Let’s Plan for a Hybrid Model in Schools
By Rosanne Crawford of Santa Barbara
Continuing remote only learning is hurting children and families in our community.
On Tuesday 7/21/2020 the Santa Barbara School District will discuss remaining in virtual learning only operation at this time for the fall. Please encourage them to prepare to possibly shift to a hybrid model split between on campus and virtual learning when our county falls off the monitoring list.
To participate by Zoom go to https://www.sbunified.org/board/board-meetings/
Select date of meeting 7/21/20 and open agenda. The agenda has a” link” complete this form with cut off at noon Tuesday to register to receive an email for a participation link.
The Governor’s Order
The new mandate states our county has to meet its metrics established by our Public Health Department to get off the “hit list” to open schools. Our County was placed on the State monitoring list based on several factors that include hospitalizations, hospital capacity and the number of new cases. See the data they are monitoring here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/CountyMonitoringDataStep1.aspx. Santa Barbara is currently measuring at 244.1 cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days, above the state threshold of 100 per 100,000 or less.
The Public Health Department, County and City of Santa Barbara have been doing a great job of outreach promoting physical distancing, face masks, washing hands and discouraging large groups and multiple family gatherings during this pandemic. Cases have dropped down in the last few days.
We could have a whole different picture as early as mid August if the promising trend continues. People get the message.
The collateral damage of keeping schools closed
· Stress related increase of mental illness including depression
· Learning regression, hardest hit are English learners
· Low income and working parents struggling with inequity of technology access interrupting learning
· Student remote fatigue, parent fatigue juggling supervision and providing mid day lunches
· Deprivation of socialization and emotional learning, hardest hit younger children
· Economic hardship, parent’s need to go back to work.
· Families making choices to leave the district for small home school programs having further economic impacts to district in loss of funds
California has no road map for this novel situation with it’s over reaching politics.
Let’s look to Denmark who was the first country in Europe to shut down. According to Reuters World News, re-opening schools did not worsen outbreaks following a one- month lock down in Denmark. Children between two to 12 years were allowed back in day cares and schools on April 15th. Their data health authorities for the first time say the move did not make the virus proliferate. Finland had similar findings. A top official there announced similar findings, which nothing so far suggested the corona virus had spread faster since their school opened in mid May. This was backed up by infectious disease specialists in both countries who saw no negative effects from reopening schools.
Back in the school saddle as well is Britain, urged to open when 1500 Pediatricians warned failure to let children back into the classroom will risk “scaring the life chances” of a generation. France moved forward last month calling it a “social emergency” and worried about economic consequences. Germany is already sitting for exams.
How can we open school safely?
The State has released extensive guidelines for opening schools that meet compliance. They include criteria for minimizing risk with measures that include teacher’s use of protective face coverings as well as the known top three recommendations that continue to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.
Maximize use of outdoor space on campuses
Our schools have an abundance of outdoor space. Athletic fields, playgrounds, auditoriums, gyms and cafeterias can be set up for distancing. Collaboration would be helpful with the Goleta district. They have already done site visits, measurements and assessments of physical spaces in preparing to get back on campus with their resourceful staff.
There is growing evidence that studies seem to suggest children play a less active role in transmission spread however the high cost of these continued restrictions with remote only learning is hurting children and families. The World Health Organization does not currently see clear answers in the data that have been collected to date around transmission by children. Let’s bring teaching outside and keep things safe.
Let your voice and opinions be heard. We can do this!
Do you have an opinion on something local? Share it with us at . The views and opinions expressed in Op-Ed articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of edhat.
Comments Penalty Box
No Comments deleted due to down vote
2 Comments deleted by Administrator
114 Comments
-
-
1
-
Jul 21, 2020 09:10 AM"Articles" vs. UCSF Grand Rounds? Your call. But don't overelook the teachers unions have a huge investment holding your children hostage to force you to meet their string of demands, of which none have any relationship to covid, education or safety. Be sure to take a good look at what the LA teachers unions are demanding before they claim they will return to the classroom. This list of teacher union demands is echoed across the nation in some sort of organized cabal fashion. Recommend re-watching "Waiting for Superman" to remind yourself teachers unions have never been interested in your children, or even in education. Then decide what in fact is in the best interests of your own children. It is becoming obvious putting children back into teacher union dominated classrooms is not healthy; regardless of any validated covid threat. Keep it up, teachers unions. It is time your agenda got busted wide open for all to see. Pouring billions of dollars every year into a system that rewards us with a #45 ranked state school system in fact is the greater danger. Notice how each teacher union demand requires even less accountability, but requires paying the system more money. On second thought, do keep the schools closed, but send the savings to the parents who can best chose their educational options for their own children.
-
2
-
1
-
Jul 21, 2020 08:02 AMA-1595280063 - false, more than a few articles have come out recently stating that children are at just as much risk, and can spread it just as easily.
-
1
-
2
-
Jul 20, 2020 06:53 PMIt is not about science - it is about probability theory. Pre CV every kid going to school has a probability of something bad happening, however, the majority of parents go with the flow - even allowing kids to ride orange school busses with no seat belts driven by some person the parent does not know. Kids are walking germ factories and need interaction to build up an immune system which will carry them through life. The probability of a kid getting CV and dying is a low as countless other aspect of going through life. So, why is there so much hysteria? Well the takers, like GT, want the paranoia to continue in order to keep getting free handouts from the government. The same reason a blind person should not cross a busy intersection with no help - is the same reason a person with poor health should not go to a crowded bar/church with a bunch of mask haters. For the other 99.9% of people life should just go on.
-
6
-
1
-
Jul 20, 2020 05:29 PMRHS - exactly why I made that comment. This "science" that republicans claim says is OK to go to school is inconsistent with all the actual science I've seen come out lately.
-
4
-
2
-
Jul 20, 2020 05:05 PMScience doesn't say it's safe to go back to school. Fox says that and a lot of Betsy Devos boot licker say it. But science does not.
-
4
-
1
-
Jul 20, 2020 04:12 PM3:05 pm. Science would include the just released studies that say children 10 and over transmit COVID-19 just as do adults.
-
2
-
2
-
Jul 20, 2020 03:24 PMCite request: Please view the UCSF July 9, 2020 Grand Rounds - Hour and half video presentation on the topic of covid, schools and young people. ...."Compared with adults, children express fewer nasal ACE2 receptors, which serve as the entry point for the virus into cells, according to a May 20 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That may help to explain why children could be less likely to get and transmit COVID-19, Naomi Bardach, an associated professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, said in a UCSF Medical Grand Rounds presentation on July 9....." Joint statement additionally issued by AAP - American Academy of Pediatrics, along with input from the AFT and NEA - found on the AAP website. Re-opening schools is the option now grounded in science.
-
2
-
2
-
Jul 20, 2020 03:09 PMRight 3:05? I am kind of sick of hearing everyone site "science" when they don't agree with you. Science works in many ways.
-
4
-
1
-
Jul 20, 2020 03:05 PM2:21 - please cite the "science" you mentioned.
-
2
-
2
-
Jul 20, 2020 02:37 PMIf you don't care that some children, and more adults, will die.
=======================================================================
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-covid-affect-kids-science-gaps.html
-
3
-
5
-
Jul 20, 2020 02:21 PMScience says it is safe for both children and adults to return to school. Backed also by leading pediatric associations who are committed to re-opening schools too. The science is comfortable with this decision. Yes, let's do teach children about science, because too many adults missed those lessons when they were in school. Not sure what "science" you are referring to that claims just the opposite, GC.
-
3
-
4
-
Jul 20, 2020 01:44 PMThe parents who want to open can offer to teach classes themselves and risk their own lives. No teacher who is uncomfortable should be forced to do this. Those who had children chose to have children. No matter what happens in this world they are your responsibility.
-
-
1
-
Jul 21, 2020 03:27 PMUsing your logic, everything should and must close. Police, Fire, Trader Joes, Tow Trucks, etc... let's all fend for ourselves in anything and everything to spare anyone and everyone from being uncomfortable...you have chosen to live...you are your responsibility...so stop forcing people at COX to work so you can have TV and people at Chipotle to work so you can have burritos and go fend for yourself...
-
1
-
-
Jul 21, 2020 01:15 PMExactly right. Thank you. NO ONE should be forced to return to an unsafe situation.
Pages