General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMy brother's conversation with an anti-masker's daughter on his school bus run.
He's had to repeatedly tell her to put on her mask and she finally said, "My mom says masks don't work."
My brother looked at her and said "I had Covid, last year, and I got really, really sick. I sure don't want to get that sick again. Will you wear your mask for me?"
She immediately pulled up the mask.
Masks are mandatory on the buses and if the kids get 2 'tickets', they lose their bus privileges. Not sure if it's permanent or just temporarily but regardless, parents should be teaching their kids to follow important public health and safety rules. My brother simply put a face on those rules.
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)that so many people refuse to "follow important public health and safety rules". When
I was a kid in school and rode the bus quite a distance to school losing that privilege
would've been a disaster since we didn't have a car. It's good if that alone brings
compliance.
Rorey
(8,445 posts)We've got a bunch of parents who are raising their children to believe that rules and laws only need to be followed if they like them.
KS Toronado
(16,909 posts)But when we have one political party who are against masks & vaccines with their only reason being
"If Democrats are for it, we're against it" attitude, we're a long ways from being out of the woods.
modrepub
(3,469 posts)But maybe I'm missing the real context of his conversation. Is his presentation more like Mr Rogers or old-school Arnold Schwarzenegger? I could see either approach work or fail spectacularly.
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)He also wipes down and sanitizes his entire bus, after every run. He's the only one that is still doing that.
He really likes this job, and has the patience of a saint, with some of these kids. He's also pretty convinced that the school system will be shut down, again, by the holidays. He's already had one of his riders test positive.
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)IMO, at this rate of pediatric cases more school districts will be remoting by Columbus Day, if not before.
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)He is so discouraged about the situation and so disgusted by the anti masker parents.
renate
(13,776 posts)Nobody's thanking him for it, I bet. That's so kind. What a great guy!
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)The school system knows they can always rely on him to do what's right. I can't think of a single woman in his past, including his ex-wife, who doesn't still keep in touch and care deeply for him.
gab13by13
(20,864 posts)I was driving downtown DuBois Pa. 2 days ago and saw a group of people along the street with signs and American flags, they were in front of an elementary school protesting mandated masks. They waved at me as I was passing by and I gave them all a big thumbs down.
My daughter lives outside Pittsburgh and she made sure that she sent her son to a school that mandated masks before the governor mandated them state wide.
I don't understand these people, what kind of parents are they. If there is only a 10% chance that masks will keep your kid from getting Covid why not wear the mask?
I live among these people and they are indeed a cult. They truly believe the vaccine and masks don't work and when they die from Covid thay will put that on their tombstones.
I can't confirm this, but I was told that people are going to the coroner demanding him/her to not state Covid as cause of death for a loved one.
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)The number of kids getting infected is likely going to skyrocket. For my own sake, I've decided to 'go dark', this Halloween.
gab13by13
(20,864 posts)I know that may be dangerous. The Magat kids don't mind wearing masks at Halloween.
My grandson comes to visit me for Halloween, we put on quite a display, with a witch that scares the crap out of kids, remote control spiders, ghosts. My grandson loves to pass out candy more so than going for candy. We set up outside on our dead end street and last year had a bottle of hand sanitizer handy.
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)Fortunately I always buy candy that I like.
I think most kids have been going to 'trunk or treat' parties.
I guess I could leave a bowl of candy by the mail box but truth be told, I hope it's a rainy night.
deurbano
(2,891 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)It makes me sad; I normally enjoy meeting all the kids.
Joinfortmill
(14,246 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)having second thoughts. It takes illness and death first hand to change a person's mind.
gab13by13
(20,864 posts)ananda
(28,783 posts)But those people are so rabid and brainwashed
that even sick and dead kids don't matter.
CrackityJones75
(2,403 posts)Weve watched kids get blown away at school from gun violence repeatedly and they have refused to do anything about it. Covid and masks aint shit to these people.
Tommymac
(7,263 posts)A coworker and his family had it last month, from what I understand had it very bad he and a child almost died - yet he still refers to it as 'The China Virus' and blames Democrats for the fact he almost died.
He seriously believes Dr. Fauci is a fraud, that there are REALLY microscopic self replicating bio engineered nanotechnology tracking chips in the vaccine, which by the way is only sterile water, and that President Biden himself is coming for his guns. This man is a competent engineer too. Oh - he also believes in space lasers.
He has invited us all to watch TFG's re-inauguration this January with him too. He believes that the SC will overturn the election of 2020 any day now and the US will have a mulligan election in November or December.
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)normally rational and intelligent person can believe the BS. There must be a battle going on in his brain.
lkinwi
(1,477 posts)The very vocal Republican owner tried to be wishy-washy about the schools mask mandate and told the drivers that they werent supposed to tell the students to wear masks. My brother turned in his resignation.
XanaDUer2
(10,327 posts)I hope this left them short-staffed. They just don't get it.
lkinwi
(1,477 posts)My brother was allowed to require masks on his bus.
orleans
(33,987 posts)they are paying parents x amount of money so their kids can take an uber
The Wizard
(12,482 posts)in accordance with the number of students they transport.
mwooldri
(10,291 posts)Guilford County NC - the public school runs most of the school buses. First Student has a contract for some specialist routes. There is a shortage of school bus drivers right now - if money wasn't an object I'd drive the bus but the pay isn't that good.
As for paying school bus companies for how many riders they have - in some places it is done like that, especially in England. School bus routes in England are run by private companies and each bus rider needs a bus pass. If they forget their bus pass the driver is entitled to charge that student a fare because on paper the bus route is just like any other public bus route with an advertised schedule and stops. Only people traveling to and from school will take that bus, as the driver won't stop to let people off on a school bound bus anywhere other than the school (and vice versa, won't pick up other than school when leaving the school).
Diamond_Dog
(31,660 posts)While watching the news and they were showing the rising virus numbers - that they will end up closing the schools again. And it was all so predictable and preventable. Why does it take death to make some people understand ... this virus can kill kids.
gab13by13
(20,864 posts)need to put the Covid numbers back on TV on every screen like they used to. Maybe they don't want to endanger all the super spreader sporting Covid events? How soon before football teams start violating Covid protocalls and let players with positive tests play?
maxsolomon
(32,989 posts)Preaching to the choir.
The war is happening on FB, in Private Groups you need to be invited to, on Nextdoor, in email chains.
Joinfortmill
(14,246 posts)Response to Siwsan (Original post)
Joinfortmill This message was self-deleted by its author.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,260 posts)they read on Facebook or their communities social network sites are creating little timebombs.
BoomaofBandM
(1,765 posts)He was only one of 2 in his class who wore a mask. It took them a week and a lot of sick kids.
I think your brother must be a kind man. Is he the one who has helped you with your kittens? I really done have many school related memories, but I do remember my bus driver, his name was Charlie, and he was also a kind man.
Siwsan
(26,177 posts)Throughout his career at this same school district, my dad was a highly respected and beloved teacher/championship football coach/administrator/counselor/principal. My brother takes that family legacy very seriously. His first thought, in a tough situation, is 'What would Dad do.' That has served him well.
He is helping me with the kittens. In fact he was here, just last night, to bring me some wild caught Icelandic perch, AND check on the kittens. He was surprised at the progress Squeaky has made. (I had to type that because Squeaky is, right now, watching every word I type. I'm surprised he isn't trying to add some of his own.)
eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)Of course, I probably would have been fired for it, but sometimes ...
brewens
(13,397 posts)second ticket and I no longer have to waste my time with some COVIDiots kid.
ProfessorGAC
(64,422 posts)8th grade US history.
Know who really doesn't mind wearing a mask? The kids.
They don't care. Sure, they'd prefer masks weren't a thing, but as long as they are, no complaints.
It's. The.Parents!
catrose
(5,048 posts)if the girl would wear a mask for his sake. There's still hope for her, because she did, unlike the brat in the Georgia university who caused her professor to resign.
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)Siwsan
(26,177 posts)It was late Feb, early March of last year, when they were telling people to stay away from the hospital, if at all possible. He somehow toughed it out. And he had exposed me. This was so early in the pandemic, so much was still unknown. Fortunately, I either didn't get it, or did and was asymptomatic. I went into self isolation. It was well over a month before I was able to safely see him, again, and then masked and at a distance.
When he got the Moderna vaccination he got really sick, again, just not as bad or for nearly as long.
If he needs to share the graphic details of what it's like to have Covid, with these kids and their parents, then I say more power to him. It might just wake a few up.
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)soldierant
(6,648 posts)Let's say just for the sake of argument that it doesn't work. It also doesn't hurt. It makes people around you mor comfortable and it has no side effects. So why not?