AISD's (and other districts) Plans for Schools Starting August 18

[Captainant 27625]

23 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

I'm not talking about adults.  There are now multiple papers that cite prelim research on potentially dangerous level of CO2 in small children wearing masks all day.  These papers obviously need to be vetted, but it's not fair to spout out blanket statements that masks are 100% risk free.  

so you're saying.... people are saying?

[atomheartbevo 89625]

21 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

I'm not talking about adults.  There are now multiple papers that cite prelim research on potentially dangerous level of CO2 in small children wearing masks all day.  These papers obviously need to be vetted, but it's not fair to spout out blanket statements that masks are 100% risk free.  

I've been assured that no kid can wear a mask properly, so I don't think it's an issue.

[BabaYaga 15286]

8 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I've been assured that no kid can wear a mask properly, so I don't think it's an issue.

Thereyago...

[Your Mom 4805]

41 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

I'm not talking about adults.  There are now multiple papers that cite prelim research on potentially dangerous level of CO2 in small children wearing masks all day.  These papers obviously need to be vetted, but it's not fair to spout out blanket statements that masks are 100% risk free.  

I could publish a paper today and cite “prelim” research that  2 +2  is “potentially” potato. 
 

[CooterBrown 18002]

Dunno if it’s been posted but here’s AISD’s COVID dashboard.

https://www.austinisd.org/dashboard

[BrickHorn 18216]

6 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Apparently the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics does.  Listen, I'm not anti mask.  We wear when required to.  But let's not pretend that they are risk free either.  

CO2 levels in children

Holy fucking shit. Did you literally cite and link to a seemingly-favorable article without noticing that it had the word “RETRACTED” printed all over it in all caps? 

[Buzzrock 14902]

Why?  They unquestionably make our roads safer.  Remember, the comparison point is "speed limits vs. no speed limits."  Lift all speed limits on our local roads, and you and I know that 1) we'll see more accidents, and 2) they'll be more severe, than if we kept speed limits.

You should research that. It’s not unquestionable.

[Buzzrock 14902]

Yeah.....take 5 minutes to read the comments to that article to spot the umpteen flaws with that "research letter."
And never mind the literal century's worth of data showing people capably conducting BRAIN SURGERY and shit like that while wearing surgical masks.

Never read the comments.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

Brownsville and Edinburg are joining in on the mask mandate.

 

[InkaUtexas 25857]

12 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Brownsville and Edinburg are joining in on the mask mandate.

 

Let Wheels sue them all. 

If you want to have some fun go to Min 35 of this. 

 

[atomheartbevo 89625]

Saw that - San Marcos and Del Valle have joined the chat as well.

[Samson's Wig 3190]

13 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Let Wheels sue them all. 

If you want to have some fun go to Min 35 of this. 

 

It's great that this level headed gentleman is carrying.  An even temper is important when armed.

[faps 806]

3 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

It's great that this level headed gentleman is carrying.  An even temper is important when armed.

Looked like a cell phone holder. Unless he specifically said he was carrying. I couldn't listen to that jackass for more than 20 seconds. 

[Samson's Wig 3190]

Just now, faps said:

Looked like a cell phone holder. Unless he specifically said he was carrying. I couldn't listen to that jackass for more than 20 seconds. 

May have been a cell phone holster.  Although that's worse.

[midtown 3345]

23 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

It's great that this level headed gentleman is carrying.  An even temper is important when armed.

I bet he was an awesome HS football player.  Probably a JV all star

[Guest Lobo]

I'll bet $50 this guy's home address has had a domestic violence call out to it at some point in the last decade.  

I also can tell you with 99% certainty, I can tell you who he voted for in 2020.  

[atomheartbevo 89625]

2 hours ago, Samson's Wig said:

May have been a cell phone holster.  Although that's worse.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

He looks pretty young for being elderly enough to use a cellphone holster.

Kudos to him for still finding batteries for his StarTac.

[Brisketexan 105057]

16 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

You should research that. It’s not unquestionable.

you're correct in part -- it depends on where.  On interstates, the data seems to show that raising the speed limit from 55 to 65 actually may have slightly reduced traffic deaths.  But one of the reasons for that is that more generous speed limits made highways more attractive than surface streets.

And surface streets -- particularly urban and neighborhood streets -- are one of the places where having speed limits has been shown to reduce fatalities/expected fatalities.  Having a 30 mph limit in your hood, where people walk and ride bikes, definitely makes it safer than if there was no speed limit.

I could go with other traffic laws -- like stop signs and traffic signals, if that analogy would make you more comfortable. 

[used2b 249]

As far as I can tell, districts are not prepping for remote learning contingencies because the state isn't funding it.

It is possible this hits/hurts the students and families in the more rural districts the most (fast forwarding to Sept/Oct) because they already have a lack of hospitals, and their counties are more MAGA/maskless.

[Deej 76752]

On 8/12/2021 at 4:45 PM, Your Mom said:

I could publish a paper today and cite “prelim” research that  2 +2  is “potentially” potato. 
 

"It's not?"

 

[Buzzrock 14902]

you're correct in part -- it depends on where.  On interstates, the data seems to show that raising the speed limit from 55 to 65 actually may have slightly reduced traffic deaths.  But one of the reasons for that is that more generous speed limits made highways more attractive than surface streets.
And surface streets -- particularly urban and neighborhood streets -- are one of the places where having speed limits has been shown to reduce fatalities/expected fatalities.  Having a 30 mph limit in your hood, where people walk and ride bikes, definitely makes it safer than if there was no speed limit.
I could go with other traffic laws -- like stop signs and traffic signals, if that analogy would make you more comfortable. 

Whatever, square. Check out Mr “I stop at stop signs!” Why you letting the man keep you down??

[atomheartbevo 89625]

1 hour ago, used2b said:

As far as I can tell, districts are not prepping for remote learning contingencies because the state isn't funding it.

It is possible this hits/hurts the students and families in the more rural districts the most (fast forwarding to Sept/Oct) 

AISD and a few others are using some federal money for virtual.

And the rural districts are more vulnerable - plenty had a helluva time last year with months of preparation, and they are having to pivot at the last moment.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

Manor ISD is masking up. Helped by a ruling against the mask order, with the lawsuit originally filed by parents in Manor, Pflugerville and Eanes ISDs.  Eanes said they want to see the language of the judge's ruling before deciding, but I've heard they plan on doing one next week.

La Joya ISD also officially joined the lawsuit (it was originally just parents acting independently of the ISDs, but I wonder how independent they were if Manor ISD went ahead and declared a mandate).

You may remember La Joya - South Texas school district that takes in a shitload of Robin Hood money and that built a fucking water park.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/travis-county/travis-county-district-judge-blocks-gov-abbotts-order-banning-mask-mandates-in-public-schools/

 

[Deej 76752]

Thankfully all it takes to block Abbott is a few stairs. 

[dcbc 14465]

2 hours ago, used2b said:

As far as I can tell, districts are not prepping for remote learning contingencies because the state isn't funding it.

It is possible this hits/hurts the students and families in the more rural districts the most (fast forwarding to Sept/Oct) because they already have a lack of hospitals, and their counties are more MAGA/maskless.

I think they at least have to prepare a plan for remote learning for student who are quarantined (of course, the TEA guidelines don't seem to require reporting or anything else.  So I guess the plan is to send short symptom kids back into the school system early to infect more.  This should be interesting to say the least.  As a parent, my heart goes out to those of  you with younger kids who can't yet get the shot (hope that changes soon).  I'm worried enough about mine who have had it, given the number of kids their age who are eligible, but who won't get it.

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.  Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffin' glue.

Edited August 14, 2021 by dcbc

[EE2B 1565]

In school three days and we’ve already received notification that a kid in the elementary who was at school the first day tested positive. This morning they got all the elementary kids together in the gym for a “spirit rally”.
Yesterday on the school Facebook page there was a picture of a student who spent time in Children’s hospital this summer with Covid being welcomed back to school by the superintendent. You would think someone who was worried about the kid would put a mask on to be face-to-face with him, but not these mother fuckers. All of the comments were “praise God” or something similar. Not having Facebook is preventing me from telling them they should be praising Children’s Hospital for keeping the boy alive and asking the superintendent why the fuck he doesn’t care enough about him to put a mask on. Holy shit I wish my kids were in school somewhere other than backwoods fucking east Texas. /rant

[Pods 7551]

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/13/us/dallas-county-no-pediatric-icu-beds-left/

 

Dallas County has been out of pediatric beds for more than 24 hours due to staffing shortages and large numbers of sick kids. This is infuriating. Both of those things were foreseeable and preventable. This is the price of stupidity and disinformation. 

 

Quote

(CNN)Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging and in Dallas County, Texas, there are "zero ICU beds left for children," county judge Clay Jenkins said in a news conference Friday morning.

"That means if your child's in a car wreck, if your child has a congenital heart defect or something and needs an ICU bed, or more likely if they have Covid and need an ICU bed, we don't have one. Your child will wait for another child to die," Jenkins said. "Your child will just not get on the ventilator, your child will be CareFlighted to Temple or Oklahoma City or wherever we can find them a bed, but they won't be getting one here unless one clears."

The judge added no ICU beds have been available for children for at least 24 hours. The Texas Department of State Health Services told CNN the shortage of pediatric ICU beds is related to a shortage in medical staff.

 

[Brisketexan 105057]

Whatever, square. Check out Mr “I stop at stop signs!” Why you letting the man keep you down??

In my defense, my wife has been bitching at me a lot lately about my tendency to roll through stop signs. A lot. Because I’m an outlaw. A rebel. A dude.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

43 districts have mask mandates now.

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/list-texas-school-districts-with-mask-mandates-in-place/

 

[Hefeweizen 5310]

On 8/12/2021 at 12:32 PM, BabaYaga said:

That's not really true.  I forget the study (and I'm paraphrasing), but a twice-worn mask, in terms of what it traps to the users face, is worse than no mask at all.  With these kids, reusing the same mask time and time again is almost a given.  We have a box by the front door of new masks, but they don't always take them.  

 

Apparently the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics does.  Listen, I'm not anti mask.  We wear when required to.  But let's not pretend that they are risk free either.  

CO2 levels in children

A retracted study?  Your fucking brain is broken dude.  Masks broke you didn’t they?

[Mole 4330]

It’s fun to talk about high-minded thing like muh freedoms vs. who will think about the children, all the relative risk management issues with kids, or even the nuts and bolts of funding, but there are schools shutting down in my state for a very simple reason. An outbreak among the faculty very quickly over strains the already strained resources of a district. It doesn’t take much for an exposure at a faculty meeting to shut a school down.

You can talk all you want about wanting the best for the kids, but once faculty start having to isolate for two weeks, you lose the ability to have school pretty quickly.

[utee94 15805]

17 minutes ago, Mole said:

It’s fun to talk about high-minded thing like muh freedoms vs. who will think about the children, all the relative risk management issues with kids, or even the nuts and bolts of funding, but there are schools shutting down in my state for a very simple reason. An outbreak among the faculty very quickly over strains the already strained resources of a district. It doesn’t take much for an exposure at a faculty meeting to shut a school down.

You can talk all you want about wanting the best for the kids, but once faculty start having to isolate for two weeks, you lose the ability to have school pretty quickly.

Are the faculty all vaccinated?

If so, then this sounds like a serious number of breakthrough cases.

If not, why not? (I'll go ahead and say there's no legitimate answer to this question)

[Eastwood 4394]

Are the faculty all vaccinated?
If so, then this sounds like a serious number of breakthrough cases.
If not, why not? (I'll go ahead and say there's no legitimate answer to this question)

All it takes is 20% of the faculty gone to create massive problems. 20% of the food staff, 20% of the Admin, and 20% of the bus drivers will shut down a school because they won't be able to provide the necessary services that let the school run.

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

In most of those cases we have backup plans ready to go to keep the place running. People from central office or other schools can shift over. Classes quarantining will be a thing but I don’t think we will see widespread staff issues. In many cases the class will have to quarantine but the teacher won’t, if vaccinated.

[utee94 15805]

21 minutes ago, Eastwood said:

46 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Are the faculty all vaccinated?
If so, then this sounds like a serious number of breakthrough cases.
If not, why not? (I'll go ahead and say there's no legitimate answer to this question)

All it takes is 20% of the faculty gone to create massive problems. 20% of the food staff, 20% of the Admin, and 20% of the bus drivers will shut down a school because they won't be able to provide the necessary services that let the school run.

That's interesting.

Didn't answer my question though. If 20% are out because they're breakthrough cases, that's significant.

If they're not vaccinated, then there's no excuse for it.

 

Edit:  And like Larry said above, I'd expect contingency plans.  We did in-person school for all of last year, and there were times when teachers and staff had exposure, and resources shifted to cover it.  And that was all before vaccinations were available.

Edited August 14, 2021 by utee94

[Mole 4330]

It sure seems like the backup plan in my state is to shut things down for two weeks. I know an administrator who just had to shut things down a few days ago — the whole district. Small districts don’t have a lot of resources.
 

Delta is so much more contagious and teachers probably aren’t getting vaccinated in large enough numbers in rural areas. Of course no one wants to use masks in rural areas. If you refuse to use any of the tools to keep things running, then things might not keep running. Things shut down fast.

Edited August 14, 2021 by Mole

[utee94 15805]

1 hour ago, Mole said:

It sure seems like the backup plan in my state is to shut things down for two weeks. I know an administrator who just had to shut things down a few days ago — the whole district. Small districts don’t have a lot of resources.
 

Delta is so much more contagious and teachers probably aren’t getting vaccinated in large enough numbers in rural areas. Of course no one wants to use masks in rural areas. If you refuse to use any of the tools to keep things running, then things might not keep running. Things shut down fast.

Sorry to hear that. And I do understand how smaller districts can face even more challenges.

Just one more instance where getting the vaccination could help so much, and yet people refuse to do it. It's maddening.

 

 

[Eastwood 4394]

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

That's interesting.

Didn't answer my question though. If 20% are out because they're breakthrough cases, that's significant.

If they're not vaccinated, then there's no excuse for it.

 

Edit:  And like Larry said above, I'd expect contingency plans.  We did in-person school for all of last year, and there were times when teachers and staff had exposure, and resources shifted to cover it.  And that was all before vaccinations were available.

I agree that 20% is a significant breakthrough amount. Not vaccinated, well, we know the realities behind that. However, at least in Bexar County, 81% of 18+ have had at least 1 shot and 78.2% 12+ have had at least one shot. 66.8% fully vaxed 18+ and 63.9% fully vaxxed 12+.

https://covid19.sanantonio.gov/Reports-Statistics/Dashboards-Data/Vaccination-Statistics

If a school is hitting 20% of their staff out, it will be people who aren't fully vaccinated. Bottom line is that if we want schools to stay open, just on the logistics front, we need adults to get vaccinated.

[midtown 3345]

Deleted.  It's going to be a shit show for a few weeks in the schools.  My kids are half vaccinated and not at risk.  They will probably have to wear a mask for a few weeks until the courts rule on the mask mandate.  Fully expect it to be won by abbott.   I will encourage my kids to wear them as they did last year. 

Edited August 14, 2021 by midtown

[atomheartbevo 89625]

15 minutes ago, midtown said:

They will probably have to wear a mask for a few weeks until the courts rule on the mask mandate.  Fully expect it to be won by abbott.   I will encourage my kids to wear them as they did last year. 

If Delta had not happened, the state might win.  But Delta is happening, and we are not anywhere close to kids being vaccinated.

What the State of Texas is relying on for its authority is the Texas Disaster Act.  The state may have the ability to prevent businesses from being closed, since a lot of the TDA is concerned with how things can be opened/closed (think hurricanes/natural disasters/ghost of Santa Anna marching on Austin).

However, the TDA was specifically meant to be proactive in increasing public safety in an emergency, not removing such powers from the counties (masks aren't even mentioned in the TDA), and Delta is definitely an emergency.

Now tie that into the Texas Education Code, which is legally binding for the state, and the TEC requires a safe environment to be provided for all students, and that's not happening when you have unvaccinated kids in the schools, and when pediatric beds in the hospitals are being rationed. 

The TDA: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.418.htm 

The TEC part on health and safety: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/SOTWDocs/ED/htm/ED.38.htm

 

 

 

[CooterBrown 18002]

Heard from a very reliable source that an unvaccinated elementary school teacher tested positive today. This was after all the teachers spent Friday in a classroom to prep for the first day on Tuesday. They were all masked luckily. No word on how many others were unvaccinated. I’m going to guess none or only 1-2 others. As long as the vaccinated don’t show symptoms, they’re not required to quarantine. I wonder if they’ll even show symptoms prior to the first day.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

On 8/13/2021 at 7:07 PM, atomheartbevo said:

Manor ISD is masking up. Helped by a ruling against the mask order, with the lawsuit originally filed by parents in Manor, Pflugerville and Eanes ISDs.  Eanes said they want to see the language of the judge's ruling before deciding, but I've heard they plan on doing one next week.

Eanes has joined the chat:

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/eanes-isd-issues-mask-mandate-after-gov-abbotts-ban-blocked-by-judge/

Hays County judge orders Hays CISD to mask up.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/hays-cisd-goes-against-gov-abbotts-ban-will-require-masks-at-schools/

 

[CooterBrown 18002]

[Guest Lobo]

Well between stupid fucking Texans dooming my children to have to wear masks in school again this year because they couldn't be bothered to get vaxxed and push over 70%, and the fact my daughter needs a bullet-proof backpack because trying to prevent school shootings is a 2A violation.............here we are.  My wife and I watching a virtual church service where we pray that our children aren't taken by covid or bullets because we don't want to affront anyone's freedoms.  Then my wife has to shop for the most comfortably/cute fitting KN95 masks.  And we have to review the active shooting procedure with her as school begins.  So yeah, this is all fucking hilarious.  

Good news is another semester of Covid-19 protocols probably mean fewer school shootings.  But at least I got MUH FREEDOMS!

Every morning, I begin my day with a prayer of thanks to Christ for my children.  And then I see how many more voluntarily-unvaxxed have died from Covid (Delta or Otherwise) nationwide and I cry laughing all the way to the toilet to let out my morning piss.  

Fuck the Doomed.  

[HornOnTheBayou 8905]

Pflugerville ISD just announced they're going to follow the Travis County order and start requiring masks.

[1978horn 892]

Eanes has joined the chat:
https://www.kxan.com/news/education/eanes-isd-issues-mask-mandate-after-gov-abbotts-ban-blocked-by-judge/
Hays County judge orders Hays CISD to mask up.
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/hays-cisd-goes-against-gov-abbotts-ban-will-require-masks-at-schools/
 

Not just hays cisd. Supposed to be all of hays county. Dripping springs is going hard on both sides of the issue. Schools board meeting tomorrow night and it’s not going to be pretty.

[atomheartbevo 89625]

1 hour ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Pflugerville ISD just announced they're going to follow the Travis County order and start requiring masks.

That surprised me.

10 minutes ago, 1978horn said:

Not just hays cisd. Supposed to be all of hays county. Dripping springs is going hard on both sides of the issue. Schools board meeting tomorrow night and it’s not going to be pretty.

We need to have a Surly watch party for the Dripping Springs school board meeting.

Also, keep an ear out for folks reading from the same script - it's been happening.

[Post Oak 20205]

We've decided we're not sending our kids.  They're 5 and starting K.  To say they are disappointed is an understatement.  I'm hoping that in a week everything changes and they offer a virtual option.  

I work from home so I can manage two five-year-olds.  Barely.

Good luck to everyone dealing with this bullshit.  Let's remember this when it's time to vote.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Post Oak

[Abogado Peligroso 89]

19 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Eanes has joined the chat:

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/eanes-isd-issues-mask-mandate-after-gov-abbotts-ban-blocked-by-judge/

Hays County judge orders Hays CISD to mask up.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/hays-cisd-goes-against-gov-abbotts-ban-will-require-masks-at-schools/

 

The Eanes Kids First/anti masker that was routed in last years’ school board election posted this to her Instagram account at 6:57 pm on a Saturday night in response to Eanes’ announcement.  She must have sobered up this morning because it was deleted this morning 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Abogado Peligroso