Wicomico County Board of Education was directed to submit three possible plans to the State of Maryland’s Department of Education, and according to Dr. Donna Hanlin’s statements they are leaning toward the “yellow” option. This is a hybrid option where students go to school either week on, week off, or they go two days a week and do distance learning the other days. The third option was for parents to have their children do school entirely online from home if they weren’t comfortable returning to school. Parents were sent a survey asking which choice their children would follow, but there was no space available to indicate that none of the 3 choices would work for a family.
Wicomico County had just over 103,600 citizens in 2019, with a continuous growth rate. The number of people that have died in Wicomico County from Covid19-related deaths according to the Wicomico County Health department is 41. That equates to 0.04% of the population. How many of these deaths were school aged citizens? Zero. In fact, the number of citizens in the entire state of Maryland to die under the age of 19? One. In a state of over 6 million citizens, with more than 1.32 million citizens under 18.
What I would like to hear from Dr. Donna Hanlin and Dr. Rick Briggs is what they plan to do to provide students an opportunity to learn on the days or weeks that they are not receiving direct instruction in a classroom. What are working parents supposed to do? Leave our children home alone? Drop our children off at random friend and family members’ houses? Doesn’t that create MORE exposure than simply allowing students to return to school? Or, are working parents expected to pay for daycare- provided we can find it- despite the fact that we are paying taxes for our children to be provided a FREE and APPROPRIATE education? Our students need interaction. They need school. They need to move, and play, and learn. They do NOT need another extended period of time of distance learning…when the elephant in the room is that ‘distance learning’ is an oxymoron for young children in particular. Why can students who need or want to return full time not do so with safety measures from the green plan in place?
I would sincerely appreciate actual responses to these questions, because thousands of us are being forced to choose between our careers and the education of our children. Not all of us have the luxury of being able to work from home or having a spouse or family member available to be a quasi-teacher.
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83 comments:
Amen to that. When I heard schools were going to continue the shutdown in spite of the numbers which absolutely do not justify these lockdowns I wondered when the Moms would start speaking up. Democrats are using this as a political tool and it is hurting the children.
To all liberals out there I have a message. QUIT using the kids as pawns.
Get them back in school. Most parents are not inclined or equipped to home school. If the government cannot or won't do this then WE THE PEOPLE should demand our taxes back.
I am so fed up with these lockdowns. Foolish political endeavor.
Why can’t we as tax payers demand that they open? Who do they think pays their salaries? Biden?
Get up at 5 am, go to work, get home around 4:30 pm, then teach kids, then do dinner, housework and any other chores needing done.
Tell me how many hours in the day a person can do this?
Consider the kids also, the best time to learn is in the morning and early day when they are fresh and awake.
Take tired parents, tired kids and then see how much primary learning can be taught/learned after 5 pm, its crazy!!
Don't forget those people who are working in construction - outside all day physically exhausted, and the nurses or others who are pulling shifts!
Its not that we don't want to teach our kids, I would love to have the choice to stay home, but its not in the budget. We do NOT live above our means, its just survival, roof, food, utilities. There are a lot of people in the same boat, too!
Perfect letter. My thoughts exactly. The BOE forgets that schools are for the children, not the teachers.
Last semester's distance learning was a joke. We are sacrificing our children's education, their socialization, their future, all for this COVID crap.
Aw, parents actually have to take care of their kids how devastating
I suggest you tighten up your boostraps buckoo.
Send letters, emails and call your congressman, senators and representatives continously. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Look man, you're preaching to the choir. Do the best you can like everyone else. America is a fend for yourself country, unless you're rich, so fend for yourself. Or send your kids into a school where they could get COVID and become sick or worse.
Vouchers for private schools! Does the state mandate distance learning for them? Upside would be getting the kids away from the liberal bias pervasive in the public schools.
When will there be tax breaks for families that don't have children in public school either through home schooling or private school? Retirees have to support public education through taxes too. The system is unfair. The Board and teachers need to realize where their money comes from. They make it all about them all the time.
on the other side of this, Teachers should realize that their jobs are in serious danger. lets put it into perspective. if all students are learning from home on a tablet or cpu, one teacher could plan a curriculum for all students in one grade through out the county, multiple choice answers for the questions, a cpu program that is already in place to grade the work. why would the state continue to pay hundreds of teachers when if done on cpu could be implemented by a handful of teachers. not to mention the $$$ part that is in short supply because of our incompetent leaders. you hear and see on the news how alot of teachers are scared to go back to work, teachers better wake up and realize where they stand.
You cannot divide the number of deaths by the total population, not everyone has been infected and is susceptible to death from SARS-COV2. As of today, 42 people have died and 1,195 people have confirmed cases in Wicomico County, that’s a 3.5% death rate of those infected. Children might not be dying from this virus, but what about their teachers, elderly grandparents, immune compromised older siblings, pregnant mothers, sisters, wives, daughters. How about your neighbor who is undergoing cancer treatments, or the child that just received a transplant; do you have no empathy for any of these people?
I suggest you make your voices heard to the board. Likely they will be voting on whether or not we return to school or not during their Tuesday board meeting. I would email all of them as much as you can.
Don Fitzgerald dfitzger@wcboe.org
Eugene Malone Jr. gmalone@wcboe.org
Allen Brown Sr. abrown@wcboe.org
John Palmer jpalmer@wcboe.org
Tonya Lewis ltweis@wcboe.org
Michael G. Murray mmurray@wcboe.org
Ann Suthowski asuthowsk@wcboe.org
https://www.wcboe.org/Page/210
This Covid crap is very quickly turning in to another Man Made Global Warming hoax!
The communist pigs will use anything to gain control over people. Wake Up!
The distance learning was a joke last year and my children got nothing out of it except a fight from me trying to make sure they get it done in the midst of me and my husband working, cooking, cleaning, and what ever life throws at us in a course of a day. our kids do not wnat to do school at 8pm once i have cooked, fed everyone and got it cleaned up, nor do i want to play school to both kids who by the way have 2 different on line learning programs and ways of doing it due to Delmar elementary in Maryland and Delmar high in Delaware. if they do it during the day who will be there to make sure its done. i had to do packets with my son because being on the internet while i was not there to monitor him was not working out at least on paper i could see what he did and make sure it was turned in. not to mention in my area our internet is spotty so we are not always able to go on internet when it is needed . also we have one lap top for both kids to share and i for one do not want ot be responsible for a loaner from the county especially if my kids will be on it unsupervised, they are good kids but i know how things happen
Why are you all up in arms?? Half of these teacher's don't even send their kids to these schools. WHY WOULD YOU???
I’ve read all three plans. I did not pick one of them as none would suit me. Frankly, I work two jobs and either my kids are home or they are in school. I can’t do both, and I’m not the only parent in this predicament. What bozo thought it a good idea to do a hybrid plan? I mean, unless you don’t work, you are stuck. I printed a copy of the choices and wrote my frustrations and mailed it to Dr. Ding Dong. I’m sure she will jump right on a response.
Don't forget about those kids who have terrible parents.
The only bit of normal in their life is school.
My mother wasn't a bad parent, but she had learning disabilities.
There is NO WAY she could have taught me even if she tried.
Not everyone is dealt the same hand in life and these kids will suffer.
Don't forget about parents with multiple children as well.
How will they be able to fit teaching time in for every kid?
I disagree completely. What is more important- reopening or getting the virus? Totally not worth the risk. I seriously doubt that tracing will notify people exposed very well. Think about the amount of people exposed from a single person in the school that becomes diagnosed with Covid. Totally not worth it.
Agree the spring was not worthwhile for anyone. We need more details from the WCPS. No info has been provided about the online option. Yes having the kids at home is tough while working. However it is also a blessing.
Many other counties are only going online. Many Wico Co teachers would Excel at this. However, standardized content for an entire grade across the county does not work. It is too hard for some, too easy for others.
The Board needs to give parents more info on how the hybrid will work and also more info on the online option. Be transparent.
What is the real end game here? After having children in the public school system for the last nineteen years, with one still attending, it has become abundantly clear that the administrators and the majority of teachers do not believe we the parents are capable of educating our children without them. Over the last couple of years this has been extended to kids in our school system having weekly morality lessons on things such as why bullying and stealing are wrong; because of course we can't be trusted to instill these values. So- since they have so little faith is us, why are they so eager to throw away the control they have toiled so long to obtain? And risk public outcry to defund the education system if we have to homeschool? I do not believe it is because they genuinely fear COVID; at least not at the top levels. I have a gut feeling we are being played but can't figure out where this is going....
There is simply no right answer in this situation. Hate to be in their shoes making this decision.
Oh and private schools, well, they claim they are going back full throttle so send in that tuition.
first off let me say I am glad my kids are out of these county schools. they are a joke. Been to to many boe meetings where only a couple of concerned parents showed up on occasion over the bs that goes on in some of these schools. They dont care about the kids, although thats who they are claiming to be protecting. We see how well they protect our kids when it comes to staff having affairs with students! Or other students who assault admin and other kids. All that said. Then i would be expecting some of my taxes to be cut since boe is only going to work part time!
Hanlan and her protege briggs are in way over their heads. They just want to ride the system and milk it for all it's worth.
I have smart kids who learn. Keep them dum ones home not learning. Then mine will have more opportunities.
teachers need to wake up and realize they wont be needed if kids continue more stay at home. they need to push going back not only for whats best for kids but also for job security
1:37 - the numbers do not justify your "totally not worth it" statement. Further, if you actually look at the numbers you will note that most people who even get this virus do not have any symptoms or mild symptoms at best. It is NOT a killer by any means.
Keeping kids out of school however is a really bad idea on alot of fronts. Children need structure as well as being around their peers.
I imagine no in person instruction will take place in September. Maybe the yellow option will start in October. The green option, everybody in school every day, is not really an option.
Disband public education. Save a ton. Parents might actually be able to afford to live on one income and spend time educating their kids.
We need to lock down fully for 3-4 weeks with no one going anywhere so our kids can go to school in the fall and this nightmare will be over. Just like they did in New Zealand. Hanging home for 3-4 weeks in the summer is a vacation and enjoyable even if you are isolated.
School was a terminal bore. I could read and write when I got there and was a voracious reader often finding the text books really dumbed down and teachers even dumber . I dropped out and went to community college long enough to get into college and then on to masters degree that served me well in the early IT industry and invested in what I saw to be a growing field. Sometimes like is smarts,curiosity and just sheer luck. I had peers that did better and many far worse but that's life.
12:16 and you are just letting it happen so STFU
A person can have empathy while still choosing to do the greater good by moving forward. While people dying is tragically sad, if everyone will eventually be infected anyway then why keep schools and work shut down to destroy education and the economy?
You're going to get the virus eventually regardless. Stop being so selfish and let the greater good prevail.
Why isn't green an option? Why shouldn't the people who want to go back get to go back? There will be enough scared parents keeping their kids home and enough scared teachers to stay home and teach those kids virtually. This is ridiculous.
So, do masks not work in schools or...?
Just imagine how it's going to affect those inner city kids who had uninvolved parents to begin with. I'm pretty sure that distance learning is the epitome of racism.
🎻 🎻 🎻 🎶 🎶 🎶 😭 😭 😭
🎻 🎻 🎻 🎶 🎶 🎶 😭 😭 😭
Elected officials how represent us.
Now that's funny!
Hahahaha private schools. Hahahahaha
Working IS taking care of our kids. Just like them going to school IS them getting an education. Unless you want more of us sitting home on welfare?🤔
I recently rode by Bennett Middle and noticed the landscaping looking overgrown and lack of care. So my taxes have paid for this school along with all the other schools in Wicomico County. I would think the county residents who are being taxed should be due some sort of refund now that the schools are not being used.
Hey math genius, you do realize that the number of confirmed cases is estimated to be only 10% of actual positive infections due to so many people having zero symptoms. That is a low estimate from the LIBERALS. Stop making excuses to stay home.
Aw. BOE employees will have to go to work.
Keep this up, and your job will be cut.
Large numbers of middle and high school students refuse to obey rules. Some even roam the hallways, refusing to attend classes. They do exactly as they please. Anyone who thinks the school system can make them wear masks is delusional. No mask, no attending school will have to be the rule. Hope it gets enforced.
1:39 Sound like a good parent with smart kids able to benefit from your guidance.
Compliments!
Not all kids are so fortunate. Natural abilities of kids vary widely, as do the skills of their parents/guardians/fosters. And that is before motivation and persistence are evaluated. A lot of the family situations kids are in do not teach morality of any sort, or anti-bullying, honesty, etc. The schools spend time on these topics to help run the schools and hopefully to graduate students who avoid bad practices and follow good ones. We used to have a broad consensus on these behaviors; today not as much.
There is no magic formula. We need to work together for our kids (personal family) and all kids. We are dealing with novel and unique circumstances.
All great comments BOTTOM LINE...reduce taxes give refunds or send them back to school .thats the 3 options. #1 PRIORITY DEFUND THE BOE!!
Look - The school teachers and their administration should either put-up or shut-up. Our society needs to resume the schooling or simply shut the hell down - and turn over their budget monies to the taxpayers. It's as simple as that.
I see no proposal from the Education System about having schools to recalibrate their heating / A/c units to negative air flow.
This process worked when there was a TB outbreak. Filters have to be changed in a shorter period of time. This exchanges inside air with outside air instead of recirculating inside air that contains the virus.
BOE probably does not do preventive maintenance so their maintenance personnel would have to work instead of just ride around and cut grass.
By these college educated leaders not recommending this process tells you a lot about their knowledge and leadership.
What color are they?? Case solved.
I'm a teacher and I desperately want to go back and teach. All the lazy/scared people who want to get paid to sit at home can lose their jobs, fine by me! Don't punish those of us who want to do the right thing and TEACH!
Not even joking, could you PLEASE email someone at the BOE about that? They might actually listen to someone who knows what they're talking about. It's worth a shot anyway.
So if only a small percentage of children die it is ok? You are willing to sacrifice yours then? And of course many survive but will have on going health problems for who knows how long- but that is ok with you too apparently. And you're ok if one of your coworkers coughs on you or spits at you or cusses you out when asked to wear a mask while you're putting your health and your family's health at risk, because your asking teachers to do that freely so you can get your free daycare that you think school is there to provide. Since so many of you think teachers have it so easy you should absolutely sign up to substitute - because Lord knows we won't have enough of them to cover all the absences when teachers start testing positive.
Why should they get a break? They chose to spend the money for private schools when public school is free? Parents who have children in public schools don’t get a tax break for it?
Actually it is all races. I work in one of the school and see it everyday.
Wicomico County Schools are the worst performing schools in the state. Kids should stay home anyways.
Seaside Christian Academy will open in the fall - they put out a message last week.
Children die every year from the flu- hundreds on a regular year and thousands on a high year. Of course it isn't okay, but we don't stop the world from turning. The world needs to function, and if teachers don't want to work they can either find a new job or stay home and virtually teach the kids who have the luxury of a stay-at-home parent. Finally, if you really want to talk about kids with ongoing health problems...take a look at their diet. Lollipops, Gatorade, and Takis aren't exactly setting them up to have a healthy adulthood. Diabetes is an epidemic too.
Everyone who keeps bringing up teachers, admin, parents, grandparents, etc as collateral damage...what about the essential workers who have been out in the grocery stores, convenience stores, hardware stores, and dollar stores, for the past 5 months so you all could continue getting the stuff you want and need? I guess the 1st group of people are worth more then the 2nd groups lives...crazy though...who was working and who wasn’t? Who’s more important now? Kids need to go back. If teachers don’t want to go back, they can take leave like everyone else has been doing. Once the approved leave runs out, return or find something else to do. It’s really that simple.
10:43 I'm willing to sacrifice you and yours!
riddle me this. who promised you tomorrow? moron!
Maybe think of it as your kid's life or your job and then it is pretty much a no brainer
Businesses can require masks and deny service to those who won't comply. Hope schools do the same.
No, they are not.
That is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. My kids are going to be fine, just like they have been when they've gotten the flu. More kids die from car accidents, child abuse, hell even suicide. Stop being so stupidly dramatic.
Please understand that these teachers have worked their butts off preparing the packets for the virtual learning and are available to help as needed. BUT FOR GOODNESS SAKES IT IS A PANDEMIC! ONE THAT HAS A DEADLY VIRUS! You have to realize it isn't all about your job or your babysitter ( which is the school for many). Its about spreading the virus to others. I work in a school, and I can tell you these kids will NOT social distance and will NOT keep mask on and if asked to do so or go home then (for alot of parents, they either don't answer their phone, or mailbox is full, or disconnected ) and so what do we do with these students that don't want to follow the rules or students that are sent in sick in the morning and mom doesn't even know because many don't even get out of bed to see their kids off to school or feed them, and we have nowhere to house them. There is alot the administrators have to think about in addition to YOUR job, or whose going to babysit while you work. They are looking out for the health and safety of ALL people involved. These are your children and it is your responsibility to provide care. The administration will do their upmost to provide the educational material as well as they can during a pandemic. PLEASE understand that the teachers and staff want to return as much as you want them to but ONLY when it is safe to do so.
Yes they are. Look at the stats. Piss poor teacher's.
i see the teachers on here, blaming and pointing fingers, oh how hard they work...what a bunch of turds. how many days does a teacher really work...take out federal and state holidays, christmas and spring breaks...this is the best one.."professional days" , snow days...and then a nice summer break..man that is just the toughest working bunch i know. NOT then when a student doesnt perform well or is out of line they so easily blame everybody else. what does this tell you about these overpaid crybabies...we all know and have known for ever that schools are breeding grounds for every flu virus or whatever, they have been and will always continue to be, so why do these so called teachers feel they dont have to work...like other post suggest this flu is no worst than other we all have had. and one post from a teacher ask why should teachers do it freely. it is not freely. you are a over paid public servant. you get paid a full salary for working 5 months a year...get back to work people
6:34
Teacher?
That was a massive run-on sentence
You suck at English
now a teacher is also gonna blame students for not wearing mask and that will somehow endanger the faculty. i dont get it. if the teacher wears his or hers mask. how are they gonna catch the covid. cdc says that mask will help protect you. unions always want to twist data for their own good. so the way i see it,if the faculty wears mask and takes precautions according to cdc there should be no danger to them.
"crickets"
Since the Wicomico County Board of Education closed schools for the Spring 2020 semester they owe the Wicomico County taxpayers approximately $25,000,000. No one can deny that a rebate is owed to the taxpayers and we want it now. That half-assed online program they threw together was a farce and our children got absolutely nothing from it. Since they are dabbling in the idea of closing for the Fall Semester they need to lay off all of the educators, administrators and other staff and give back an additional $25,000,000 to the Wicomico County taxpayers. Those lazy ass teachers and administrators liked "working from home" and they are going to attempt to do it again. We the taxpayer need to step up to the plate and demand they lay the teachers and other staff off and give the taxpayers our rebate!!
They really don’t need seniors to attend they can distance learn freeing up space.. this really highlights the fact we can’t rely on the public school system... maybe go completely online or back to neighborhood school houses
Yhe BOE takes over HALF of what you pay in taxes. Public school is NOT free, everyone pays even those whose kids have graduated! There are only two choices here. Either keep our tax money and open full swing, or refund all our money and open the doors of OUR public schools so we Citizens can collectively pay our own hired teachers to serve our kids!
Ignorance is a pandemic too. So is diabetes. The world keeps turning 'round. You think you're so special you should get to stay home? I bet you go to Walmart and out to eat. Are those workers not as important as you? Can you say hypocrite?
Boom. Problem solved.
Do you think teachers are making this decision?
Daycare centers are maxed out,and those that are actually schools don't really advertise it."Learning Centers" help children with their homework but are not actual schools that replace the elementary schools.
Facts. There has been no cases of death amongst school aged children. This is reported by the CDC. They can carry it but not die from it — as miraculous as that sounds. Only people in the vulnerable age range have serious issues if we are to believe the stats which are now being debunked.
This is just an excuse and if you’re smart parents then you will embrace their lack of willingness to teach and start putting together homeschooling collectives instead of continuing to subject the criminal behavior of teachers and administrators in Wicomico. Honestly, if you’re going to defund the police, you should defund the WBOE because they’re more criminal than the police.
Looks as though you’ve been doing your homework. Most taxpayers have no clue where their tax money goes. Fact is Wicomico county has the highest taxes on the Eastern Shore yet the kids still remain ignorant of life lessons and the ability to synthesize information properly. They are for the most part more illiterate upon graduation than they were when they began kindergarten. Sad but true fact. The teachers not wanting to return to work could very well be a blessing in disguise. Suggest you people go talk to some of the reasonable college professors and see if there’s a way you can get homeschooling collectives. Your kids would be better off learning history from Dr. Dean Kotlowski at SU than anyone teaching revises history at any of the area high schools.
You are given an opportunity to rise above the prior failure of a school system, perhaps it’s time you seized it and become more resourceful as a community. Just saying.....
To all you teachers whining about going back, you do realize federal funding is tied to this, right? If the idiots that advocate for keeping school closed would understand that federal dollars don’t transfer, they would realize there will be a lot less money to meet payroll.
.....rhut, tho, reorge.....
No teacher should have to die for your child. Teaching is a job, and if that job cannot be done safely teachers have every right to refuse to do it. Want teachers to babysit for you? Make it safe.
And what are they going to do about the thug problem we have in our schools? What are they going to do about that. They are more of a threat than any virus.
You're not going to die drama queen. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and do your job.
Thug problem? But Jakey Day says all is good- you must be mistaken. Those Scandinavians are just really nice kids.
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