent decisions.)
Finally, why should teachers be forced to take leave without pay? It's not like they arranged Covid-19. In any event, if they had all been laid off, they would have then qualified for Unemployment. Starting in late July, they have all been back on the job creating hybrid lessons for their individual subjects.
Pretty arrogant to assume that because they didn't heed your advice, that they didn't do anything at all.
And now another breakout at yet another Georgia school since starting back to school. I can’t figure out how this is happening. I thought I was told children don’t catch or spread Covid. They’re basically immune I thought. Wonder how many of these kids took it home and introduced it to their families? Probably all of them.
If We can’t even get 75% of adults to wear masks, socially distance and wash hands can we really expect children are going to accomplish it ? Some schools will do it better than others. But I suspect this is just an example of what to expect. And yes, I hope I’m completely wrong, I really do.
Risks at some schools in Hawaii, like perhaps on Kauai, might be lower. But then it just takes one person Mixing with a large group to change that quickly.
And now another breakout at yet another Georgia school since starting back to school. I can’t figure out how this is happening. I thought I was told children don’t catch or spread Covid. They’re basically immune I thought. Wonder how many of these kids took it home and introduced it to their families? Probably all of them.
So what? If the families were so concerned - they could have home schooled or found a distance learning program. I'd be willing to bet though, some wanted those kids in school so they can work. Is nine kids a lot? How many get sick during flu season, which actually makes kid sick?
What the article doesn't say - as they never do, are any of the kids sick? Are any of the families sick - or, like in an incredibly high number of cases, do they fall in the camp of no symptoms or very mild symptoms?
Your post contains a lot of misinformation. I will point out a couple of glaring errors.
First, the DOE put together a team of educators and created 7 instructional modules for teachers to use in teaching/managing online classes. They do not include the actual subject material. Instead they instruct educators on how to effectively use virtual learning.
Second, schools have developed plans for when face to face teaching returns September 22nd. As far as I know they have divided student bodies into 3 groups: 2 by last name and 1 for vulnerable students. The two primary groups will come to school two days a week and the vulnerable population, one day a week. (School attendance is adaptable to parent decisions.)
Finally, why should teachers be forced to take leave without pay? It's not like they arranged Covid-19. In any event, if they had all been laid off, they would have then qualified for Unemployment. Starting in late July, they have all been back on the job creating hybrid lessons for their individual subjects.
Pretty arrogant to assume that because they didn't heed your advice, that they didn't do anything at all.
Oh god... I'm sure your plan looks good up on the projection and sounds good in your heads, but in reality, the instruction model didn't work well. SOME teachers did their best given the situation, to which they are to be commended, but many others didn't, and the kids are suffering. A poor substitute for real education, at very best.
September 22? You must be a public school administrator or teacher to think that's acceptable. The original date was early august, in which they had MONTHS to prepare. Now the can is being continuously kicked down the road. It took you guys 4 months since instruction was already halted, plus another month and a half to come up with that plan. Now you have what, a 40 day instruction semester, or not even half the normal instruction days, and that's even counting "distance learning"? Horrendous.
Finally, if you don't work, you don't get paid. HSTA didn't want the teachers to go into school at all unless there's 0 cases for weeks, and yet get paid the whole time. It's a prime example of government worker delusion. Many many people throughout this crisis are working, yet the teachers are too good to teach in person? Many private sector workers aren't able to work because of covid and got laid off. So yes, if a state employee isn't working, they shouldn't be paid. This goes for "idle workers" as well.
Lack of leadership and bold thinking is precisely why public school education is a mess in hawaii and why many parents are willing to stretch their finances and pay $20k+ to send their kids to private schooling.
Oh god... I'm sure your plan looks good up on the projection and sounds good in your heads, but in reality, the instruction model didn't work well. SOME teachers did their best given the situation, to which they are to be commended, but many others didn't, and the kids are suffering. A poor substitute for real education, at very best.
The Instructional Modules that will be implemented August 17th, (7 days from now) didn't work???
September 22? You must be a public school administrator or teacher to think that's acceptable. I am a substitute teacher.
The original date was early august, in which they had MONTHS to prepare. Now the can is being continuously kicked down the road. It took you guys 4 months since instruction was already halted, plus another month and a half to come up with that plan. Now you have what, a 40 day instruction semester, or not even half the normal instruction days, and that's even counting "distance learning"? Horrendous.
I believe there will be 7 or 8 less days of instruction for the entire school year (unless something else happens).
Finally, if you don't work, you don't get paid. HSTA didn't want the teachers to go into school at all unless there's 0 cases for weeks, and yet get paid the whole time. Did this actually happenor is it some drama you heard about?
It's a prime example of government worker delusion. Many many people throughout this crisis are working, yet the teachers are too good to teach in person? Many private sector workers aren't able to work because of covid and got laid off. So yes, if a state employee isn't working, they shouldn't be paid. This goes for "idle workers" as well.
So everyone in the country, laid off, gets Unemployment except teachers, who need to be "punished" when ordered to stay home?
Lack of leadership and bold thinking is precisely why public school education is a mess in hawaii and why many parents are willing to stretch their finances and pay $20k+ to send their kids to private schooling.
I never cease to be amazed at people like you who are so anxious to punish teachers for things beyond their control. Did the nuns beat you a lot in school?
I never cease to be amazed at people like you who are so anxious to punish teachers for things beyond their control.
I don't think anyone is seeking to punish teachers - but I do think it is crazy thousands, yes thousands, of State workers (excluding teachers) are collecting full paychecks and essentially are not doing anything.
9/11 was out of workers control - yet millions lost their job and didn't get paid. The .com bubble wasn't a web designers fault but they lost their jobs. In the Great Recession - manufacturers went bust and people lost their jobs - it wasn't an assembly line persons fault.
Bartenders aren't working and not getting paid - it was out of their control. Should they get paid anyway?
Why a special exemption for public sector employees?
I don't think anyone is seeking to punish teachers - but I do think it is crazy thousands, yes thousands, of State workers (excluding teachers) are collecting full paychecks and essentially are not doing anything.
9/11 was out of workers control - yet millions lost their job and didn't get paid. The .com bubble wasn't a web designers fault but they lost their jobs. In the Great Recession - manufacturers went bust and people lost their jobs - it wasn't an assembly line persons fault.
Bartenders aren't working and not getting paid - it was out of their control. Should they get paid anyway?
Why a special exemption for public sector employees?
All of those people, if laid off, would have qualified for Unemployment if they didn't continue to receive their usual pay.
Bartenders should be collecting at least $1,000 per week in Unemployment Benefits unless they didn't apply.
I have helped 3 of my former students who didn't know how, to collect UI when they were each laid off from restaurant jobs. One of them has a baby and was pretty close to homeless after losing her job. She didn't know how to apply and missed out on a couple of months of unemployment.
Yes, they should be collecting unemployment - including the State workers who are "working at home" and essentially doing nothing.
An employee making $50,000 year gets $595 week in unemployment per week in Hawaii by the way.
Plus the $600 Federal enhancement every week that lasted until the end of July. That is about to be reinstated either by Trump's Executive Order or by Congressional compromise. (Most think it will go to $400 extra per week.)
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