This email came from my daughter's middle school principal:
Students in grades 6 through 12 (outside of District 75 schools) will continue to learn remotely until further notice.
They will be closed at least until the start of the new year according to the mayor.
From the Arthur Goldstein Executive Board Minutes, we learn from Michael Mulgrew's Report that the UFT made the schools safe. Mulgrew goes into great detail about what we did to make schools ready to open without spikes in COVID-19 cases but he doesn't seem to think that most parents not choosing in-person schooling made many schools empty. We are talking about fewer than 20% of the NYC students who will be eligible to return to in-person schooling.
What about the vast majority who will still be remote? Not much of anything from Mulgrew about them in his report.
Mulgrew also stated this on COVID-19 testing in schools:
We asked for testing on weekly basis, Consent form is now required, Of course there may be medical accommodations.
I think there will be lots of exemptions. Here is part of that same email I got today from my daughter's school:
Students and staff who have recently traveled outside of New York to a place on the State’s travel advisory list must quarantine for 14 days or test out of the 14-day quarantine based on the State’s guidance, which can be found here. Staff and students should continue to complete the health questionnaire daily.
Mandatory Weekly Testing: To ensure schools remain a safe and health place to learn, all schools will have 20% of students and staff tested on a weekly basis. Scheduling and logistics for testing will be shared with you prior to your test administration day each week student-covid-19-testing-consent-form.pdf
Student Consent: All students are required to provide consent for testing by December 7 or by their first scheduled in-person learning day. If a student arrives on their first day of in-person without a consent form in hand or submitted online, you must call their parent or guardian that day to collect consent immediately. Guidance to enter consent in ATS will be provided in Tuesday’s Principals Digest.
Families can submit consent using NYCSA or this updated consent form (also attached to this email). Please note that even if parents previously provided consent, we are asking them to submit again to ensure they have the updated consent form for their child that reflects the requirement for weekly testing in your school. Note that the consent form was updated on Wednesday, October 14 to reflect this change.
Students who need a medical exemption (available for all students) or disability-based exemption (available for students with IEPs) will be able to submit separate forms for approval. Principals will receive more information this week for distribution to families by Monday.
Students without consent and who do not have medical exemption or disability-based exemption will be moved to fully remote instruction.
18 comments:
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-schools-close-state-red-zone-orange-zone-20201130-cg2egqkhpnfttbl4fdddrk6b6y-story.html
The above was in daily news tonight
Mulgrew NEVER asked teachers what they want. He is pandering to the parents who are complaining about school lockdowns. I am being forced to go back in on Monday as I am an elementary teacher. I have to commute. I know for a fact that the majority of the teachers at my school are not happy nor feel safe about Mulgrew agreeing to opening up school buildings while Covid numbers are on the rise. I don't know how he sleeps at night knowing that he is basically using us as dues payers and nothing more.
7:45, In this age of instant and mass communication there’s no reason to take anything laying down - contact the other teachers and don’t go in. Mulgrew really doesn’t care one way or the other and he’ll still get his dues. Realize what you’re dealing with - no union.
Hi Anno 7:45. You are actually suggesting teachers "don't go in". You are aware that without a valid excuse, the DOE can and will crucify any teacher who does not report to work. The DOE has investigators up the yazoo who will stop at nothing to bust teachers playing hooky. As for me, I have a few years left till I retire and I am sure as hell not going to risk losing my pension to make a political statement by not going to work.
10:03, We are in the middle of a pandemic. Your health and the health of your family come first. Don't worry about the big, bad DOE. The most you can lose is CAR days. It isn't a political statement if you believe your safety is at risk and you don't go into a building.
1003, when your life is on the line, it is worth the risk. If they try anything, you sue them for unsafe working conditions.
You dont lose your pension. You must be very misguided and have a lack of knowledge.
Great job everybody, keeping risking your health for the worst union in the country and probably the biggest joke of a job in the country.
James, you say, "Don't worry about the Big, bad, DOE". Well, I do fear them and so do many teachers. The fact is that the "Big bad, DOE" will fire your ass in a heartbeat given the chance. I myself have been investigated 3 times in my career as an NYC teacher. I do not underestimate what the DOE is capable of doing to get rid of a teacher. Staying home without a valid excuse is just a dumb idea and is a sure way to get you in trouble. Feel free to call me a coward. I'd rather be a coward looking forward to collecting my pension than a fired teacher who tried to make a statement about the Covid virus.
Anno 10:03 . Let’s see how safe and comfortable it would be for any DOE Investigator to enter a school building to do a proper investigation— of any school personnel that has the fear of entering an unsafe environment during a resurgence of the pandemic. Can you imagine the DOE investigator—simply doing all his investigation work remotely,— perhaps from their home —by just calling or Zooming with the principal or the accused teacher. No politics involved here—unless you’re a politician. Just plain common sense for safety—if there is a reasonable risk.
Investigations done remotely would be a piece of cake. No need to travel. The DOE is a sneaky bastard and will mess with teachers any chances it gets.
The poster above is not worried about loosing his/her pension. He/she stated that they want to retire in a few years and wants to max it out and does not want to risk maxing it out if they get terminated by staying home.
So, when we return after Christmas (this is HS), the DR told our CL we MUST "consent" (is it really consent if done under duress?) to testing or we have to take an unpaid leave! Meanwhile the people who have been at home sitting on their asses doing nothing since March (including so many at 52 B'way) get full pay! On top of that, our UNION demanded this weekly testing nonsense, not our employer! What's next, Mulgrew telling me to bend over so he can jab me in the ass with a vaccine? This is a new low. At least Randi would whine that Bloomberg and Klein were tough negotiators and we did our best. Mulgrew isn't even trying.
I wish us middle school teachers were going in. It’s really not fair that we are home.
Get over it Teach NY. There are a lot of elementary school teachers who would switch places with you.
fuck milldew, the doe and our dumbass mayor. If I have to go in it will be on my terms. These kids will stay on their seats all fucking day. Their will be no outside playtime. I will sit behind a shield the whole time. And to all the parents out their who think its safe for these kids and we should have them all day. Whats not safe is some of you parents going out in public to partys and resturants or being in social gatherings with more then ten people. Your the reason why we will get sick. I cant wait for the vaccine because it might be the only thing that saves us.
As an ATR, I’m ready to go back into the buildings.
I do zero work at home and am bored out of my mind.
Most real teachers I speak with also aren’t doing much work either and are completely bored.
Yes. This job sucks, but it sucks less with the socialization. Being home and not being able to play golf with the cold and daylight savings in place makes remote learning pointless. At least in may and June I was at the beach working on my tan and golf game.
What’s the point of all this at home learning? I did my part for the day and checked my email and no emails were sent to me. Not a shocker.
I’m back in next week. There’s no traffic next week, so I’ll download movies and books to read at ‘work’ lol
I’m hearing middle schools will open mid-January. Anyone else hear this? Kind of a long time for the kids to be home.
Heard middle schools are going to be closed forever. Go cry.
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