Second Semester 2020/21 School Year

Back in October of last year, you were all over this forum, posting every single day about how schools were basically a disaster zone, claiming everyone was going to catch something fatal, and insisting we switch to remote learning immediately. You didn't just say it once, either—you hammered it home at least fifty times.

So, don't try to play the victim or backtrack now; the internet has a very long memory.

Besides, this whole topic isn't strictly limited to peer bullying; that’s hardly the only issue on the table. It really is a shame that students don't get more frequent access to the kind of specialized content we provide through our project; they would find their time spent in school significantly more engaging and professionally enriching if they did...

nimbleranger17 said:Back in October of last year, you were all over this forum, posting every single day about how schools were basically a disaster zone, claiming everyone was going to catch something fatal, and insisting we switch to remote learning immediately. You didn't just say it once, either—you hammered it home at least fifty times.

So, don't try to play the victim or backtrack now; the internet has a very long memory.

Besides, this whole topic isn't strictly limited to peer bullying; that’s hardly the only issue on the table. It really is a shame that students don't get more frequent access to the kind of specialized content we provide through our project; they would find their time spent in school significantly more engaging and professionally enriching if they did...

well, yeah, they were.
and honestly, they still are.
i suppose i could write that five hundred more times if the situation doesn't change.
your attempt to dismiss this just because you don't really grasp what's happening in the classrooms doesn't actually change the reality of it.

everyone is going to die anyway

i never actually said that, so i'll just say it in your own style: you're lying.☕

how online classes need to happen immediately.

when things are falling apart—then yes, we need them.
when things aren't falling apart—then maybe not.

and the topic has nothing to do with peer violence; that's not the only thing out there. it's such a shame students don't get more chances to engage with the kind of content we provide through our project; their time in school would be much more interesting and professional...

i mean, what would schools and students even do without "you guys"?🙂

Susan Martin4 said:And you really think parents are just going to sit home isolated with their kids? Please. The kid stays home, while the rest of the family goes out and does what they need to do. Especially if it's an older kid—they just get left in front of the TV or the computer, or maybe they're away on vacation.

I really hope they aren't all that inconsiderate, but hey, you never know; there's always a few of them.
I know quite a few parents who end up staying home more often too once their kid gets sick; since someone has to watch the little ones, they usually have to take a sick day themselves.

If nothing else, they probably won't be inviting the grandparents over for Easter lunch while the kid is stuck in isolation.
And honestly, that’s already a lot to deal with. 🤷

Since kids who are raised Catholic aren't really out spreading things around, and there isn't much of an outbreak among them yet, religious education stays pretty steady 🥳

"First Communion classes at our local Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish take place on Saturdays at 4:00 PM. We hold these sessions on Saturday afternoons because we have students coming from Borovje Elementary School as well as Lovro Matačić Elementary School and several other nearby schools. A typical class lasts 45 minutes, though in the weeks leading up to First Communion, they'll extend to 90 minutes. Classes are held inside the church, where students will need to wear masks to maintain distance. Attending Sunday Mass is also required."

I think I finally get why they're banning sports practices now. If religious education is ramping up and Sunday Mass becomes a mandatory thing again, it’s just too risky for the kids to be out at practice elsewhere. They could easily pick up a virus and bring it right into the classroom or to a crowd of seniors during Mass.
I'm really hoping that with all these increased religious activities, schools might switch to online learning for everyone from 1st through 8th grade after the holidays.

Susan James said:I really hope they aren't all that inconsiderate, but hey, you never know; there's always a few of them.
I know quite a few parents who end up staying home more often too once their kid gets sick; since someone has to watch the little ones, they usually have to take a sick day themselves.

If nothing else, they probably won't be inviting the grandparents over for Easter lunch while the kid is stuck in isolation.
And honestly, that’s already a lot to deal with. 🤷

My daughter was in the infirmary twice before Christmas 2 x—actually, the whole class was. I made sure to officially file for sick leave, even though, realistically, a six-year-old could probably manage on her own—but I wanted to be there with her.

Susan James said:Since kids who are raised Catholic aren't really out spreading things around, and there isn't much of an outbreak among them yet, religious education stays pretty steady 🥳

"First Communion classes at our local Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish take place on Saturdays at 4:00 PM. We hold these sessions on Saturday afternoons because we have students coming from Borovje Elementary School as well as Lovro Matačić Elementary School and several other nearby schools. A typical class lasts 45 minutes, though in the weeks leading up to First Communion, they'll extend to 90 minutes. Classes are held inside the church, where students will need to wear masks to maintain distance. Attending Sunday Mass is also required."

I think I finally get why they're banning sports practices now. If religious education is ramping up and Sunday Mass becomes a mandatory thing again, it’s just too risky for the kids to be out at practice elsewhere. They could easily pick up a virus and bring it right into the classroom or to a crowd of seniors during Mass.
I'm really hoping that with all these increased religious activities, schools might switch to online learning for everyone from 1st through 8th grade after the holidays.

You're being so extra and just trolling with all these takes about COVID, religion, and church services.
Some people are worried about coffee shops, some about malls, some about school, and others about sports—can we please stop obsessing over the same thing constantly?
It’s not like anyone cares what your hopes are, and it's not like we're all going to be forced online just because you want that.🤦

Why is it so hard to grasp that everyone has different priorities, even in a situation like this?
For one parent, it might be an English language school for their kid, for someone else it’s religious ed and Mass, and for another, it's grabbing a latte or hitting a practice.
Just chill out already!!!

This is a total lifesaver. It’s finally giving some breathing room to one of the biggest hotspots out there. 🤮

Because they tightened up the restrictions, the Spring school technical activity for elementary students up at Mount Mosor has been scrapped.

urbantinker8 said:well, yeah, they were.
and honestly, they still are.
i suppose i could write that five hundred more times if the situation doesn't change.
your attempt to dismiss this just because you don't really grasp what's happening in the classrooms doesn't actually change the reality of it.

everyone is going to die anyway

i never actually said that, so i'll just say it in your own style: you're lying.☕

how online classes need to happen immediately.

when things are falling apart—then yes, we need them.
when things aren't falling apart—then maybe not.

and the topic has nothing to do with peer violence; that's not the only thing out there. it's such a shame students don't get more chances to engage with the kind of content we provide through our project; their time in school would be much more interesting and professional...

i mean, what would schools and students even do without "you guys"?🙂

There she goes again. Honestly, I don't recall us ever getting a straight answer, so I'll ask one more time: whose conspiracy was it running from October through December—who specifically was involved in cooking the books—and how did you even find out? Did you happen to eavesdrop on a secret meeting of the dark forces at the school? 😁

If you’re so gifted, why aren't you part of some government task force, since someone capable of telepathically knowing the "true state of affairs" across the country would surely be a massive asset in fighting this pandemic, wouldn't they?

Ronald Chavez2 said:There she goes again. Honestly, I don't recall us ever getting a straight answer, so I'll ask one more time: whose conspiracy was it running from October through December—who specifically was involved in cooking the books—and how did you even find out? Did you happen to eavesdrop on a secret meeting of the dark forces at the school? 😁

If you’re so gifted, why aren't you part of some government task force, since someone capable of telepathically knowing the "true state of affairs" across the country would surely be a massive asset in fighting this pandemic, wouldn't they?

I've already answered all of this a thousand times.
So, either scroll back through the thread or just leave me alone.
thanks.🙂

Kenneth Brown5 said:You're being so extra and just trolling with all these takes about COVID, religion, and church services.
Some people are worried about coffee shops, some about malls, some about school, and others about sports—can we please stop obsessing over the same thing constantly?
It’s not like anyone cares what your hopes are, and it's not like we're all going to be forced online just because you want that.🤦

Why is it so hard to grasp that everyone has different priorities, even in a situation like this?
For one parent, it might be an English language school for their kid, for someone else it’s religious ed and Mass, and for another, it's grabbing a latte or hitting a practice.
Just chill out already!!!

I'm sorry, but what exactly made you so upset?
Is it because I'm calling out the hypocrisy of the local government officials and their mandates—specifically how keeping churches open puts the whole community at risk?
Or is it because I'm pointing out that these measures are discriminatory, and when I share an article proving it, you call it trolling?
Here, I'll link it again:
It's a Prica posted by parents whose children attend religious education classes.
I didn't make this up.
And honestly, the priest hasn't even denied it. If anything, he's confirming everything is accurate and saying he's just waiting on the decision from the higher authorities to ban him, which will probably go their way anyway, so they likely won't ban it.

It bothers me that kids' sports teams and dance studios are being restricted. It bothers me that children are being sent online for English classes, art workshops, and so many other activities—including regular school—except for religious studies. Standard school religious ed isn't enough; after eight years of schooling, they still have to do extra prep before their First Communion or Confirmation, not to mention attending Mass.
Mass is supposed to be limited to 25 people, yet here we are, seeing 41 children publicly invited to attend? Does that not seem strange to you? Are you okay with that?
Am I "trolling" just because I'm questioning this?

Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, and weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events (okay, maybe weddings are debatable).
Do you really think a parent is going to leave their child home on the day of their First Communion?
They won't.
The kid will show up, take a little piece of bread and wine, and then head back to school the next day just like everyone else. Of course, after the service, there's a family lunch in the backyard, at home, or maybe even at a restaurant. They might even invite a small circle of relatives and friends. Because it only happens once.
And maybe someone will show up even if they aren't feeling great, just so nobody gets offended.
Or maybe the godmother for a Confirmation, who was in contact with someone potentially infectious just the other day, will show up anyway because how is she supposed to cancel now? Who would be the backup godmother? How would they even hold the ceremony? If she just wears a mask and stays for a short time in the church, no one will notice. She'll just take it off for the photos and the communion itself. Then she'll stay to celebrate with the family; she wouldn't want to ruin their day... since it's all just some made-up cold anyway, it doesn't matter how many people get sick...

It's the same story with weddings and baptisms...
People show up because it's a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and you can't just cancel.
Who are you going to offend?

And you can keep thinking that I'm just trolling and that this doesn't happen in real life. Of course, these people show up on Monday at school or at work. And then schools become these "hotspots" that need to be shut down.

So, go ahead and keep being angry, but if schools are moving online, it's going to be because of the increased family gatherings during Easter and religious holidays (they're already announcing them, so you can imagine Mass might be held outside the church or online), followed by the season of Confirmations and Communions, which no one is going to miss.

The real issue is ANY kind of gathering—basically any spot where people crowd together and nobody gives a damn about social distancing or wearing masks.
Factories, schools, churches... political rallies, communion, graduations, funerals...

Hasn't it been clear enough after an entire year? 🤔

And before anyone starts coming at me: No, I’m not saying we all need to hide in bunkers, shut down the schools, or lock everything down.
I'm just stating a plain, simple fact.
That's how the virus spreads.

Robert Hernandez11 said:The real issue is ANY kind of gathering—basically any spot where people crowd together and nobody gives a damn about social distancing or wearing masks.
Factories, schools, churches... political rallies, communion, graduations, funerals...

Hasn't it been clear enough after an entire year? 🤔

And before anyone starts coming at me: No, I’m not saying we all need to hide in bunkers, shut down the schools, or lock everything down.
I'm just stating a plain, simple fact.
That's how the virus spreads.

Exactly. The virus spreads. And shutting everything down—in my opinion—isn't the answer because the government sector and retirees are essentially riding on the back of the private sector. (I work in the public sector myself). If they can't earn their keep, we're all going to end up hungry.
High-risk groups need protection and vaccines, but life has to keep moving.

Robert Hernandez11 said:The real issue is ANY kind of gathering—basically any spot where people crowd together and nobody gives a damn about social distancing or wearing masks.
Factories, schools, churches... political rallies, communion, graduations, funerals...

Hasn't it been clear enough after an entire year? 🤔

And before anyone starts coming at me: No, I’m not saying we all need to hide in bunkers, shut down the schools, or lock everything down.
I'm just stating a plain, simple fact.
That's how the virus spreads.

The virus really finds its footing at family get-togethers.
Especially those once-in-a-lifetime events or annual traditions....
So, if someone feels they absolutely must attend a funeral—whether to pay their respects or just to be seen—they’ll show up even if they have a cough.
It’s the exact same thing with weddings.

Sometimes kids actually prefer staying home from school; nowadays, with temperature checks and breathing issues being monitored, some are even finding excuses to skip testing.
Everything is justified under the guise of "protecting the community" and following protocol.
If they want to be truly consistent, they shouldn't go to soccer practice or language classes either. Whether it's COVID or not, who knows?
In my experience, most of them stay home if they show any symptoms at all.
I've stopped putting much stock in the "asymptomatic spread" theory.

I'm not sure how it would play out for high school graduation (since that’s also a once-in-a-lifetime event) or when the semester gets intense and grades need boosting. A kid might feel genuinely sick but take some Advil or Tylenol so they don't run a fever, then sit there with everyone else while hiding a runny nose under a mask.
And honestly, that’s almost fine because people usually have masks and the environment is somewhat controlled.
But family gatherings for those big life milestones—especially at someone's house—are a different story.
There's zero oversight there, and who knows if people are even wearing masks inside someone's home?

Robert Hernandez11 said:The real issue is ANY kind of gathering—basically any spot where people crowd together and nobody gives a damn about social distancing or wearing masks.
Factories, schools, churches... political rallies, communion, graduations, funerals...

Hasn't it been clear enough after an entire year? 🤔

And before anyone starts coming at me: No, I’m not saying we all need to hide in bunkers, shut down the schools, or lock everything down.
I'm just stating a plain, simple fact.
That's how the virus spreads.

signed.

Susan James said:The virus really finds its footing at family get-togethers.
Especially those once-in-a-lifetime events or annual traditions....
So, if someone feels they absolutely must attend a funeral—whether to pay their respects or just to be seen—they’ll show up even if they have a cough.
It’s the exact same thing with weddings.

Sometimes kids actually prefer staying home from school; nowadays, with temperature checks and breathing issues being monitored, some are even finding excuses to skip testing.
Everything is justified under the guise of "protecting the community" and following protocol.
If they want to be truly consistent, they shouldn't go to soccer practice or language classes either. Whether it's COVID or not, who knows?
In my experience, most of them stay home if they show any symptoms at all.
I've stopped putting much stock in the "asymptomatic spread" theory.

I'm not sure how it would play out for high school graduation (since that’s also a once-in-a-lifetime event) or when the semester gets intense and grades need boosting. A kid might feel genuinely sick but take some Advil or Tylenol so they don't run a fever, then sit there with everyone else while hiding a runny nose under a mask.
And honestly, that’s almost fine because people usually have masks and the environment is somewhat controlled.
But family gatherings for those big life milestones—especially at someone's house—are a different story.
There's zero oversight there, and who knows if people are even wearing masks inside someone's home?

🤦🤦
And I suppose we should just completely ignore massive crowds of 500 or even 1,000 people gathering together?

🙂😵

urbantinker8 said:🤦🤦
And I suppose we should just completely ignore massive crowds of 500 or even 1,000 people gathering together?

🙂😵

If they're wearing masks, then usually no.

Susan James said:If they're wearing masks, then usually no.

🤣🤣
well, if you say so, who am I to doubt your expertise, right?😂
i mean, if rhino_king claims the whole issue boils down to just church services and birthday parties, then I guess that must be the absolute truth of the matter.🙂

Susan James said:If they're wearing masks, then usually no.

Regarding high schools—I mean, I'm almost certain they aren't catching anything inside the building itself since everyone is masking up there—but it's more likely happening right outside. I pass by one local high school nearly every day, and honestly, the scene out front is a mess. They just hang out in huge groups without any masks at all, standing way too close to each other... some are even hugging and stuff.

Sent from my old Sony Xperia using Reddit

mellowskipper said:Regarding high schools—I mean, I'm almost certain they aren't catching anything inside the building itself since everyone is masking up there—but it's more likely happening right outside. I pass by one local high school nearly every day, and honestly, the scene out front is a mess. They just hang out in huge groups without any masks at all, standing way too close to each other... some are even hugging and stuff.

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Exactly. If they actually follow the rules once they're inside the school, they barely get infected at all. Just look at hospital staff or people working in nursing homes; they deal with people face-to-face every single day, including those who are sick, and they manage to stay healthy. Every single day.

Plus, let me tell you, the excuses kids make—especially the high schoolers—are something else. "Oh, I have a slight fever, I shouldn't go to school." Or, "My nose feels a bit stuffed up, better stay home." Everything becomes a reason to skip, even when it's just a regular physics or history class.

A colleague of mine mentioned her eighth grader has been a total nightmare with absences, but she isn't too worried because they've never had to deal with an official truancy officer visit.

So, you’re really basing all those grand conclusions just on walking past a single High School?🤦

Bravo, ladies. Truly.
I suppose we could just close the thread now, since you've clearly conquered the pandemic or whatever.🙏