I grew up during the peace movement days....... did a lot of marching for peace... and protested against injustice. I believed we (my generation) could and would change the world.
Over the years my protests... outspoken outrage .. became more focused... maybe a little more realistic?? I stopped trying to change the world and tried to change MY world - I kept speaking out against local injustices.
I am not nearly as active anymore... tending to let the younger voices speak their words...
But I have become outspoken about how our government is handling reopening.... especially the schools. I found myself writing to local newspapers and not so local.... found myself writing to Doug Ford (our Premier) to our school board and even despite realizing the futility of it .. writing to our education minister. I am not talking out of my a** ... I know - after almost 30 years of teaching - what it means to be in a classroom.
On Friday evening - after posting a scathing comment on the lil one's school's page on FB triggered by a letter from our school board - I received a text message from her teacher. Apparently the principal contacted her and asked her to contact me........... GAH!! my heart nearly stopped. I was dreading the 'you are a shit disturber - stop it!' that I used to get when I taught and went against the voice of authority. BUT NO... apparently the principal wanted to thank me for well thought out comments... wanted me to know how much she appreciated it...wanted me to continue speaking up and out..... and how she couldn't say so publicly because she is THE principal. (we won't go into my thoughts on that - I am used to folks being scared to speak up against their employers)
Our government is sending the kiddies back to full time school in over crowded classrooms........ from K - grade 3 no masks necessary - social distancing is 1 meter for kids and 2 for teachers (le sigh) .......... our classrooms look like this
AND to accomplish the 2 meter distancing our classrooms would need this much space.....
During the worst of the first wave..... from March to June - 81% of the people in long term care homes here in Ontario died. There were a lot of reasons for this.. overcrowding - no PPE - care givers working in many different homes - moving between them.
Let's take a minute and look at schools let's compare the similarities between our schools and long term care homes.... we have substitute teachers that teach in many different schools.... top that off with .....our classrooms are over crowded and the ventilation is worse than poor... our youngest children don't have to wear masks... when they walk they touch everything - drag their hands along the walls - across the desks / tables... wash their hands by plunking a glob of soap in their hands and then if we're lucky - they quickly rub their hands together then run them under the water.........
Let's look at lunch time....... how often do kiddies eat with their fingers - can't open their containers and need help - can't do up their coats / boots /shoes....... Remember the teachers are supposed to stay 2 meters away...........
AND just to make things better -- a day camp in Quebec where the kiddies are outside all the time - 26 children came down with covid....at a sleep away camp in the States 260 kiddies came down with covid.
Experts are still compiling the data -- but it appears that the youngest of us "efficiently" store the virus - having a much larger percentage of it in their nasal cavities then adults......... and though they might not (MIGHT NOT) get as sick they are more 'efficient' at spreading it............
OH and don't get me started on the Children's Hospital in Ottawa and their recommendations....... cause it has come to light that they received 10$ million dollars from some foundation that has ties to our Mr. Doug Ford............ so much for their non-biased recommendations right???
AND lastly
AND lastly
tell me this reopening 'plan' has nothing to do with the economy....
our high school kids will only go back at 50% capacity.......... cause ya know they don't need child care - their parents can go to work......... it's the little ones that need looking after.......... and their parents have to work .............
We live in scary times.........
Bless you Morningstar...As a retired teacher (Florida) I agree that we are reopening too soon. Small room sizes, inefficient filtered a/c units (needed here)and crowded cafeterias. I could go on but you seem to have hit all the right spots. It might be alright to open high schools and maybe middle schools. That age group may be more responsible (doubt it though). But K-5 kiddos not a good idea.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and let your voice continue to be heard!
I agree with everything you said. Thankfully our daughters school has decided to keep it virtual until at least Sept. 14. I have my doubts we'll go back then. But she will still meet individually with each child and their parents, one on one when they come to pick up their computers. All masked up, of course, but still. But we have to deal with the person pretending to be our president as well as a Dolores Umbrage clone in DeVos.
ReplyDeleteI think we’re keeping ours at home too. It’s awful... there’s no easy or right answer. We are fortunate that we can make the choice, but even so it feels like doing the wrong thing no matter what.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for speaking out Morningstar. Interesting response from the principal. I guess if the powers that be have made the decision her hands are tied.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Roz
I think we're basically be told that we're expendable. Good for you for speaking up!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I wish I could sit on your porch and talk to you about it. I am scared to death and mine is in highschool. At least there is "some" protection. What is worse, we have the best "plan" in Canada. The other provinces are no where close. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWhat scares me most, is I am back in the workforce come September in the schools (high school at least). What am I thinking? I am now an essential worker. My anxiety is through the rough and sleeping is non-existent as September approaches.
Boo