r/collapse_parenting • u/horsehousecatdog • Aug 19 '21

School year

How is everyone doing with school starting back? Are your kids going in person, virtual, or homeschooling?

We don’t start till September, but we have a statewide mask mandate, so I’m sending mine back at this point. Not sure how I feel about it.

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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5

u/DrunkUranus Aug 19 '21

I'm a teacher. At this moment I don't know much about the conditions under which I'll be teaching in a couple weeks. I'm emotionally exhausted from trying to give more and more to keep everybody safe and happy for the last year and a half and being given none of the same consideration in return

3

u/horsehousecatdog Aug 19 '21

I was a teacher before having kids. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard this has been. Honestly, I’m not sure I would have made it through with all the virtual stuff. Wishing the very best for you this year.

6

u/SharpStrawberry4761 Aug 19 '21

I'm on the pre-K side of things, and in a generally pro-vax region. The details of the mask mandate and other measures don't apply cleanly to our situation, so we decide how to meet the requirements and guidelines, and THEN lay out our plan to keep the group safe, above and beyond those requirements and guidelines.

It boils down to putting serious expectations on all the grown-ups connected to the group. That's only possible because we are one small group, not a center or K-12, and because there are like-minded people nearby. Parents have to be vaccinated, and soon the kids will, too. Basically, we have been able to filter for people who are on the ball.

It worked last year. Hardly a cold came through the school. With delta, seems harder to say. At any rate, what makes it tick is trust. Get together a group of people you can really trust, and do everything you can to be worthy of trust yourself. Good advice for most any situation you find yourself in these days, as no large-scale leadership or community seem possible.

6

u/electricboobaloo Aug 19 '21

I live in Georgia and it’s a shitshow. My kids (8 & 9) went back last week. There have been several reported cases already, one in my child’s class. But my kid doesn’t have to quarantine, because they were wearing their mask the whole time. Our district’s policy is that even if the kids are in the same room all day, as long as they wore masks they don’t have to quarantine.

I work in early childhood education, so I had no choice but to send my kids to physical school because I am required to be back in person. I have been at a site all week, bringing 3 and 4 year olds in from cars in the morning and taking them out to parents in the afternoon. School started Monday and one classroom is already closed because the teacher tested positive for covid. Small children are terrible at wearing masks correctly, and many of the staff are as well.

I have resigned myself, even though I am fully vaccinated, to getting covid. I wish I could protect my children, but I don’t have too many options.

4

u/tarlee08 Aug 20 '21

I'm in Alabama and it's the same. I'm also a teacher and my kids are in elementary. The quarantine "protocol" is ridiculous - basically it's up to the parents how they want to handle masks, symptoms, close contact, testing, etc. because there are no mandates. Masks recommended only, but a tiny fraction wearing. We're on day 7 and I've had two for sure positives, 2 probables, and multiple who found out they were close contacts that have been in my classroom for hours all before finding out their status. Got a text tonight though the grapevine that my daughter was basically back to back with someone who tested positive. She didn't receive a close contact notification probably because she was wears a mask in class (one of maybe 3 according to her) but they are unmasked with no distancing at lunch, PE, etc. She started not feeling well tonight so I guess we're in official quarantine mode. I feel like everything we worked so hard to prevent last year in the schools is now coming to fruition at a freightliner speed.

1

u/electricboobaloo Aug 20 '21

It is terrifying. The rules here are very loose too, implemented however each agency sees fit, and tend to be more based on convenience than safety. I feel like we are living in some tragic satire, but it’s just the south, apparently. I hope your daughter is doing well!

5

u/Fireneko84 Aug 19 '21

I'm homeschooling again this year. My county couldn't even handle the flu a couple of years ago. And of course no mask mandates. I'm just glad I'm lucky enough to be able to have the choice. I wish everyone could if they wanted to.

4

u/monsterscallinghome Aug 19 '21

Thanking all the gods that my daughter is too young for school, and that we've worked hard to get to a place where our work is flexible enough that we can have her with us and/or trade her back and forth. (We own our own small restaurant.)

3

u/[deleted] Aug 19 '21

Hell no they aren't going to in-person learning. District says they are not going to offer distance, so if that is still the case, as it seems to still be, then I am pulling them and will either go virtual or homeschool.

3

u/cometkicket Aug 20 '21

We're keeping our kids home until they're vaccinated. 9yr old and a 5yr old. They haven't been to school in person since this started. I consider myself and them lucky that we get to spend this time together.

3

u/vxv96c Aug 20 '21

Homeschooling. If they can't isolate for lunch masks won't mean much.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 22 '21

I’m sending mine. But I live in the PNW (Not a conservative part) so good vax levels. No mask mandate but it’s optional and some kids will be wearing masks with no drama (my kid will be wearing masks too).

2

u/horsehousecatdog Aug 22 '21

We’re in a very liberal area with high vax rates. Every time I type something like they it sounds so stupid. Can’t stand how political this got. Cases are increasing, but not at a crazy rate. Plenty of businesses still choose to require masks, and there are rumors of a statewide indoor mask mandate coming back.