The people who think it's possible to send students back to school safely are those who have no clue

[onecaliberal]

What it’s like at a school site day to day. Our district has 50 school sites, we would need another 30 to properly distance students.

It’s frightening and horrendous to realize the Republican Party thinks there is an acceptable amount of kids to lose. Just mind numbing. I fear the maggots here will go along with it.

[Deb]

1. Kids can live another year w/o school.

They may not survive going this year.

Will the insurance companies that carry liability on school districts drop policies?

It always comes down to $$, lawyer up parents!

[onecaliberal]

3. Once one kid gets it, or a teacher gets it

The schools will be ghost towns. The ADA will plummet and so will the state funding that keeps schools going. It’s so stupid in so many levels, it’s just other world mind blowing that it’s even a consideration.

[whistler162]

16. First IT ISN'T NO SCHOOL

it is no in classroom school. It would be nice if people got that straight.

School districts to do at home schooling need to have students with a reliable and fast Internet connection (this is an issue in rural and urban areas. Although it is likely easier to fix in urban areas than in a rural setting), a device Chromebook/laptop/PC/iMac etc., teachers with the resources and training to keep the students engaged in learning over the Internet (some students thrive and others wilt), technology support, and then there is the care of the younger students while at home (If it is a single income household or both parents must work either they lose one income, find another adult to watch over their child(ren), or have an older child act as loco parentis may be to the detriment of their education. A lot of questions and very few answers yet.).

To do anything, we need to fund local schools.

FYI.... Network Administrator in school districts.

[dawg day]

2. Well, we know Trump probably never set foot in his kids' schools

And Betsy DeVos doesn't believe in public schools and probably thinks killing off some ps kids and teachers is a small price to pay for the Dow Jones.

[onecaliberal]

4. Even the educators who support dump make fun of her stupidity.

[femmocrat]

5. It can't work.

I saw on TV that to properly distance students on a school bus, only 14 kids could ride a bus. Think about all the places that kids congregate in, to, and from school. How about those kids who cannot keep their hands to themselves! Imagine a small classroom, normally packed with 25-30 students. Even if only half of those children come on alternating days, they will receive only half of a curriculum --- the remainder will be by computer, I guess. Teachers are going to have to be miracle workers to prepare them for the standardized tests.

And here is my big point--- who is going to pay for all those masks, wipes, and sanitizer? Budgets went in last winter (ours was always due in January) without those PPEs included in the mark-ups. Unless the superintendents found some money somewhere, the teachers are going to be buying those protective measures from their own pockets.

TG I’m retired, or I would be doing so right now!

[onecaliberal]

10. We don't have enough buses here for even a modified schedule with students coming and going.

Districts do not have funds for the PPE. Not even for the bare minimum. They also do not have the number of custodians they need for disinfecting schools several times a day.

[sop]

6. I cannot believe after experiencing the horrific consequences of the last failed reopening attempt,

despite being amply warned at the time by hundreds of experts to not reopen bars, churches, beaches and other public places, parents would now allow Trump and DeVos to sacrifice their children with their insane plan to reopen the schools.

[Andy823]

7. The whole trump administration

"has not clue" about anything! Those pushing to go back to school are only doing so because "trump" told them to go out in public and push his plan. All trump wants is to win in November, and he could care less about "safety" for the kids, or for anyone else but himself.

Each school district needs a plan on how they will handle the situation. Every parent should also demand to see those plans. The safety of children should never, never be left in the hands of incompetent morons like trump, and his gang of idiots.

[spinbaby]

8. They can't even control lice

They certainly won’t be able to control covid.

[MichMan]

9. Just close schools completely until next fall and hold students back a year

On line classes for a few hours a day are not a substitute and not all students and school districts are capable. Allowing students to move up a grade while receiving 25% of the required curriculum would be doing them a disservice.

Probably means laying off all teachers, bus drivers, administrators, and support staff as well, other than a handful of custodians to keep the buildings maintained.

States should eliminate all school taxes for the next 12 months to give taxpayers a break.

[Hoyt]

11. There are alternatives to continuing what at best is home-schooling, with many kids in right wing

homes.

Kids could come in for two days a week, etc., that would help with class size and distancing. Even one day would help.

Reopening is a big concern, but so is kids -- in their most important years -- missing many more months than the 2 or three they lost last Spring.

Money needs to be invested in technology, disinfecting systems, etc. But, staying closed has it's problems and bad outcomes too.

[onecaliberal]

13. Yes money needs to be invested. Where do you suggest the money should come from?

Districts are strapped by millions of unfunded mandates from the feds already. We’ve done a good job of building up technology here in the last several years but still grossly inadequate for the need.

There are no great answers but there is one thing I know. Nothing keeps a kid from reaching their full potential more than death.

[Hoyt]

14. States and feds are going to have to step up as far as funding.

Although I get it, the last sentence is a bit simplistic. First, some kids are going to die sitting at home. Second, education is more important than some seem to think, especially for kids who aren't getting help at home.

[onecaliberal]

18. Please forgive me but you have no clue what the reality is.

California is 50 billion in the hole and that was with a huge surplus going in. (See state budgets) unlike the feds most states have to balance annually. The feds are not going to help. They already said the CDE guidelines are too costly. Do you understand that. And I’m sorry that you think kids and teachers and parents are expendable, but I don’t. Open schools = lots of dead people just like what is happening with opening states. I’m not going to agree with you and see no point in going any further with this conversation. Have a good evening.

[Hoyt]

21. Fine, California and every state is going to have to make some tough decisions because education

is arguably the most important function of states.

I don't think kids, teachers, etc., are expendable. Those are your hyperbolic words.

I'm sorry, I don' think we can just sit here for another year or two. Don't want to do things like trump, but we can't just stop many things, if for no other reason, the virus is still going to be there when we come out of hibernation.

Should we close all the hospitals, fire departments, grocery stores, farms, healthcare companies,etc.? I don't think so.

[onecaliberal]

22. You can go risk your own life, but you will never be the arbiter of another life.

You have clearly never spent a nano second in a classroom or school if you think there is a safe way to open school and protect kids and all of the people they come into contact with. I live in the real world where 135,000 people are fucking dead and a record number every day for the last week are infected.

[iamateacher]

12. They know nothing about children

That much is obvious.

[gulliver]

15. We really need to emphasize the risk to parents, grandparents, and school employees.

The whole Republican line is "kids do Ok with covid and they need to learn."

"But what about a 52-year-old diabetic geometry teacher who takes care of her ailing mother?"

"Kids do Ok with covid and they need to learn."

...

Everyone realizes that a kid is a germ recruiter for the family. Why aren't we simply stressing this constantly?

[onecaliberal]

19. It's just wow..

Criminally stupid, threatening educational malpractice by forcing districts to kill students, office staff, their teachers, parents and the list goes on. When can we remove the murder party.

[Tanuki]

17. DeVos is not a teacher, has no background or experience in education,

and has never attended or sent any of her children to a public school. She basically bought her current position. The incompetence of this administration has killed and sickened an appalling number of people already. Why would anyone in their right mind trust them with something as precious as their children?

[onecaliberal]

20. I'm unsure. But they do.

Clearly none of them have any background in education.