(Louisiana) Orleans Public Schools have 'fluid' plan for returning to school

[fleur-de-lisa]

NEW ORLEANS — Leaders within the New Orleans Public Schools are keeping a close eye on the latest coronavirus trends and say they have a fluid plan in place. As of now, schools are set to start in early August, but school leaders say they are ready to pivot at any moment. School officials say when schools reopen will depend on the data and the parents.

Orleans Parish school leaders are asking parents to fill out a survey on its website so they can find out how many kids plan to return to in-person learning or learning virtually. Next week leaders will get together to reassess their plan.

As it stands now, students Pre-K through fourth grade will return full time and those in fifth through eighth grade will get a mix of in-person and distance learning with some grades attending daily based on school capacity.

"I look to the guidance from people like the American Academy of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins CDC, but knowing as a public health professional it's not just the virus but there are significant public health risks to children who are disconnected from the educational system," said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, New Orleans public health director. "I believe that ideally children should be in person, particularly younger children. Three weeks ago I would have said no question, but now we really need to look at the trends over the next few weeks."

It was also announced that the district had secured personal protective equipment for all Orleans Parish public schools.

https://www.wdsu.com/article/orleans-public-schools-have-fluid-plan-for-returning-to-school/33312217

[raging moderate]

1. Right-wing parents will send little cultural warriors to school.

Last edited Wed Jul 15, 2020, 03:07 PM - Edit history (1)

One problem i have not heard addressed is the probability that children of Trump cultists will come to school believing themselves to be obligated to spread their family's "truth." Some of these children will act out in unfortunate ways. They may deliberately touch or breathe or cough on other children or on adults around them. They will repeat the propaganda they have heard at home, with the anger and derision they have absorbed.

When I was working as an itinerant public school speech pathologist, I encountered several situations in which little right-wing children spouted the propaganda they were hearing at home. On one occasion, a boy came into the session trying to persuade us all that Democrats don't care if everybody loses jobs and goes hungry, because they had all just voted against some plan proposed by Republicans. I managed to defuse and deflect by pointing out briefly that the Democrats had only wanted to get their own plan passed. "You see," I said, "all the grownups want to solve this problem. They are just arguing about how to do it. You have to hear all ideas from everybody. The smart grownups will figure out how to compromise, which is the best way to solve problems. So don't worry."

In a side note, I can remember myself at age almost 5. My parents had taught me how to write my name in block letters. When I got to kindergarten, I was shocked and indignant to find that the teacher tried to get me to print my name in mostly lower-case letters. They could have stood me up against a wall and pointed a gun at me, and I would have proudly died for my family's Block Letters. Apparently, the teacher sent a note to my mother. That night, Mommy sat me down and explained that the Block Letters were for beginners, and I would now be learning the official writing system of the academic world.