Second Semester 2020/21 School Year

Look, I’ve got all that stuff and I’ll show it if it actually matters, but honestly, what’s the point when you can barely scrape together ten minutes between mountains of homework? I even bought a few component kits thinking I’d sit down and solder them all together, but man, you need to actually be rested and focused to do that kind of thing.

You learn things, sure, but definitely not in a classroom setting.

The only thing I’ll give them credit for is finally dropping that technical drawing bullshit from the electrical engineering track. That was straight-up hazing, honestly—just a way for some professors to act like total bullies.

We only had TC during freshman year, and we had this really nice professor who kept it mostly theoretical with just a little bit of pencil sketching. Our final project was just a PowerPoint presentation; the actual topic didn't even matter that much, they were just obsessed with making sure everything met their rigid standards and looked neat.

velvetskipper11 said:Students are sitting there alone in their desks—and honestly, being forced to wear masks isn't even the worst part, especially toward the end of the day—but now high schools are getting hit with notices about inspections because they aren't following "safety protocols" strictly enough. For instance, in Charleston, they’re switching back to remote learning, despite the fact that there isn't even a single case of COVID in the schools.
People are reaching a breaking point—both teachers and students alike—because the CDC keeps dropping these mandates without any actual justification. It’s as if they think face-to-face education is completely worthless, making it perfectly acceptable to just run wild and harass kids and the entire school system with these erratic whims. It’s unbelievable.

And they have the nerve to threaten schools with penalties, acting like these institutions are multi-billion dollar corporations—like those big pharma companies they seem to adore. They don't stop to ask how much unpaid time and personal resources people have poured into making this chaotic mess of a system actually work. Instead of making things easier for the kids, they’ve decided to opt for a little bit of terror.

Basically, schools are living under the thumb of a quasi-expert group that cares more about statistics than actual medicine, showing zero concern for human well-being or health. I actually took a moment to Google the official reasoning behind forcing certain groups back to online classes, and here's the quote: "Based on the opinion provided by the CDC, remote learning is considered an acceptable way to maintain education for certain age groups, given that a significant number of students and staff are currently in isolation or self-isolation. By transitioning to 'Model C,' we reduce daily travel via public transit, thereby decreasing overcrowding on buses." So, according to these idiots, forcing vocational students into online learning is a reasonable move? What exactly are they thinking? All to prevent potential crowds on a bus? It's pure incompetence, and these clueless people are destroying an entire generation.

Maybe some epidemiologist reading this can answer one question: Do you realize that not every school is a prep academy? Have you ever even heard of a vocational school? How on earth is online learning "appropriate" for someone training to be a chef or an auto mechanic? Don't you think these kids have suffered enough from your reckless destruction of the economy, and now you're stripping away their actual education too?

It's just a complete devaluation of education. You're disrupting children's stability and routines, harassing parents and teachers, and threatening underfunded schools—the ones barely scraping by—with fines, all just to reduce bus traffic. Is that supposed to be normal? 🤦 They are absolutely insane.

In my specific class right now, four students tested positive and two have already recovered out of 20 total kids, plus me as the teacher. This is in Charleston. The symptoms are just your typical flu stuff. A colleague of mine still hasn't bounced back from his dose, even though his symptoms were mild too.

So, you're talking nonsense.

Three-year programs are still holding up. I don't know the exact details, but they are functioning.

driftingtinker said:So, yeah, this specific school has a reputation for being good, but some things are just impossible to pull off.

Last year in the electrical engineering classes, three years in a row, an entire class failed basic instrument measurement. My wife really tried her best, sketching everything out and all, but you just... you have to see it and touch it, you know? In the end, she "accidentally" finished her exam early, and they barely scraped by with D's. 🙂

They did lab exercises by just staring at the instruments because it was impossible to disinfect them between periods.

Meanwhile, during regular lectures, they're using those exact same tools without any disinfection at all. And that's where the obvious problem starts—they forgot the theory ages ago, they have zero hands-on experience, so every single period someone is either short-circuiting something or setting something on fire. 🙂

So the professors who actually give a damn about the labs just gave up and started handing out grades whenever they felt like it.

Yet, somehow, they take math, physics, or history super seriously.

His friend is doing a three-year trade program, and he spends most of his time on internship at a local shop, regardless of what the curriculum says.

By the time he hits high school, 60-70% of them will be in universities, which is basically their only shot at getting any decent knowledge.

I could swing coming in on the off-shift to knock out a four-hour block every couple of weeks. It would just need to be a mutual agreement, assuming there’s an open lab and I can actually make it in. Once I'm done, I'll clean all the gear so it's ready for the next group.

The whole theory was just that the probes and the gear were too delicate to handle.

They’re so incredibly organized that their workshop sessions have been scheduled in four-hour blocks for years, even though three hours would be way more than enough. I guess that’s why the morning shift doesn't even bother showing up for the first hour, and then the afternoon crew gets sent home an hour or two early.

velvetskipper11 said:AHA, so even with every restaurant and hotel shuttered, chefs and servers are just out there doing hands-on training? No issues with internships over the last year?
San Diego sounds like a miracle land. Honestly, I’m happy for them.

In San Diego, tradespeople don't see a dip in work, no contractors claim they won't take responsibility if someone gets sick, and plumbers just head out to jobsites with their crews like nothing happened?
Great, let's just move all the kids there then.

Are you kidding me?

The hotels aren't closed (and right now, neither are the restaurants or cafes with outdoor seating).
Hair salons, auto shops, nail techs—none of them are closed. The wealthy folks are out there living life like everything is totally normal.
And contractors? They’re out on calls just like always.

Amanda Hughes37 said:Quote:>

Austin Garcia says: That many kids in one classroom without masks—or even close to social distancing? Impossible. Schools are clearly the epicenter here... maybe everyone was just asymptomatic.🤔 😁>

They’ve been "Model B" from day one, but that doesn't change the fact that half the school is basically living in the building... they have 24 students crammed into one room.
I honestly have no clue. All I know is that I am at my absolute breaking point—mentally and financially.

For him, the worst part is celebrating his second birthday in a row without any friends. It’s just wrong—they show up for the party, yet they spend every single day parading through the park or riding bikes together with their significant others.

I wonder if he might consider inviting just a handful of classmates over for a party? Maybe just the kids without any adults around, since they already spend hours together every day, and with this beautiful weather lately, they could even spend the whole time outside...

driftingtinker said:The whole theory was just that the probes and the gear were too delicate to handle.

They’re so incredibly organized that their workshop sessions have been scheduled in four-hour blocks for years, even though three hours would be way more than enough. I guess that’s why the morning shift doesn't even bother showing up for the first hour, and then the afternoon crew gets sent home an hour or two early.

Right. You can't generalize here. The technical schools vary wildly, ranging from places with basically nothing to those that are actually well-equipped.
A colleague recently demonstrated some MIT exercises at a professional conference using an online simulator. She does this because her school doesn't have any physical gear. I remember back in the day—it was a long time ago—we had exactly one oscilloscope at our school. Getting permission just to press a button on it felt like a huge privilege. 😁

stormymarlin12 said:Are you kidding me?

The hotels aren't closed (and right now, neither are the restaurants or cafes with outdoor seating).
Hair salons, auto shops, nail techs—none of them are closed. The wealthy folks are out there living life like everything is totally normal.
And contractors? They’re out on calls just like always.

Give me a break!!!
So you're telling me San Francisco is packed with tourists, everything is running exactly like it did before the pandemic, and medical practices are operating at full capacity just like they were pre-crisis???
Are you saying every newspaper, every news station, and every laid-off worker is just lying through their teeth?
All the statistics, the unemployment spikes—it's all just make-believe?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

Around here, restaurants are basically dead. You can't even sit inside. Our prom dinner was canceled because of this, and now they've opened a few tables outside—they're running at maybe 30% capacity max.
Hotel owners are reporting that they're mostly getting business travelers, and even then, it's usually just one night per person. Occupancy rates are pathetic, and bookings can be canceled at any second. But in your head, everything is "normal." How can things be "normal" given all the restrictions, social distancing, and constant disinfecting? Really?
Medical students at the university in Washington, D.C., were supposed to spend an entire year rotating at the Ridge—they barely got a few hours! — So, everything's "normal," right?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

copperpuma11 said:Right. You can't generalize here. The technical schools vary wildly, ranging from places with basically nothing to those that are actually well-equipped.
A colleague recently demonstrated some MIT exercises at a professional conference using an online simulator. She does this because her school doesn't have any physical gear. I remember back in the day—it was a long time ago—we had exactly one oscilloscope at our school. Getting permission just to press a button on it felt like a huge privilege. 😁

The thing is, you've got two different setups sharing the same lab space here. With one, you're basically told to just stand back and watch from a distance, while with the other, kids are constantly breaking or just straight-up destroying things. 🙂

copperpuma11 said:I could swing coming in on the off-shift to knock out a four-hour block every couple of weeks. It would just need to be a mutual agreement, assuming there’s an open lab and I can actually make it in. Once I'm done, I'll clean all the gear so it's ready for the next group.

Or, honestly, everyone just shows up with their own rubber gloves and the whole thing is solved.

Sent from my JNY-LX1 using Reddit

When it comes to actual hands-on experience, schools aren't just about sitting behind a desk. They run workshops and internships right on campus.
So... 🤷
And from what I keep hearing, those programs are still going strong.
Plus, they do off-site training at local businesses whenever they can pull it off.
Think retail stores, for example.
And stuff like that. 🕺

driftingtinker said:The thing is, you've got two different setups sharing the same lab space here. With one, you're basically told to just stand back and watch from a distance, while with the other, kids are constantly breaking or just straight-up destroying things. 🙂

It works out fine if there are only two people. We spend a lot of time debating why or how something got wrecked or fried, but you have to actually let them handle the equipment, otherwise what's the point?

velvetskipper11 said:Give me a break!!!
So you're telling me San Francisco is packed with tourists, everything is running exactly like it did before the pandemic, and medical practices are operating at full capacity just like they were pre-crisis???
Are you saying every newspaper, every news station, and every laid-off worker is just lying through their teeth?
All the statistics, the unemployment spikes—it's all just make-believe?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

Around here, restaurants are basically dead. You can't even sit inside. Our prom dinner was canceled because of this, and now they've opened a few tables outside—they're running at maybe 30% capacity max.
Hotel owners are reporting that they're mostly getting business travelers, and even then, it's usually just one night per person. Occupancy rates are pathetic, and bookings can be canceled at any second. But in your head, everything is "normal." How can things be "normal" given all the restrictions, social distancing, and constant disinfecting? Really?
Medical students at the university in Washington, D.C., were supposed to spend an entire year rotating at the Ridge—they barely got a few hours! — So, everything's "normal," right?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

And where do *you* live? In Germany?

San Francisco isn't packed with tourists because peak season hasn't even hit yet. It's as empty as usual, during the winter and the off-season chill.
By the way, looking at the numbers, last season's overnight stays were basically identical to the year before, with maybe a tiny bump in domestic travelers.

Sure, people have been laid off, but claiming that absolutely nothing is happening is total nonsense.🤦
My hairdresser is working like normal, my manicurist too.
The plumber came by just the other day to clear a clog, and a contractor showed up to help me with some repairs.
I’ve even been taking my car in for service this week because my inspection is coming up.
Downtown is open, shops are open, pharmacies are open... everything is functioning.

The restaurant right below my place was running at full steam throughout the lockdowns. Why? Because they had delivery! Even if the dining room is empty, someone still has to cook in a place like that.

If we're going to compare ourselves to other countries, we actually handled these shutdowns much better than most.

We’ve been steering clear of taking on any interns lately, mostly because if even one person catches something, the entire shift has to go into quarantine... which is just a nightmare. In my own case, I ended up having to work a totally isolated schedule just to make sure my shifts didn't overlap with anyone else's, and I stopped bringing them in altogether, even though I usually have at least two working alongside me...

velvetskipper11 said:Give me a break!!!
So you're telling me San Francisco is packed with tourists, everything is running exactly like it did before the pandemic, and medical practices are operating at full capacity just like they were pre-crisis???
Are you saying every newspaper, every news station, and every laid-off worker is just lying through their teeth?
All the statistics, the unemployment spikes—it's all just make-believe?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

Around here, restaurants are basically dead. You can't even sit inside. Our prom dinner was canceled because of this, and now they've opened a few tables outside—they're running at maybe 30% capacity max.
Hotel owners are reporting that they're mostly getting business travelers, and even then, it's usually just one night per person. Occupancy rates are pathetic, and bookings can be canceled at any second. But in your head, everything is "normal." How can things be "normal" given all the restrictions, social distancing, and constant disinfecting? Really?
Medical students at the university in Washington, D.C., were supposed to spend an entire year rotating at the Ridge—they barely got a few hours! — So, everything's "normal," right?

Seriously though, what world are you living in?

Look, this is all "in your head," but clearly it's *your* head we're talking about here.
The only real restriction I deal with is having to throw on a mask when I walk into a grocery store. Honestly, half the time I even forget to do that.
I still grab coffee with my friends just like always.
Before the local cafes started struggling, we used to hang out by the beach on some benches and just chill (sure, foot traffic in the shops dropped, but business spiked for those automated kiosks and vending machines).

We play cards at someone's house every single weekend. We go on hiking trips in the mountains,
or head out to a cabin or a rural spot for a backyard BBQ.
If I’m really craving restaurant food, I just order through DoorDash. (Again, restaurants took a hit, but delivery services like DoorDash are absolutely exploding right now).
I can go to the barber or the salon without any issues.
My kids are out living their lives—they hang out, they run around, they play basketball. If anything, they actually have *more* free time for stuff like that now that school is being held online.

So, you’re basically doing the exact opposite of everything the head coach has laid out... Look, I’m not judging your lifestyle choices, really, but the playbook is pretty straightforward: no yellow cards on the weekends and absolutely no messing around with those guys who have such massive egos...

Drew Johnson2 said:So, you’re basically doing the exact opposite of everything the head coach has laid out... Look, I’m not judging your lifestyle choices, really, but the playbook is pretty straightforward: no yellow cards on the weekends and absolutely no messing around with those guys who have such massive egos...

Seriously, what is so wrong with playing cards with three buddies you already hang out with?
Or heading out on a little road trip with five or six close friends?
How on earth is that "violating" the headquarters' recommendations?
We aren't talking about throwing some massive blowout party with fifty people, are we?

It’s not like you’re committing a felony just because you grabbed a coffee with some pals or hung out for a bit!

As far as I am concerned, there isn't much to say... If you ask me what's missing from this whole situation, it would be a much stricter avoidance of private gatherings, particularly those held indoors where things can get out of hand...
I find myself unable to support either that approach or the idea of an online school.

copperpuma11 said:It works out fine if there are only two people. We spend a lot of time debating why or how something got wrecked or fried, but you have to actually let them handle the equipment, otherwise what's the point?

Exactly.

Drew Johnson2 said:So, you’re basically doing the exact opposite of everything the head coach has laid out... Look, I’m not judging your lifestyle choices, really, but the playbook is pretty straightforward: no yellow cards on the weekends and absolutely no messing around with those guys who have such massive egos...

What do you mean "exactly opposite"... I’m following every single guideline provided, and so are the kids. We’ve been playing cards with our godparents—there are four of us from two different households.

Everything is strictly by the book.

Given how she lives her life, you're better off just sticking to the rules if you want to keep your sanity intact...