The Mount Diablo Unified School District will hold a meeting today to discuss considerations for physical reopening phases of our local schools.
The meeting will be held online today at 3 p.m.
The following is from the MDUSD:
One method of leaving a public comment is to email BoardComments@mdusd.org. Emails received are automatically distributed to each board member, and emails will be entered into the public record when received on 10/07/2020. Monitor this meeting’s emailed public comments at this link: https://rb.gy/9ttn26
Alternatively, join our board meeting in real-time to leave a voice and video comment.
Details for participation will be posted at mdusd.org/boardagendas at 2:45 p.m.
*click on the image above to read the presentation*
The biggest ongoing spread of the virus is among high school and college age people. Universities experienced spikes when college kids came back to the area. And they weren’t even in classes. It would be completely irresponsible to force students of this age group back into classrooms at this time. Many of the schools are older and do not have advanced ventilation and air filtration. The CDC continues to recommend against being inside under those conditions. Forcing kids back to class would endanger them.
I agree. It would especially be a problem at Northgate High School where none of the classrooms have any windows.
Then let the parents of each student decide if they want their child to return or not. As a single parent, the option for them to return safety is crucial. The parents and students should decide if their child returns.
Haha stop pushing fear. Everyone knows that Pelosi wont be getting her pork so they may as well get the schools back open now. What an idiot. They better drop all that mask BS too. Nobody is sending kids to school with masks on..Lol. What were they thinking
I completely disagree with the idea of some crazy spike. Actually as of yesterday Dr. Mark Ghaly stayed that so far he had not seen a link between Re-opening of K-12 schools for in person learning and increased coronavirus transmission. He is the states Health and Human Services secretary.
Most parents are following the statistics closely and have been polled as to their choice of what to do.
There are many statistics also in terms of the “spikes” vs. severity of the illness. Lots to debate back and forth but I want our kids back to school.
Sorry Marion but you really have no clue.
Do your homework. Now…
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54442386
1. Nobody is talking about “forcing” any students back into the classroom.
2. You can’t compare college kids with elementary when it comes to Covid. Or residential campuses to K-12 schools, for any age. Those are different beasts.
3. Yes, there were lots of headlines about Covid outbreaks at colleges. Since then many, many of them have got their outbreaks under control. Disaster sells in the news business. Boring, competent success not so much. I of Illinois – huge failure, right? Those arrogant physicists thought they had it all figured out and then all hell broke loose … that was the story. Look up how they’re doing now.
4. Speaking of under-reported stuff, K-12 schools have been successfully open in large swaths of the country and many other nations, many of which have more Covid spread than CC County right now. And before that childcare centers were open across the country, successfully. And elementary schools never shut down in Sweden at the height of their spike. No masks either. And teachers there were not at more than average risk for getting Covid. No children died there of Covid, none, zero. There is evidence, there is data, there is precedent. We don’t have to just look into our hearts and listen to how afraid the idea makes us. It works, the data is in. If we don’t open schools we are shutting our ears to the evidence and punishing children for no good reason.
Windowless high schools are a problem, to be sure. But this is Northern California. Put some flipping tents up. It’s not like we have blizzards. The triple digit heat is likely over. As long as air quality is halfway decent, have class outside under a tent. Can we not expect the smallest shred of resourcefulness from our school system? It’s really really good at preserving the employment conditions and compensation for it’s employees no matter what. Apparently less good at making very doable adjustments to, you know, actually fulfill its purpose for kids and families.
Simply false Marion. Check the link below. And, nobody is forcing kids to return if their parents do not want them to.
https://abc7.com/education/ca-sees-no-link-between-school-reopenings-and-spread-of-covid-19/6838726/
first question is
after the newscum and his cronies made it legal for predators within 10 years of a child to basically get a slap on the wrist and avoid the predator label…
allowing far left liberal backed and placed judges to decide
how will the district be protecting children and vetting teachers
Marion,
No one is FORCING kids back in to school. If you WANT to keep YOUR children home, do so. But MANY of us are comfortable with the science and see the hurt the distance learning is causing many children and we want our kids back in a classroom. You share your opinion, we will share ours.
It is great that the school district is starting to talk about it, despite Brian’s public posts on social media.
Kids need to be in school. It a safe place for them. In person schooling helps with social and emotional development that they cannot get from being home alone or with siblings. Even thought they do not have an IEP, some kids do better in a classroom vs distance.
As a parent we need to make that decision…I don’t think MDUSD schools are ready to operate safely in this pandemic…We have to think in our kids safety first…I know many of you have to work like me but its worth it to be home home safe for now….its not easy but we can do it..
As a parent we need to make that decision…I don’t think MDUSD schools are ready to operate safely in this pandemic…We have to think in our kids safety first…I know many of you have to work like me but its worth it to be home home safe for now….its not easy but we can do it..
I heard a nearby district did this and it turned into a bunch of angry parents venting. The problem with MDUSD, to me, is the lack of leadership, we’ll see what happens tonight.
Completely agree Marion – they will end up shutting down again after a few weeks (like most everywhere else). Can’t we just rely on the scientists/experts who all say it’s going to get worse this Winter – bad news is unfortunate but can’t be changed b/c it’s inconvenient. Do believe things will improve before next summer – possible vaccine, more medications/treatments, more testing, completion of flu season. Looking forward to May with fingers crossed we all are well!
If you actually read experts on Covid and kids and read the very extensive evidence of school reopenings, you’ll see that your view is exactly, 100% wrong.
Seems like most of the schools throughout Calif and in the Bay Area are now working on reopening plans. The Mt. Diablo school district should not be left out. They just need to work on a safe plan – hybrid seems to be the way schools are going.
Our children need to be back in school. Distance learning is fueling the mental health crisis. If someone is uncomfortable attending in person, continue with distance learning.
woah people do i hear distain towards a left run school district
wow
never thought i would see parents stand up and use their american rights to demand better
it warms my heart to see people upset with the obvious shambles and corrupt mdusd…..
this district has been run into the ground and defunded by the socialist agendas
not to mention yes the children are being harmed in ways we will not see for years to come by this political shut down
the dems have no idea how to come up with a plan and please the parents and tax payers because it has been over 40 years of them just doing what they want half assed at that and parents rolling with it
fight back now and demand better
or they will crush your future attempts
now they know you want better for your children they will devise a plan to thwart you and your children from the rights you deserve
they have no plan accept to sit on their rears for as long as they can as they are still collecting money as you may be out of work and struggling they still take tax money lol and push you around and shut you down
might be time to clean house of the cob web of liberal pushing districts
stop the nightmare of punishing our children by the district
push the governor and mayor and councils and boards
they sit high and mighty forcing you to obey their wants and needs ….
not listening or following your wishes
You just gave me the good chills! (not the Covid ones) Thank you for writing that. This stuff needs to be said and spread!
More goods news. The upside of this pandemic is, people have time to think for themselves now. With the extraordinary commutes and daily pressures removed, logic and betters choices will shine through the muck of indoctrination.
From Dr. Mark Ghaly, “…the state’s Health and Human Services secretary, told reporters that officials have been closely watching the return to classrooms in counties where it has been allowed. He said it can take time for trends to emerge, but so far, the results are encouraging.”
The districts that did open had some of the lowest coronavirus cases in the state.
The state is working towards re-opening after seeing a decline in coronavirus cases. As long as people stop being selfish and continue to mask and social distance the decline will continue.
Schools could start safely open with a hybrid option and continue WITH masks, for now, that seems like a good option.
Not to mention many private schools are open for K-6 right now, as we speak. Yet the apocalypse somehow isn’t happening.
If you’re parent who has major health issues; diabetic, heart disease, and etc..then you can have your kids do distance learning, otherwise there is really no reason to keep your kids at home!
However the other major problem is that even if the kids go to school, they will be indoctrinated with the left wing(Marxist) ideology! Instead of real science, they are taught earth science, which is all about global warming and recycling!! Instead of US history as we learned it, they will probably be taught about the 1619 project!! It will be all about social justice….
There are many excellent private schools in our area that are actually teaching the kids without all the politically correct nonsense. Yes, it requires thrift and sacrifice to send your kids to private school, both of which are sadly lost arts among many middle class families, who want all the toys and services and fancy trucks and new cars. But if you are willing to forego car payments and instead make your current cars last a few more years, cut cable TV, cut back on eating out, cut back on the annual family Disneyland trips, etc., out you’d be surprised what you can do!
I am a parent of 3 school aged children and I REALLY want and need them to go back onsite. For educational purposes as well as the social/emotional aspect. However, we also have to consider their educators as the return to school does not only affect students and parents.
@ Also Consider
While I agree that us parents who want our kids to be back in schools need to also think about the teachers, also consider this. Safeway, Costco, Target, Walmart and other essential stores have been open (and crowded) and the workers at these stores come in to waaayyy more contact with people then teachers will come into contact with students on a daily basis. If those stores can do it, I believe so can teachers.
Sweden kept schools for kids up to 15 open through the height of their epidemic. Teachers’ risk of infection was not above average. Again, there is lots of evidence now.
MDUSD is run by far left control freaks. Look at the new superintendent’s tweets. What’s Phd in, sociology?
Open the damn schools and stop this false BS pandemic.
MDUSD is not ready to reopen. They don’t even have soap or sanitizer. The janitors are not cleaning the rooms or disinfecting. They will never have the appropriate PPE. The district does not care about your kids safety or the staff. They just care about the money. They also want to bring the bilingual kids and special ed back first because that’s who brings more money from the state. They are all a bunch of lying jackasses. The district thinks the bilingual parents are ignorant therefore do what they please with them. KEEP YOUR KIDS HOME !!! Don’t trust the district.
Troll – Where are you getting your information? There is soap and hand sanitizer at every site and available. The district has spent thousands of dollars on PPE, new foggers to sanitize rooms, and are constantly trying to acquire more materials from numerous sources. Remember that the whole United States are working on getting PPE at the same time? The district will collect on special ed kids or any other category whether they are in school or distance learning. That was a state decision. The people that work at the district have kids and grandkids that go to those schools. Do you really think they don’t care about their own kids? All of this is public knowledge, just read the attachments from the Board Meetings. You can see all of the expenditures.
The janitors might clean the keyboards and monitors once a year. They do work sometimes but they don’t have to do much cleaning or disinfecting because the Unions protect the lazy ones.
The last 2 days have reported an uptick in the death rate in the county. 11 people in the last 2 days.
Even if children are “less at risk”, and I doubt that, they can get infected and bring it home. Teachers also can get infected and bring it home. Most kids have been shielded from exposure because the schools have been closed
I understand it is difficult and children need to attend some sort of school. But I think some might regret sending their kids if the schools open.
Since the virus is airborne, all the tons of sanitizers and all the plexiglas dividers ( as installed in Marin County) will be useless. What a waste of money…
@omega It is airborne and I doubt the kids will be able to properly wear masks all day.
Comments like this make me want to pull my hair out. Stop guessing. There is evidence! Schools are open in lots of places! Outbreaks haven’t materialized! It is well established that kids are less likely to get it than adults! Strong evidence that they transmit it less! Evidence is being collated here, for example: https://statsiq.co1.qualtrics.com/public-dashboard/v0/dashboard/5f62eaee4451ae001535c839#/dashboard/5f62eaee4451ae001535c839?pageId=Page_1ac6a6bc-92b6-423e-9f7a-259a18648318
You can also look up what the experts are saying: Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, Dr. Alasdair Munro and the Don’t Forget the Bubbles review team. Read the experts quoted in the recent New Yorker/Pro Publica article on school closures’ impacts.
People, we don’t have to guess. We finally have some bleeping evidence, from schools serving millions of kids globally, and all of a sudden “follow the science” turns into “follow the advice of the most fearful because they must be right.”
@Led:
If you continue to use data and evidence rather than fear and emotion when discussing this topic with these people, you are going to end up bald. The science is only good if it’s the kind that feeds their fear.
I agree…my grandson is a senior and lives with me. I am extremely high risk and afraid he could bring it home to me.
Your grandson should definitely be able to keep doing distance learning.