Second Semester 2020/21 School Year

Susan James said:Katarina, it really comes down to bureaucracy. Just pure red tape.
Mandatory isolation is such an unfair, discriminatory call. You see politicians who didn't have to worry about staying home, even though they were out shaking hands and posing for photos with pro tennis players, only to catch it later through close contact at home. It just doesn't add up.
The whole idea of putting entire classrooms under quarantine feels totally pointless as long as the professors aren't being held to those same standards.

Look, I’m not even going to debate the merits of self-isolation or the virus itself right now... what I find impossible to wrap my head around is how nobody is trying to find a way for these kids to actually complete their work. We had plenty of ways to protect teachers here, but instead, we have someone deciding that having children write assignments is somehow represented by this emoticon 🤮

I mean, what’s the logic there... if students in Oregon were cleared to sit for their finals last year, then surely they'll be permitted to do the same this time around, right?

Amanda Hughes37 said:Look, I’m not even going to debate the merits of self-isolation or the virus itself right now... what I find impossible to wrap my head around is how nobody is trying to find a way for these kids to actually complete their work. We had plenty of ways to protect teachers here, but instead, we have someone deciding that having children write assignments is somehow represented by this emoticon 🤮

The fix is quite simple, much like what I mentioned before: let any teacher who wants to get vaccinated go through the standard channels—if they don't want to, fine, no one is forcing them—but that shouldn't be an excuse to dodge proctoring duties altogether. As for the high school seniors, just run a quick test before they sit for their exams; if they're healthy, let them take the test.

Sean Stewart said:The fix is quite simple, much like what I mentioned before: let any teacher who wants to get vaccinated go through the standard channels—if they don't want to, fine, no one is forcing them—but that shouldn't be an excuse to dodge proctoring duties altogether. As for the high school seniors, just run a quick test before they sit for their exams; if they're healthy, let them take the test.

And honestly, if these kids are perfectly fine—no fever, no coughing, not even a sniffle—but they happen to flag positive on some test, then who gives a damn?
They might as well stay stuck at home rotting away for an entire year, even if they were feeling absolutely stellar the moment they sat down for their finals, all because of a single positive result from a test that's notorious for spitting out false positives.

Drew Johnson2 said:I mean, what’s the logic there... if students in Oregon were cleared to sit for their finals last year, then surely they'll be permitted to do the same this time around, right?

Of course they can—this whole debate only kicked off because urbantinker8 reacted to the news with a single 🤮 emoji, implying people aren't sane for actually expecting something from their professors.

Amanda Hughes37 said:Of course they can—this whole debate only kicked off because urbantinker8 reacted to the news with a single 🤮 emoji, implying people aren't sane for actually expecting something from their professors.

Maybe we could finally get some actual reading comprehension around here.😉

Sean Stewart said:The fix is quite simple, much like what I mentioned before: let any teacher who wants to get vaccinated go through the standard channels—if they don't want to, fine, no one is forcing them—but that shouldn't be an excuse to dodge proctoring duties altogether. As for the high school seniors, just run a quick test before they sit for their exams; if they're healthy, let them take the test.

Honestly, it would be really helpful if we could see some actual data on how many students have already recovered from COVID.
It would give the school nurse a bit more to work with. 🥳

Similarly, I think it’s high time the teacher's union (assuming they actually look out for educators) released statistics on how many staff members have been through it. For those who spent several semesters in remote learning without getting sick, they should provide free serology testing and set up a vaccination plan. When local health departments and social service agencies were being prioritized, I never quite understood why schools weren't included in that group. They don't have to participate, but they should at least have the option.

On a side note, I don't see any issue with staff members getting their spouses vaccinated too, since it's so easy to bring the virus home. I feel the same way about the education sector. It’s a massive group of people, but they are also the ones interacting with the most people every single day.

nimbleranger17 said:And honestly, if these kids are perfectly fine—no fever, no coughing, not even a sniffle—but they happen to flag positive on some test, then who gives a damn?
They might as well stay stuck at home rotting away for an entire year, even if they were feeling absolutely stellar the moment they sat down for their finals, all because of a single positive result from a test that's notorious for spitting out false positives.

Exactly. Test results can be inaccurate, and frankly, requiring a test before every single day of the SATs is just not feasible. The testing window runs from early June through the end of the month—and since there are multiple exam dates—you have to multiply that by the number of students... we are talking about hundreds of thousands of individual tests.
Here is the updated SAT schedule:
https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vie...AN-B.pdf&hl=en

urbantinker8 said:Maybe we could finally get some actual reading comprehension around here.😉

Fair point... you were reacting to last year's news.

As far as your attitude goes—it doesn't change a thing.

So, basically, we have no guidance for this year.
Three students testing positive for COVID were sent home during finals week. I assume nobody cared—because if they did, God knows how that would have played out.

nimbleranger17 said:And honestly, if these kids are perfectly fine—no fever, no coughing, not even a sniffle—but they happen to flag positive on some test, then who gives a damn?
They might as well stay stuck at home rotting away for an entire year, even if they were feeling absolutely stellar the moment they sat down for their finals, all because of a single positive result from a test that's notorious for spitting out false positives.

And let’s be real—what sane person is going to babysit a student who tested positive? A teacher isn't there to act as a diagnostic judge to determine if a result is a fluke or the real deal. Graduation exams are a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it’s a massive problem if you're unlucky enough to get hit with a positive test on that specific day. It’s like if someone had crashed their car in a crosswalk back in 2013—they’d miss their window through no fault of their own. Or if a dog bit them on the way to school. Those are rare scenarios now, I suppose, though I suspect it’s equally rare for someone who actually took precautions to end up in isolation—and even rarer for it to be a false positive. But this isolation issue isn't just about students or schools; it affects everyone. Positive tests mean people are sidelined from everything—traveling, attending funerals for loved ones, you name it.

If a student plays it smart before finals and avoids large crowds, theoretically, they shouldn't even end up in quarantine—after all, who’s going to report them as a contact? These exams take place long enough after regular classes end that being stuck in isolation because of a classmate or a teacher isn't really an issue.

As for other situations, plenty of adults take precautions a few days before major events just to stay healthy—say, so they can head back to work in Germany or somewhere similar. I know people in my circle who work in Austria, Germany, and places like that; they come home maybe once a month, and during those few days, they skip the birthdays and the restaurants just to avoid catching anything. If they test positive, they can't fly back to their jobs, and many of them are looking at pay cuts or even losing their positions entirely, especially since most are on fixed-term contracts.

You simply cannot force a teacher, or anyone else for that matter, to gamble with their own health by hosting a student who has a confirmed positive test.

Paul Kern12 said:Exactly. Test results can be inaccurate, and frankly, requiring a test before every single day of the SATs is just not feasible. The testing window runs from early June through the end of the month—and since there are multiple exam dates—you have to multiply that by the number of students... we are talking about hundreds of thousands of individual tests.
Here is the updated SAT schedule:
https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vie...AN-B.pdf&hl=en

I wasn't suggesting testing every single graduate—just those currently in isolation who are requesting to sit for the exam. I'm certain there aren't hundreds of thousands of those cases.

I honestly cannot fathom how anyone could possibly guard themselves against the flu, unless they were to spend a fortnight entirely sequestered in some remote cabin alone... If there is a high school senior at home and he has a younger brother who is still attending school, and that brother happens to come through the door looking even slightly symptomatic, then that senior simply must go into quarantine.
The only way out would be to fabricate a story, perhaps claiming he hadn't been in contact with his brother at all, suggesting instead that he had been staying over at his grandmother’s house out in the suburbs during those days.

Sean Stewart said:And let’s be real—what sane person is going to babysit a student who tested positive? A teacher isn't there to act as a diagnostic judge to determine if a result is a fluke or the real deal. Graduation exams are a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it’s a massive problem if you're unlucky enough to get hit with a positive test on that specific day. It’s like if someone had crashed their car in a crosswalk back in 2013—they’d miss their window through no fault of their own. Or if a dog bit them on the way to school. Those are rare scenarios now, I suppose, though I suspect it’s equally rare for someone who actually took precautions to end up in isolation—and even rarer for it to be a false positive. But this isolation issue isn't just about students or schools; it affects everyone. Positive tests mean people are sidelined from everything—traveling, attending funerals for loved ones, you name it.

If a student plays it smart before finals and avoids large crowds, theoretically, they shouldn't even end up in quarantine—after all, who’s going to report them as a contact? These exams take place long enough after regular classes end that being stuck in isolation because of a classmate or a teacher isn't really an issue.

As for other situations, plenty of adults take precautions a few days before major events just to stay healthy—say, so they can head back to work in Germany or somewhere similar. I know people in my circle who work in Austria, Germany, and places like that; they come home maybe once a month, and during those few days, they skip the birthdays and the restaurants just to avoid catching anything. If they test positive, they can't fly back to their jobs, and many of them are looking at pay cuts or even losing their positions entirely, especially since most are on fixed-term contracts.

You simply cannot force a teacher, or anyone else for that matter, to gamble with their own health by hosting a student who has a confirmed positive test.

I wasn't suggesting testing every single graduate—just those currently in isolation who are requesting to sit for the exam. I'm certain there aren't hundreds of thousands of those cases.

So, you're implying anyone willing to be in close quarters with a positive student isn't sane?

Masks and social distancing... I'm not questioning that part...☕

Not to mention there are people working in the system who have already recovered from COVID.

A BBC documentary said:Wait for their results and then sit down with everyone else to put together a ranking list.
Some organizations just don't get it.
..

Reading this thread, I can't help but wonder—is there actually any logical reason why they can't just delay college admissions?
They should just set the enrollment for September and combine two graduation cycles so everyone gets a fair shot.

Sean Stewart said:And let’s be real—what sane person is going to babysit a student who tested positive? A teacher isn't there to act as a diagnostic judge to determine if a result is a fluke or the real deal. Graduation exams are a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it’s a massive problem if you're unlucky enough to get hit with a positive test on that specific day. It’s like if someone had crashed their car in a crosswalk back in 2013—they’d miss their window through no fault of their own. Or if a dog bit them on the way to school. Those are rare scenarios now, I suppose, though I suspect it’s equally rare for someone who actually took precautions to end up in isolation—and even rarer for it to be a false positive. But this isolation issue isn't just about students or schools; it affects everyone. Positive tests mean people are sidelined from everything—traveling, attending funerals for loved ones, you name it.

If a student plays it smart before finals and avoids large crowds, theoretically, they shouldn't even end up in quarantine—after all, who’s going to report them as a contact? These exams take place long enough after regular classes end that being stuck in isolation because of a classmate or a teacher isn't really an issue.

As for other situations, plenty of adults take precautions a few days before major events just to stay healthy—say, so they can head back to work in Germany or somewhere similar. I know people in my circle who work in Austria, Germany, and places like that; they come home maybe once a month, and during those few days, they skip the birthdays and the restaurants just to avoid catching anything. If they test positive, they can't fly back to their jobs, and many of them are looking at pay cuts or even losing their positions entirely, especially since most are on fixed-term contracts.

You simply cannot force a teacher, or anyone else for that matter, to gamble with their own health by hosting a student who has a confirmed positive test.

I wasn't suggesting testing every single graduate—just those currently in isolation who are requesting to sit for the exam. I'm certain there aren't hundreds of thousands of those cases.

I wouldn't have an issue with it myself. I'm young, I've already had COVID, so the risk is basically zero, and honestly, the worst part of the whole ordeal would just be sitting there for three hours doing absolutely nothing. And that goes for the healthy students too—those who test positive but show no symptoms, or what people are calling "asymptomatic" in this so-called "new normal" era.

And no, I'm not suggesting this makes me some kind of modern-day hero, but given the circumstances and my own immunity, why shouldn't I step up and help someone avoid losing an entire school year over something so trivial?

Drew Johnson2 said:I honestly cannot fathom how anyone could possibly guard themselves against the flu, unless they were to spend a fortnight entirely sequestered in some remote cabin alone... If there is a high school senior at home and he has a younger brother who is still attending school, and that brother happens to come through the door looking even slightly symptomatic, then that senior simply must go into quarantine.
The only way out would be to fabricate a story, perhaps claiming he hadn't been in contact with his brother at all, suggesting instead that he had been staying over at his grandmother’s house out in the suburbs during those days.

Like I mentioned before, we're probably going to see more high school grads living on their own in their own apartments 😬
plus, once they turn 18, it's really time for them to start being independent 🤣
this actually seems like a perfect opportunity 🙂

Paul Kern12 said:Exactly. Test results can be inaccurate, and frankly, requiring a test before every single day of the SATs is just not feasible. The testing window runs from early June through the end of the month—and since there are multiple exam dates—you have to multiply that by the number of students... we are talking about hundreds of thousands of individual tests.
Here is the updated SAT schedule:
https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vie...AN-B.pdf&hl=en

But honestly, we don't need to test everyone anyway.
If the reports about schools being hotspots back in September 2020 were accurate, most people have already moved past it by now. This is especially true for the seniors who had the most consistent, full-time classroom experience.

We really ought to push the local health department to release data on those who have already recovered; it shouldn't be an impossible task to get that info.
On top of that, we need to rethink this bureaucratic nonsense regarding the three-month isolation rule. Most other countries recognize a six-month window for entry, and plenty of studies suggest that immunity lasts much longer than what our current policies allow.

Nicholas King said:Of course saying "there is a protocol where people can still go out, work, and move about normally" doesn't exactly equate to "living a normal life."

Whatever. I mean, I guess I can't even say you're wrong.

Yeah, she claimed there's this whole protocol for people in intensive care where you can "go out, work, and live your life normally."
I didn't see her drop a single link to this supposed protocol, though.
Because it doesn't exist. Period.
Go ahead, keep splitting hairs if it makes you feel better. That's all you ever do.
When was the last time you actually contributed something useful to a thread? Like, an actual solution to anything?
Just tens of thousands of posts filled with nothing but ego, condescension, and nitpicking... yeah, thanks a lot.🥱

Susan James said:But honestly, we don't need to test everyone anyway.
If the reports about schools being hotspots back in September 2020 were accurate, most people have already moved past it by now. This is especially true for the seniors who had the most consistent, full-time classroom experience.

We really ought to push the local health department to release data on those who have already recovered; it shouldn't be an impossible task to get that info.
On top of that, we need to rethink this bureaucratic nonsense regarding the three-month isolation rule. Most other countries recognize a six-month window for entry, and plenty of studies suggest that immunity lasts much longer than what our current policies allow.

That doesn't carry much weight, though, because most of those seniors and high schoolers who caught it probably didn't bother getting tested in the first place, so they aren't even showing up in the official records...

Because the demographic is younger, the number of officially recorded recoveries is going to look significantly lower than reality...

Drew Johnson2 said:And there simply aren't any elementary schools available, nor are there municipal spaces that could be repurposed for this purpose for those few days.
It seems there are nothing but problems and absolutely zero solutions... quite typical, really.

And besides, graduation season kicks off right when middle school and high school classes are still in full swing.

I’ve been seeing all these posts about students who are forced to miss their final exams because they're stuck in isolation or quarantine. Honestly, it’s such a massive bummer, and there is absolutely nothing those kids could have done differently to avoid it.

But what about everyone else? You know, the people who have missed out over the last few years—or even this year—because they caught a nasty flu, ended up needing an emergency appendectomy, or were just dealing with debilitating cramps on the big day? Are they somehow at fault? Does that make them somehow less deserving than the kids dealing with COVID? If we can make accommodations for one group, why shouldn't we set up a makeup session for everyone else facing genuine medical emergencies too?