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


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1 hour ago, Cap33 said:

AISD has just notified coaches that players will be required to mask during practices and games (on the court/field and bench). Took the booster club president about a minute to send an email to parents urging us to write some poor person at the district because masks are "unsafe" for players putting forth maximum effort. 🙄

Masks are unsafe but throwing your brain and body against another human 65times a game is perfectly fine.

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1 minute ago, Don Johnson said:

Wearing a mask while playing or practicing a sport is stupid and dangerous.  On the sideline, locker room, etc. is different.  While playing football or basketball?  Get out of here.

I know you were an outlier with your ability to throw a football over that mountain but please show your math. It's been demonstrated through multiple peer reviewed research studies that a mask does not cause a noticeable difference in oxygen intake.

Here's one: 

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8110/htm

To summarize:

In their study, the researchers evaluated both surgical masks and cloth masks since those are commonly available to the general public. These were compared to wearing no mask at all.  Fourteen young, healthy adults (seven men and seven women) took part in the study.  Each study participant completed a cycle ergometry test (riding a stationary bike) to exhaustion while wearing either a surgical mask, cloth mask, or no mask.  Researchers randomly determined in what sequence participants would test each mask.

During testing, participants’ blood oxygen levels were measured via pulse oximetry.  Their tissue oxygenation index was also measured using a tool called near-infrared spectroscopy in their vastus lateralis, a muscle in the thigh.  When the researchers examined the data from this testing, they found that wearing face masks had no effect on performance (time to exhaustion) or peak power.

There were also no differences found when it came to blood oxygen levels, tissue oxygenation index, perceived physical exertion, or heart rate.  Nor was there any detectable negative effect on blood or muscle oxygenation or exercise performance.

Here's a real world example...

https://twitter.com/hesipullupjimb0/status/1278187371964641281?s=20

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11 minutes ago, Don Johnson said:

Wearing a mask while playing or practicing a sport is stupid and dangerous.  On the sideline, locker room, etc. is different.  While playing football or basketball?  Get out of here.

My daughter's varsity basketball team wore masks all season last year during practice and games and exactly [checks notes] zero players died or suffered any adverse medical conditions.  And there were also no positive COVID cases on the team.

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2 minutes ago, Homercles said:

I told my wife, who works in RRISD that requiring a form filled out to have their kid go maskless at least provides her school a means to document who all idiot parents are.  

That's a good point.  A related thought:

My son attends an AISD elementary school, and although there's a mask mandate currently in place, I think it's only a matter of time before a court blows that up.  And even though I think this school is in a fairly liberal demographic of Austin, I'm sure there are some folks with an anti-mask and/or anti-vax ideology who won't send their kid to school with a mask.  So I'm inclined to ask my son to tell me the names of all of the kids in his class who don't wear a mask.  I'm not sure what I'd do with that information, as I'm one of the last parents to go Karen on someone and send an email bitching about masks.  But I'd like to have that information when my son's entire class gets sent home for their inevitable mandatory 10-day quarantine because some kid tests positive.  

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11 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

I know you were an outlier with your ability to throw a football over that mountain but please show your math. It's been demonstrated through multiple peer reviewed research studies that a mask does not cause a noticeable difference in oxygen intake.

Here's one: 

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8110/htm

To summarize:

In their study, the researchers evaluated both surgical masks and cloth masks since those are commonly available to the general public. These were compared to wearing no mask at all.  Fourteen young, healthy adults (seven men and seven women) took part in the study.  Each study participant completed a cycle ergometry test (riding a stationary bike) to exhaustion while wearing either a surgical mask, cloth mask, or no mask.  Researchers randomly determined in what sequence participants would test each mask.

During testing, participants’ blood oxygen levels were measured via pulse oximetry.  Their tissue oxygenation index was also measured using a tool called near-infrared spectroscopy in their vastus lateralis, a muscle in the thigh.  When the researchers examined the data from this testing, they found that wearing face masks had no effect on performance (time to exhaustion) or peak power.

There were also no differences found when it came to blood oxygen levels, tissue oxygenation index, perceived physical exertion, or heart rate.  Nor was there any detectable negative effect on blood or muscle oxygenation or exercise performance.

Here's a real world example...

https://twitter.com/hesipullupjimb0/status/1278187371964641281?s=20

Well, if an Olympian did it, then that translates to kids.

Here's a real world example of a high school athlete passing out while running track.

https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2021/04/26/summit-hs-runner-collapses-at-finish-line-coach-calls-for-revised-mask-mandate/

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Maggie Williams, a junior on the Summit High School track team, broke a school record in the 800-meter last Thursday. Her moment of glory has been somewhat overshadowed a by moment of concern – Williams passed out as she stumbled her way across the finish line. She and her coach say the mask is to blame, and now the Oregon Health Authority is updating its guidelines.

Williams ran the 800-meter race in 2:08:45, which beat the previous school record of 2:10:54 set in 2019.

“I found out a couple minutes after my race, when I had recovered from my fall,” Williams told NewsChannel 21 Monday. “So super exciting for me.”

The fall Williams is referring to happened during the last seven meters of the race, just as she was about to finish.

“I felt like I just wasn't being able to get a full breath,” she said. “Multiple times of that happening, not being able to get enough air -- I just felt super dizzy, and then eventually passed out."
 
 
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1 hour ago, Anastasis said:


well they could demonstrate the great resolve and take action like LTISD. They are working around the clock in shifts with their legal counsel in order to determine which mask order to break, the judges or the govs. Masks optional as we go off the rails with community transmission. 

Same with LISD. While a good part of the district is in WilCo, some schools are in Travis. Still no mask mandate and the district is doing the absolute minimum required around quarantining and tracing.

 

Quarantining is optional unless you test positive so I know parents that just aren't getting tested to avoid it

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17 minutes ago, South Austin said:

My daughter's varsity basketball team wore masks all season last year during practice and games and exactly [checks notes] zero players died or suffered any adverse medical conditions.  And there were also no positive COVID cases on the team.

All three of my kids played soccer and football outdoors last season with no masks (like pretty much the entire country).  They also had no positive Covid cases on the team.

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2 minutes ago, Don Johnson said:

All three of my kids played soccer and football outdoors last season with no masks (like pretty much the entire country).  They also had no positive Covid cases on the team.

Same.  But we had some positive cases.  No within team transmission though, all community transmitted cases from other settings. 

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depends on the mask.  i had to wear a mask to play a beer league softball game a few months ago when it was 85 or so.  running the bases with a mask on was terrible.  completely impeded the flow of oxygen.  i could see how if you're jogging at a steady rate it'd be fine, but sudden bursts of high energy with a mask on make it difficult to breathe.  my kids are playing soccer this season.  i'd love for them to wear masks but with it being in the 90s at gametime i think we might just go with faceshields if anything.

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14 minutes ago, Foosters said:

I actually agree that wearing masks while playing sports is dumb, but rebutting a scientific study with a high school girl's opinion kinda sums up the entire debate.

It happened and was the catalyst for the Oregon Health Authority to change their guidelines.  They were the only state requiring masks for track and field.

10 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

depends on the mask.  i had to wear a mask to play a beer league softball game a few months ago when it was 85 or so.  running the bases with a mask on was terrible.  completely impeded the flow of oxygen.  i could see how if you're jogging at a steady rate it'd be fine, but sudden bursts of high energy with a mask on make it difficult to breathe.  my kids are playing soccer this season.  i'd love for them to wear masks but with it being in the 90s at gametime i think we might just go with faceshields if anything.

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but it seems like common sense.  We've all worn masks for a year and half.  Most of us live in hot humid environments.  This isn't a study where people got on an exercise bike for 10 minutes inside and had minimal effect.  Did those people even sweat?  Did they have unlimited masks?

Put on a cloth mask or surgical mask like the study above and tell me how long you make into full pads football practice in Austin before that thing is completely soaked.  15 minutes?  Tell me about the studies that show how there's no effect on oxygen flow through a wet mask.  There isn't one.  

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45 minutes ago, Don Johnson said:

All three of my kids played soccer and football outdoors last season with no masks (like pretty much the entire country).  They also had no positive Covid cases on the team.

Comparing last year to this year isn’t a great comparison since the Delta variant is so much more contagious.

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58 minutes ago, Don Johnson said:

Well, if an Olympian did it, then that translates to kids.

Here's a real world example of a high school athlete passing out while running track.

https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2021/04/26/summit-hs-runner-collapses-at-finish-line-coach-calls-for-revised-mask-mandate/

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Maggie Williams, a junior on the Summit High School track team, broke a school record in the 800-meter last Thursday. Her moment of glory has been somewhat overshadowed a by moment of concern – Williams passed out as she stumbled her way across the finish line. She and her coach say the mask is to blame, and now the Oregon Health Authority is updating its guidelines.

Williams ran the 800-meter race in 2:08:45, which beat the previous school record of 2:10:54 set in 2019.

“I found out a couple minutes after my race, when I had recovered from my fall,” Williams told NewsChannel 21 Monday. “So super exciting for me.”

The fall Williams is referring to happened during the last seven meters of the race, just as she was about to finish.

“I felt like I just wasn't being able to get a full breath,” she said. “Multiple times of that happening, not being able to get enough air -- I just felt super dizzy, and then eventually passed out."
 
 

Sounds like you can set records and run 799 meters without passing out.  Looks like a plus for masks.

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A mask mandate during outdoor sports competition is ridiculous. Sports are optional. School is not. Apples and oranges. One should have a mandate the other should not.  My kid went to school today in a mask. At cross country practice, putting in a 12 mile run in the heat…. No it ain’t gonna kill him but it’s ridiculous. 
 

My girlfriends kid goes to a round rock elementary school and their pseudo-mandate is just fucking insane. What’s the point of even having a superintendent, someone put in place and assumed to have good judgment for sound decision making for the district, if you’re just going to try and put out some half measures to keep everybody happy instead of making a firm decision and owning it.  I’d have had more respect if he just came out as an anti-masker and owned that decision than for his bullshit mandate that you get to opt out of.

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2 hours ago, Anastasis said:


well they could demonstrate the great resolve and take action like LTISD. They are working around the clock in shifts with their legal counsel in order to determine which mask order to break, the judges or the govs. Masks optional as we go off the rails with community transmission. 

The local lefties are apoplectic that the superintendent was not wearing a mask at an event last night; the righties were so happy to see his smiling face greeting parents.

At my older kid's orientation last night, I'd say it was about 50/50 masks, with most of her friends in the masked 50 percent. I just hope she doesn't repeat what I've muttered about some of the unmasked kids' parents...

On the plus side, my other kid's teacher said in her intro email that she would be greeting students masked with a smile. That's reassuring and should help my daughter feel more comfortable wearing a mask.

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8 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

My girlfriends kid goes to a round rock elementary school and their pseudo-mandate is just fucking insane. What’s the point of even having a superintendent, someone put in place and assumed to have good judgment for sound decision making for the district, if you’re just going to try and put out some half measures to keep everybody happy instead of making a firm decision and owning it.  I’d have had more respect if he just came out as an anti-masker and owned that decision than for his bullshit mandate that you get to opt out of.

here's the email PfISD's superintendent sent out sunday afternoon.  the bolded, underlined, and italicized emphases are his own. 

 

Quote

Dear PfISD Pfamily,

Since March 19, 2020, when the Governor ordered all schools in the State to go to 100% remote learning, Pflugerville ISD has always followed the law. As long as we were aligned with the law, we had the authority to enforce what that current law required.  

On Friday afternoon, it was widely reported that 345th District Court Judge Jan Soifer granted a Temporary Restraining Order to block Governor Abbott's Executive Order prohibiting mask mandates in school for students and educators in Texas, and allow Travis County and the City of Austin to proceed with mask mandates for those jurisdictions, including our schools. We are awaiting the final Court Order and expect it to be issued soon. At this time, in anticipation of the Court Order, this new action means masks will be required for students, staff, and visitors when attending Pflugerville ISD, in accordance with the current Travis County mask order. Pflugerville ISD must abide by this latest court mandate.

I believe the situation we are in will be settled in the courts, as there are multiple lawsuits pending statewide on masks in schools. Even this weekend, the Texas Supreme Court is considering the issue and may issue a statewide decision at any time. No matter the outcome, it has always been the intent of Pflugerville ISD to follow the prevailing law.

I understand some have questions as to why Pflugerville ISD did not immediately follow the Travis County orders put in place last Wednesday evening, less than 13 hours before our first day of school. Along with other school leaders, I have sat in on countless meetings the entire summer with Austin Public Health Authority, the City of Austin, and Travis County officials. The Governor's orders were in place before we let out of school last Spring, and in all the time since, we have implored our local officials for help with the current situation, to no avail. Every Monday, County officials, including Judge Brown, and Austin Public Health, reported the rising numbers. They had ample time to seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) to the Governor's Order to address the health risk they believed was facing Travis County and Austin. Yet, they did nothing and placed districts squarely in the middle. Several districts acted on their own and faced court challenges. Most recently, Ft Worth ISD's mask ban was struck down on Friday. The county health authorities have the data and power to act, but the Governor's action has halted that authority. They are the proper ones to act in a health crisis. Several other counties have taken appropriate measures by filing TROs first, followed by mask mandates. Ours elected NOT to act in that manner, placing us in a challenging position.

Then, on the eve of our district beginning the new school year, we find out that Travis County and the City of Austin have issued this order during the nightly news. While I am happy that they have finally taken many of our families' pleas to heart, I would have been more pleased to have this action taken as soon as the cases began rising and in a time period in which we would have had time for any legal challenges to work themselves out and provide school districts with a clear path to follow. 

However, Judge Brown with Travis County and the City of Austin enacted these measures in the 11th hour, with no warning or indication to school districts of their intentions. We learned about it at the same time as our parents from the news, giving us no time to understand the full legal ramifications and make adjustments. While their decision may have been taken early enough to impact Austin ISD, Travis County serves many other school districts, and Austin ISD is one of the LAST districts to begin their school year this August. We would ask our county officials in the future to look at the start date of ALL of the school districts in Travis County and make decisions promptly for those who begin first. This year, the first districts to start school were Pflugerville and Leander. Again, due to the late notification via the local media and an inability to receive clear guidance from our legal teams, we and Leander ISD, along with the majority of other school districts in the area, continued to follow Gov. Abbott's order.

To be clear, Travis County did NOT have a temporary restraining order (TRO) in place. I talked to county officials myself, and they shared they would not be seeking one. They had merely put an order in without the TRO. They also shared they were waiting for an outside group to pursue one. Then they asked me to direct parents with concerns to this outside group. That is NOT our place, so I referred concerned parents to county officials. This apparently caused concern at the county, and I received a letter from the county judge claiming they directed their action under a Dallas order. To be clear, that was NOT what was shared with me initially as we struggled to figure out which rule of law was in order. I am a rule follower at heart, but this situation has been one of the most trying times for me to follow the rules, much less determine which one is proper. Personally, it is genuinely upsetting that leaders in positions above myself can elect not to follow clear legal paths to take the actions they feel are best for our kids and community.

So, where does this leave us? As of this writing, a Temporary restraining order is now in place for us that places the mask mandate as required. So, on Monday, please make plans to have a mask on in our schools. We understand some staff and families may oppose wearing a mask. At this time, Pflugerville ISD has the legal obligation to respect the latest court order. We will follow the law, whatever it is at that time. We will do what we need to do to keep children and staff as safe as possible, but we must do it in a way that respects the ultimate decisions made under the law. We cannot have chaos and blatant defiance. That serves no one – especially our children. Sadly, the issue of masks is fully entrenched in adult politics. Along with your locally elected school board, I will continue to keep the well-being of your children and our students as the focus.

Please know that this very weekend, the Texas Supreme Court is hearing the Dallas/San Antonio mask cases on an expedited basis. The decision could impact mask mandates in other cities, counties, and school districts, including the mandate in effect over our area. Whatever the decision, we will do everything available in our toolbox to keep our kids safe. We ask that regardless of your opinions on masks:

  • Stay home if you feel sick.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Cover your cough.
  • Keep as much distance as possible.
  • Take advantage of our testing.
  • Get vaccinated when you are able.

We must also respect each other. What I don't want to see is children fighting in the halls or on the playgrounds. We are a very diverse family. We can be kind to one another. We are stronger together.

Regardless of the final legal outcome amid a pandemic, we will tell our staff, students, and families that masks - whether mandated or not - are highly recommended following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We will have desk shields available as well as extra cleaning. We will continue to contract trace and notify you of any positive cases in your child's class. We will continue with a dashboard of positive cases, which we always planned to do. We ask that kids use water bottles while at school instead of the drinking fountains.

While we await a decision on whether not wearing a mask violates the law, we will continue to urge parents to send their children to school in masks – especially at the elementary school level, where vaccines are not yet an option. The data shows that this surge is primarily affecting the unvaccinated. So, at the secondary level, for children 12 and older, we urge parents to take advantage of a tool we know works in protecting students – vaccines. Thankfully, this virus seems to be most impactful for folks my age and older. So, please get vaccinated.

Despite the uncertainties, we are actively protecting students and staff and making adjustments as circumstances change. The following are some of our current safety protocols:

  • While mandating masks in buildings and on buses, per current court order, for reinforcement, we will also display signage that the CDC is highly recommending masks.
  • We will not allow visitors on campus at this time until area cases decrease.
  • Significantly limit assemblies, particularly at the elementary level. 
  • We will provide sanitization stations and bottle filling stations. 
  • We will operate a dashboard with positive COVID-19 cases. 
  • We will have assigned seating in all classrooms and lunchrooms.
  • We will continue to provide contact tracing and notification letters to those staff and students who are considered to possibly be close contacts, as we continued to do during last school year and summer school.
     

Although legally, at this time, we cannot require vaccinations of staff or eligible students, we do believe many of our staff have been vaccinated. Before leaving school last year, we were already closing in on 70% of staff being vaccinated. 

In addition, at the elementary level, until there is a vaccine available for those under age 12, concerned families should have a dialogue with the classroom teacher respectfully, so any requests are known and can be accommodated when possible. Even if a mask mandate is overturned, you can share your desire for us to remind your child to put their mask on if that is your wish, just as many of you ask us to remind your child to put their glasses on. 

It is likely we will continue to have a few more legal twists regarding this issue. We will send out additional communication to our community as the situation evolves. Unfortunately, like many other school districts, we are in the middle of a political battle we cannot control while trying to keep our community's health safe. 

Please know we are listening to you. We understand this topic is concerning to many. I apologize if I cannot respond to every email, but we are entirely focused on getting the school year started and these early days in the school year are always hectic. As you can imagine, we have received communications from both sides. I encourage you to send any concerns or suggestions through our Let's Talk platform on the main PfISD website,www.pfisd.net.

I know this is not the ideal way to start our school year with the uncertainty of this pandemic and the political clash we have been pulled into. But know this: we have an incredible group of teachers and staff who are doing everything we possibly can to provide a safe environment for our students to learn.

In the best interest of children,
Dr. Douglas Killian
Superintendent

 

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Free candy and a Free Covid test?  Permission to come aboard Captain Gacy?  

Just got a fun email from the local ISD Superintendent.  Apparently yesterday at one of the "meet the teacher" events around the district (not our campus, ours was today)...two separate and really fun incidents.  One verbal assault by a parent of a teacher wearing a mask.  And then a separate incident where a parent physically assaulted a teacher wearing a mask.  Grabbed the teacher by the arm/shoulder with one hand and ripped off their mask with the other hand.  What's more?  In plain sight of dozens of children.  

I bet dollars to donuts I know precisely who the parent was without using any lifelines, even though it's an older kids' campus where we don't attend.  If I'm wrong, GoLL will pay you back on my behalf.  I knew there'd be some parental showdowns and virtual signaling, and we're all likely gonna be fried a month or two from now with all this mitigation protocol.  But I did not envision somebody losing their fucking mind at "Meet the Teacher Lemonade Social" the first goddamn day in plain view of half the school kids.  But I read the incident report again and I'm 99% confident I know exactly who the parent is.  Their campaign slogan looks something like this:

C :  Children

U : Unmasked 

N : Need 

T : Teachers Unmasked! 

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6 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Free candy and a Free Covid test?  Permission to come aboard Captain Gacy?  

Just got a fun email from the local ISD Superintendent.  Apparently yesterday at one of the "meet the teacher" events around the district (not our campus, ours was today)...two separate and really fun incidents.  One verbal assault by a parent of a teacher wearing a mask.  And then a separate incident where a parent physically assaulted a teacher wearing a mask.  Grabbed the teacher by the arm/shoulder with one hand and ripped off their mask with the other hand.  What's more?  In plain sight of dozens of children.  

I bet dollars to donuts I know precisely who the parent was without using any lifelines, even though it's an older kids' campus where we don't attend.  If I'm wrong, GoLL will pay you back on my behalf.  I knew there'd be some parental showdowns and virtual signaling, and we're all likely gonna be fried a month or two from now with all this mitigation protocol.  But I did not envision somebody losing their fucking mind at "Meet the Teacher Lemonade Social" the first goddamn day in plain view of half the school kids.  But I read the incident report again and I'm 99% confident I know exactly who the parent is.  Their campaign slogan looks something like this:

C :  Children

U : Unmasked 

N : Need 

T : Teachers Unmasked! 

WTF is wrong with people.  If you want to run around unmasked and there's no mask mandate, sure you're a fucking idiot but I guess it's within your rights.  Ripping a mask off of someone else? Why? What did that person's mask do to you?  I just don't fucking understand.

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awesome...we have already had a teacher assaulted by a parent for wearing a mask at "meet the teacher" this morning in eanes isd.  just got an email from the superintendent. 

edit: same thing as lobo's post.

Edited by sidis
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10 minutes ago, Lobo said:

One verbal assault by a parent of a teacher wearing a mask.  And then a separate incident where a parent physically assaulted a teacher wearing a mask.  Grabbed the teacher by the arm/shoulder with one hand and ripped off their mask with the other hand.  What's more?  In plain sight of dozens of children.  

WTF is wrong with these people?  

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18 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Free candy and a Free Covid test?  Permission to come aboard Captain Gacy?  

Just got a fun email from the local ISD Superintendent.  Apparently yesterday at one of the "meet the teacher" events around the district (not our campus, ours was today)...two separate and really fun incidents.  One verbal assault by a parent of a teacher wearing a mask.  And then a separate incident where a parent physically assaulted a teacher wearing a mask.  Grabbed the teacher by the arm/shoulder with one hand and ripped off their mask with the other hand.  What's more?  In plain sight of dozens of children.  

I bet dollars to donuts I know precisely who the parent was without using any lifelines, even though it's an older kids' campus where we don't attend.  If I'm wrong, GoLL will pay you back on my behalf.  I knew there'd be some parental showdowns and virtual signaling, and we're all likely gonna be fried a month or two from now with all this mitigation protocol.  But I did not envision somebody losing their fucking mind at "Meet the Teacher Lemonade Social" the first goddamn day in plain view of half the school kids.  But I read the incident report again and I'm 99% confident I know exactly who the parent is.  Their campaign slogan looks something like this:

C :  Children

U : Unmasked 

N : Need 

T : Teachers Unmasked! 

I'd have them arrested for assault.  You should call it in on the teacher's behalf

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This seems fine.

Florida school district calls emergency meeting after 5,500+ students forced to quarantine over COVID-19 outbreak

https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-school-district-calls-emergency-221412347.html

More than 5,500 students at a school district in Central Florida are being forced to quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19, prompting the school board to announce Monday that it is holding an emergency meeting to discuss "mandatory face coverings."

The outbreak at Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa comes less than a week after students returned to in-person learning there. As of Monday morning, 5,599 students and 316 employees are isolating after either testing positive or being in close contact with someone who has, the school board said.

Superintendent Addison Davis had issued a requirement that all students wear masks. But Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has prohibited such mandates, forcing the school district to allow any parent who wishes to "opt out" their child with a note.

"While the outcome may be the same whether we make face coverings optional or required with an opt-out, we believe this decision continues to illustrate that Hillsborough County Public Schools takes public safety seriously," Davis said earlier this month, Florida Politics reported.

At the emergency meeting on Wednesday, the school board said it will "discuss the best way to mitigate against the spread of the virus, up to and including mandatory face coverings for all students and staff."

DeSantis has threatened to pull funding from schools that proceed with mask requirements amid the surge in COVID-19 caused by lagging vaccination rates and the Delta variant. But last week the Biden administration pledged to step in with additional federal money should that happen.

 

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7 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

This seems fine.

Florida school district calls emergency meeting after 5,500+ students forced to quarantine over COVID-19 outbreak

https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-school-district-calls-emergency-221412347.html

More than 5,500 students at a school district in Central Florida are being forced to quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19, prompting the school board to announce Monday that it is holding an emergency meeting to discuss "mandatory face coverings."

The outbreak at Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa comes less than a week after students returned to in-person learning there. As of Monday morning, 5,599 students and 316 employees are isolating after either testing positive or being in close contact with someone who has, the school board said.

Superintendent Addison Davis had issued a requirement that all students wear masks. But Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has prohibited such mandates, forcing the school district to allow any parent who wishes to "opt out" their child with a note.

"While the outcome may be the same whether we make face coverings optional or required with an opt-out, we believe this decision continues to illustrate that Hillsborough County Public Schools takes public safety seriously," Davis said earlier this month, Florida Politics reported.

At the emergency meeting on Wednesday, the school board said it will "discuss the best way to mitigate against the spread of the virus, up to and including mandatory face coverings for all students and staff."

DeSantis has threatened to pull funding from schools that proceed with mask requirements amid the surge in COVID-19 caused by lagging vaccination rates and the Delta variant. But last week the Biden administration pledged to step in with additional federal money should that happen.

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4 hours ago, Foosters said:

I actually agree that wearing masks while playing sports is dumb, but rebutting a scientific study with a high school girl's opinion kinda sums up the entire debate.

Just so we also have a scientific one... https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2021/03/05/bjsports-2020-103758

British Journal of Sports Medicine -- "Our data indicate that wearing a cloth face mask significantly impaired participant performance during a CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise tests)."

 

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55 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

I'd have them arrested for assault.  You should call it in on the teacher's behalf

I ain’t calling in shit.  This parent wears this kinda shit as a badge of honor.  An arrest probably furthers the martyr status.  I feel bad for the teacher.  Real fucking fun coming to work each morning having to look over your shoulder from the faculty lot to your classroom.  
 

The spouse In question is a real beta cuck, the kind ‘real Texas men’ make fun of even though they all have a wild amount in common.  Might be cathartic to shove a mask in his mouth while beating the shit out of him to square up karma.  

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1 hour ago, Huckleberry said:

So what did the email say about the police response to that assault and battery? 

it did not say anything.  apparently the police were not called which is infuriating.  it was a first grade teacher valley view elementary that was assaulted.  the principal apparently met with the parents and encouraged them to enroll their children at a different school.

so tired of this district being a bunch of fucking pussies when dealing with these shit-for-brains.  trying to get info on the piece of shit that did it.

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2 minutes ago, BrazilHorn said:

I am still on Casis mailing list and just got note that a positive case was reported. Not sure how on 1st day they would already have validated test results (I wouldn't trust rapid test for this), but it has started.

Casis was very anti-mask from the AISD survey a few weeks ago. Like only 40% would have their kids wear a mask.

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58 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

This seems fine.

Florida school district calls emergency meeting after 5,500+ students forced to quarantine over COVID-19 outbreak

https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-school-district-calls-emergency-221412347.html

More than 5,500 students at a school district in Central Florida are being forced to quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19, prompting the school board to announce Monday that it is holding an emergency meeting to discuss "mandatory face coverings."

The outbreak at Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa comes less than a week after students returned to in-person learning there. As of Monday morning, 5,599 students and 316 employees are isolating after either testing positive or being in close contact with someone who has, the school board said.

Superintendent Addison Davis had issued a requirement that all students wear masks. But Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has prohibited such mandates, forcing the school district to allow any parent who wishes to "opt out" their child with a note.

"While the outcome may be the same whether we make face coverings optional or required with an opt-out, we believe this decision continues to illustrate that Hillsborough County Public Schools takes public safety seriously," Davis said earlier this month, Florida Politics reported.

At the emergency meeting on Wednesday, the school board said it will "discuss the best way to mitigate against the spread of the virus, up to and including mandatory face coverings for all students and staff."

DeSantis has threatened to pull funding from schools that proceed with mask requirements amid the surge in COVID-19 caused by lagging vaccination rates and the Delta variant. But last week the Biden administration pledged to step in with additional federal money should that happen.

 

I am all for contact tracing but this has to be a bit excessive of an approach here. There has to be a "Degrees of Kevin Bacon" that is rational in the approach.

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  • hayden_horn changed the title to AISD's (and other districts) Plans for Schools Starting August 18

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