One million children are closed off from Maryland’s public schools because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Administrators must not exploit this crisis to give themselves a taxpayer-funded vacation.
State Superintendent Karen Salmon directed administrators, teachers, and staff “to immediately prepare for and to put into place measures for the continuity of educational services during a prolonged period of school closure.”
It’s the 21st century. Schools can keep teaching thanks to the internet, even when facilities are shuttered. At a minimum, teachers should continue their lesson plans by uploading daily lectures to YouTube and emailing homework.
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20 comments:
And what if these children do not have internet or computers? We are providing many of them with lunch how can we expect them to have computers and internet?
Not going to happen. This would mean that parents would need to become involved in their children’s daily school activities. Monitoring the kids school work, answering questions and providing some level of instruction themselves to their kids. Nope, won’t happen. What will happen is every school age Maryland child will have to repeat the current grade for the 2020/2021 school year. High school seniors who are already committed to go to college will be permitted to graduate but all kids grade K to 11 will, next year, be required to repeat the current full school year.
Say what you want but, I live just outside of Hebron. I am middle class. I make a decent salary and live comfortably. However, we do not have high speed internet. Comcast does not reach us, Verizon DSL does not reach us, satellite internet is crappy and there are no other options. Our family uses a Verizon Wireless hotspot. It works “ok” but, even with the “unlimited plan”, our speed is throttled quickly as it is our only means of internet. This makes streaming video, YouTube and downloads unbearable. So, it is NOT due to lack of wealth or laziness. It is because the infrastructure has not been built to support those of us in the rural communities. Everyone worries about those people who live in the towns and cities. However, those of us that live just outside of town limits are left to fend for ourselves. We pay taxes and contribute to society just as much as everyone else. Athol Road, Cherrywalk Road, Hurley’s Neck Road and many others are a stones throw from Hebron and RT 50 but have no access to high speed internet. Comcast could easily expand coverage but they deem it “not worth the expense” because they wouldn’t pick up enough subscribers to make it worthwhile for their bottom line.
@10:15 am. Who doesn't have internet in 2020?
What's your source 10:37?
Many locations off the beaten path. Hebron, on your way to Sharptown, outside of the town limits of Pittsville and Willards. Almost anywhere there isn't 50 or more homes to service Comcast or the local cable provider hasn't dropped a line. Verizon DSL is not acceptable internet.
Schools are not important right now. Close them!
1119. Snowflake
We are like sheep just doing and going where the government tells us
This is no different than any other flu . They come and go . We just never test for them. It is a political ploy to interfere with daily life for political gain. The media falls right in line as usual. We lose in the US 20+ thousand folks a year to flu viruses. They have induced panic for no reason.
I don’t think it’s a matter of having the internet available, so much as it’s the availability of having available internet speeds that support Live streaming video/audio. A lot of rural delmarva don’t have that capability.
11:19 AM - According to 2018 census data:
Homes with a computer, percent, 2014-2018 88.4% 81.3% 87.1%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2014-2018 77.3% 68.3% 79.6%
So, two years ago, 13% didn't have a computer, while 21% didn't have broadband service.
It's only a guess that those households without a computer are primarily populated by the elderly, the disinterested and those who cannot afford one. How many children this affects is unknown, but the entire population is probably within the last group. It could be dozens or a hundred or more. Whatever the number, accommodations have to, by law, be made to provide their federally mandated educations.
Oh, I forgot to include those in rural settings where broadband isn't available.
There is still antenna TV - public access
Most people (even the poor) have a TV
I couldn't afford cable so that is what we watch at my home.
The antenna / receiver was cheap and you only pay one time.
just saying...
would it be hard to broadcast different grades at different times, staggering the classes with time slots for each grade?
Could they use a signal to reach people in each school district on a short-wave (local access) channel ?
Each school district could get involved for their area and the teachers could be videoing the lesson plan. They could still get paid also
I'm just throwing it out there, but really I don't know how it works (sorry)
maybe someone who does know could offer some insight and reply?
You'll be providing free internet and computers to them before long while teachers sit at home drinking wine and smoking dope while "teaching" online classes
Probably a lot of people. I couldn't live without it and I am 73. However rural areas do not have access. That is a problem.
Stand corrected - that doesn't solve the problem.
Why does everyone put elderly in a bad category. I don't know about the Eastern Shore but in Florida every elderly person I know or see in public has a cell phone. My friends all communicate by text, Facebook etc. Most of our shopping is done on-line. It all depends on your environment 😉 need I say more - snowflake😂
11:19
You would be surprised how many people don't. I have friends in Montgomery County Maryland that do not have the option for DSL OR Cable. Even their cell phones don't get great reception in their area. This is just one example in one of the most populated county in the state. It happens in this area all over the place. Many can't get cable or DSL and their only option is cell phones that don't get reception in certain places.
Same here on the east side. Sucks!
I would simply like to know if Wicomico County is going to give all of our residents a real estate tax hiliday and thus waive our 2020 real estate taxes because of the Wuhan virus. If the schools are all closed we should get a significant tax reduction.
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