DeKalb Schools Teachers and staff experiencing hardships may notify their immediate supervisors, complete the Hardship Request Application, and continue to work remotely for 30 days. At the end of the 30-day window, the hardship application will be reviewed. Teachers and staff, who are ready to return, may do so on January 4th.
Dr. Michelle Jones, DeKalb Schools Chief Human Resources Officer, sent this message to DeKalb Schools employees last Thursday.
From: Dr. Michelle Jones
DeKalb Schools Interim Chief Human Resources Officer
Subject: DCSD Employees Return to Work Considerations
Date: December 31, 2020
• Teachers and staff, who are ready to return, may do so on January 4th.
• Teachers and staff, who have submitted the required documentation to request an ADA accommodation and have been approved, may continue to work remotely.
• Teachers and staff, who have submitted the required documentation to request an ADA accommodation and have not been approved, may continue to work remotely until the Division of Human Resources determines eligibility.
• Teachers and staff experiencing hardships may notify their immediate supervisors, complete the Hardship Request Application, and continue to work remotely for 30 days. At the end of the 30-day window, the hardship application will be reviewed. (Note: The Hardship Request Application must be submitted no later than Friday, January 8, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. through the following link: https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/8UPcR4)
Employees may also visit the employee sharepoint portal to access additional resources within the Resources tab of the Division of Human Resources. We are all in this together, and we are here to make your transition back to the work setting as smooth as possible.
Hardship Request Application
Any hardship request will be acknowledged until DCSD announces that students are returning to school. The employee must agree to accept the alternative work assignment assigned by their immediate supervisor and that such assignment is not an adverse employment action under Georgia or federal law.
Employees must also describe the nature of the hardship. Documentation may be submitted to substantiate your request for hardship consideration.
- Health condition (non- FMLA or ADA)
- Pending FMLA request
- Pending ADA request
- Childcare: School age
- Childcare: Under school age
- Care for a family member with a serious health condition
- Other (Please specify)
“[DeKalb Schools Administration] told Principals to approve all hardship requests and to also be ready to open schools for F2F.
TEACHERS and STAFF: my advice continues to be that everyone should fill out a hardship request. Just tell the truth. The “other” option is there for a reason, so use it if you have to — just tell truth. Your reason might be that you have not been provided with (and/or have not been able to purchase for yourself) N-95 masks and other PPE. Your reason might be that you are too fearful to come back before you and other members of your household have been vaccinated. Maybe you do not have transportation because MARTA closed the bus route you use to get to school, or maybe your spouse/partner needs to use your only car because their bus route was closed. Maybe you did report to school, saw how badly prepared your school was, and now you are too stressed out and fearful to go back.
YOU HAVE TO SAVE YOURSELVES!”
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
Dekalb is not ready for f2f instruction. Cobb has been a disaster. I’m afraid of what we will see happen in Dekalb. Scary.
@Follow the science
1) No no one can prove the dead teachers were infected at school unless all faculty, staff, and students at school were tested and had their Covid-19 sample sequenced and compared to the sample of these these unfortunate teachers.
2) One can be very certain these poor teachers had the opportunity to infect their students and colleagues at school or in the classroom during their pre-symptomatic phase. Parents are sadly mistaken to think the infection cannot come from teachers and go to your children.
3) Did you read the CDC study/paper or did you just “follow the headlines” instead of the science? Here is a scientific paper you may want to follow:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2775875?fbclid=IwAR2cdxzVJfK8D-ATBMdJctMgqYOJ_DhaFADl7qXxbbH_zaWhfmEn7nV7ftw
4) Beyond the headlines, I selected a section for your analysis( Capital letters in parentheses wee added to focus you). Reflect on letters C-D-E-F to appreciate what should done before bringing the school to F2F “…..In addition, all recommended mitigation measures in schools must continue: (A) requiring universal face mask use, increasing physical distance by (B) de-densifying classrooms and common areas, (C) using hybrid attendance models when needed to limit the total number of contacts and prevent crowding, (D) increasing room air ventilation, and (E) expanding screening testing to rapidly identify and isolate asymptomatic infected individuals. (F) Staff and students should continue to have options for online education, particularly those at increased risk of severe illness or death if infected with SARS-CoV-2…”
Palace has called an all-Principals meeting for tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
@lawsuit. I have already contacted PAGE about this. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll check what they have to say. I can’t understand how a superintendent can simply say that ADA does not guarantee teleworking. What does the law protect? I don’t get it.
Just read that DCSD anticipates a multi million dollar surplus but they can’t pay for shields in classrooms. Seriously??
An individual meets the Americans with Disabilities with Act definition act of “disability” that would qualify them for reasonable accommodations if they have “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (sometimes referred to in the regulations as an “actual disability”) …
An employer may not require a qualified individual with a disability to accept an accommodation. If, however, an employee needs a reasonable accommodation to perform an essential function or to eliminate a direct threat, and refuses to accept an effective accommodation, s/he may not be qualified to remain in the job.
^^^ @Unbelievable – “Just read that DCSD anticipates a multi million dollar surplus but they can’t pay for shields in classrooms. Seriously??”
———————————————————
Wilborn P. Nobles III’s article in the AJC is wrong: THERE IS NO $102 MILLION SURPLUS!
I’ll say it again: THERE IS *NO* $102 MILLION SURPLUS!
There is money in the reserves account, but the reserves are not a surplus. DCSD is required to keep money as reserves. Stan can explain it better than me.
Here’s the AJC article @Unbelievable and I are discussing:
————————————————————————————–
DeKalb schools expects multimillion budget surplus, despite pandemic
DeKalb County Schools is anticipating a $102 million surplus when fiscal year 2020-2021 ends on June 30, despite a significant decline in property tax revenue expected due to the pandemic, officials said.
https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/dekalb-schools-expects-multimillion-budget-surplus-despite-pandemic/7CRBHG27Q5EC7IBQ7KSKZMCWQ4/
————————————————————————————–
From ABC News:
—————————————————————–
Biden administration developing school safety standards for reopening during COVID-19 pandemic
There hasn’t been a clear federal standard on when it’s safe to reopen a school.
As officials nationwide grapple with how to reopen schools, the White House said on Wednesday it plans to develop school safety standards as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing that there are “a number of steps that will need to be taken” to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of reopening the majority of K-8 schools within 100 days.
When specifically asked if the administration plans to develop metrics or standards for what a safe reopening of schools will look like, Psaki responded, “We do.”
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-administration-developing-school-safety-standards-reopening-covid/story?id=75520360
—————————————————————–
High school teachers and parents should be asking why grades 9-12 are not part of the President’s goal to open within 100 days. What are they *not* telling us?
The article also says:
—————————————————————–
Psaki reiterated that Biden’s plan to safely reopen schools will “require testing materials, support for contact tracing, vaccinations for teachers and ensuring they’re equitably provided.”
—————————————————————–
We do *not* have any of those things — NO testing materials, NO contract tracing and NO vaccinations.
I just read the ADA and Covid information. I am not an attorney but the language was English not lawyer. It seems that we can be precluded from teleworking if an acceptable solution is found for the employees’ protection. I still believe that putting teachers with students from arrival in school through the end of the day is unacceptable. However one mitigation would be to provide the teachers who are at great risk due to age or underlying medical issues to have protective shields around their desks and perhaps around the students desks. I am very interested in learning exactly how accommodating they will be beyond the steps they have taken. They probably should not be giving rags to clean the rooms. Paper towels are much safer.
@the ball- the only acceptable response from Dekalb is to stay virtual. Teachers and staff are leaving if we go f2f. F2F is not safe.
@DSW2Contributor any updates on what was said in the principals meeting?
Will someone please tell Biden the schools are already open and teachers and staff are dying. How does he not know what’s going on??
11 Metro Atlanta Superintendents Pen Letter To Kemp Over Vaccines | Patch
https://patch.com/georgia/tucker/s/hehpc/11-metro-atlanta-superintendents-pen-letter-to-kemp-over-vaccines?utm_term=article-slot-1&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
Video on school opening
https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/dekalb-video-shows-students-what-to-expect-when-classrooms-reopen/CZYHFEV5ZZDVZELKD2L5WIH36M/
School personnel are being forced back into the buildings. If you or a loved one has a condition that makes you more susceptible to COVID, tough. The expectation is that everyone is in the building February 3rd. They are denying leave requests for teachers that are going through chemo and the like. All metrics have been abandoned. Buildings are safe – just not safe enough for board meetings to be held in-person. Classrooms are safe and ready – just not enough for those in decision-making positions at the county-level, to send their OWN students into a Dekalb school building when they open. Dekalb county will NOT provide COVID-19 related paid leave. If school personnel end up having a COVID exposure at school, they will have to use their personal sick time or take LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.
At this point, it is just a count down until summer break. Dekalb is about to lose many wonderful teachers due to an abject failure of leadership from the top. The district has lost the trust of teachers and will be unable to regain it.
@ComplianceOverCompassion: Well said. Teaching will never be the same again in DeKalb. And who will suffer from that? The group that everyone is so concerned about: the students. I see a future where it is going to get harder and harder to find HIGH QUALITY teachers and personnel for careers in public schools. This is a watershed moment.
Adding fuel to the fire: I spoke to my PAGE attorney today as apparently a number of teachers have over the past few days. He said that they have written the palace and received no response from them. They are dealing with all this by doing nothing. I don’t want to say what he told me because I don’t want to misspeak. If you belong to one of the teacher organizations contact an attorney there to discuss your individual situation. I hope that everyone who is in a position to leave will fight back to let them know that we are not doing to take this disrespect and lack of consideration anymore. One more thing: if you also live in Dekalb you also pay the salaries of those who are mistreating teachers. We are the public also.
Why do we “have to” report? Just bc CWH says so? We tell our students ALL the time to use common sense… Why aren’t we using it?
What if we ALL work together and DO NOT report to the buildings on Feb 3rd? We still report to PLs, meetings & tutoring virtually as we have been doing. What can they do?
We have to look out for ourselves.
If CWH tells us to jump off a cliff, are we going to jump? No! How is this any different? Whats the worst that can happen if we don’t report to the building on Thursday and Friday but we host our live sessions?! As long as we are serving our young scholars, why does it matter where we log in from? Why do we have to put ourselves and our families in danger??
CWH just wants us back for testing. Why not let the teachers who decided to report to work on Jan 4th handle face to face testing?
Seriously the ball is in our court! We don’t have a union, this is our time to stick TOGETHER!!
Stop threatning to quit or not sign a contract for next year.
SIMPLY DONT REPORT TO THE BUILDING ON FEB 3rd!
Detail question that I’m not sure has been addressed. If a teacher quarantines (and I’ve seen that teachers will have to use their own sick leave), does that mean that they will not be teaching while home on quarantine? Are students going to lose more instruction because of the school building exposures? Or will they be teaching from home while on quarantine, and should their sick leave be used if they are still teaching?
In the AJC today:
————————————————————
Cedar Grove football coach Patrick to take Crisp County job
Miguel Patrick, who led Cedar Grove to a Class 3A football title in 2019 with a victory over Crisp County in the championship game, will become Crisp County’s football coach Thursday, pending school board approval.
–snip–snip–snip–
Patrick acknowledged that his dissatisfaction with DeKalb County Schools played a part in his decision. He didn’t feel coaches had enough input in COVID-19 protocols. DeKalb teams didn’t begin their regular season until October. He also felt county officials didn’t do enough to provide a practice field after his team’s regular field was resurfaced last season. Barred from two other nearby football fields, Cedar Grove practiced instead on a baseball field, Patrick said.
’’To be honest, it had a lot do do with the structure of DeKalb County,’’ he said. “When you don’t feel you have the backing of the county, it makes it tough to continue to compete at a high level. So I just felt this was a better opportunity to be in for me and my family.’’
————————————————————
https://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school-sports-blog/cedar-grove-football-coach-patrick-to-take-crisp-county-job/NRYCAB6V3VBK5MSVP574TZOBRA/
@dsw2contributor- you seem to be very knowledgeable and a veteran teacher. I, on the other hand, am a newbie! Honestly speaking, what do you think the repercussions would be if I do not go to the building next week but I continue fulfilling my duties? @beacusetheysaidso makes a lot of sense, can they really do anything? If so, what? Thanks in advance. If any veteran teachers would like to chime in, please do so!
^ @GUIDANCE NEEDED — what do you think the repercussions would be if I do not go to the building next week but I continue fulfilling my duties?
——————————————————————–
I cannot answer that. The different regions have different expectations of teachers.
You should ask your PAGE representative and/or your personal attorney about what to do.
@Curious — @DSW2Contributor any updates on what was said in the principals meeting?
—————————————————————————–
Lordy, it was so weird, so stupid and oh so infuriating.
A few days ago, Deborah Jones sent out an email to ODE members. Jones’ email said that teachers should *not* report to their buildings on February 3 because DCSD has not made the school buildings safe and your job is not worth losing your health & life over — she just reiterated the same points ODE has been making for months now. Jones also said that if educators do not report to their buildings then there cannot be F2F instruction.
CWH began this morning’s all-Principals meeting by saying she was aware of that latest Deborah Jones ODE email. CWH said the email was unfair and inflammatory. I cannot for the life of me comprehend why CWH thought it would be a good idea to get on the call herself and personally complain about ODE’s email to ODE members, but CWH did just that.
The meeting went downhill from there.
Principals asked lots of important questions about how to safely run their schools; none of those questions were answered. I think the non-answers really made ODE’s points for ODE. This was a really impressive accomplishment for ODE since ODE was not on the call themselves! (ODE, I tip my hat to you.)
In summary, Deborah Jones cast a really big shadow over a meeting she was not involved in and CWH replied hold my beer.
Who is Deborah Jones and what is ODE? Thanks.
My “handle” says it all. Back in the day, muggers in movies used to say that to their victims. I feel like we are being mugged here and that is the basic question we need to ask ourselves. Whatever the county does afterwards is not the issue. She is clearly unstable and you can’t predict the response of an unstable person. I believe each of us must decide what we are willing to risk and move forward accordingly. Good luck to all of us no matter what we choose.
@puzzled: ODE is an organization that supports teachers and staff. It is NOT a union as some people say because GA is a right to work state. Ms. Jones is the head. It is worth it to join an organization if you stay in education.
DeKalb is purposely holding over 1,000 ADA applications and an unknown number of FMLA applications for processing. They are dragging their feet on processing the applications because they didn’t anticipate having so many teachers that have documented health conditions. We’re being told that we still have to report to work even if we’ve already submitted one of those applications, and that we have to wait for DeKalb to process them. The wait time is over a month. If I submitted leave without pay paperwork, obviously I have no choice but to take that leave. I’m literally unable to report to work on Wednesday, so I won’t be there. Nor will I be there any other day. I submitted paperwork for my FMLA to begin on the 3rd, and if DeKalb can’t process it in time because they’re “short staffed” that is not my problem. If they don’t like it, DeKalb can fire me. Unemployment benefits would be far better than leave without pay anyway.
Some of my teacher friends are buying air purifiers for their classrooms:
Headline:
“ Air purifiers could help to SPREAD Covid-19 in confined spaces, study claims
Study shows air purifiers help move Covid-19 germs around in confined spaces
Devices are installed to clean air in small areas where people gather, like lifts
Scientists say purifiers may ‘increase droplet spread’ if someone were to cough”
Those waiting for an ADA decision, to quote Bob Marley, you are ‘Waiting in Vain”. The county has mandated no one gets out of face to face, regardless of medical conditions. They wasted everyone’s time who applied for an ADA. They had no intention of allowing teleworking.
Disingenuous,
I heard that as well. They’re now saying that they’re not legally required to allow a telework option even though CWH put that option in writing. I applied for FMLA and they’re saying that it will take over a month to process that application. I will NOT report to work on Wednesday because I have no choice. My situation isn’t going to disappear just because DeKalb refuses to process paperwork in a timely manner. Like I said, they can fire me. I calculated the unemployment benefits and I’d actually make more on unemployment than I’d get by taking leave—even if I do get short-term disability. I could use the mental health break, and I’ll go to another county next year. I no longer care at this point.
@Puzzled, the 3 big teacher organizations are ODE (Organization of DeKalb Educators), PAGE (Professional Association of Georgia Educators), and GAE (Georgia Association of Educators). I am in a Special Ed Teacher so I also join CEC (Council for Exceptional Children). It seems to me that a lot of people out side of education do not realize that Georgia does not have a teacher union. Even my brother in law was surprised (he is my CPA and I keep explaining to him why I am going the teacher organizations). He always said, isn’t PAGE a union? I think that CWH is having a field day – New York has a very strong teacher union! Georgia does not have a teacher union!!! Prayers to all!!!
Do you get unemployment benefits if you are fired because you didn’t report to work?
Mark,
Honestly, I don’t care. I’ll pull out my TRS and live off that money until I get re-hired in another district in August. But, I believe Biden just signed an executive order that lets workers collect unemployment if they’re not returning to work because they feel that the environment is unsafe. This is what I found:
“Guarantee that No American Has to Choose Between Paying Their Bills and Keeping Themselves and Their Families Safe from COVID-19. In 2019, 43% of American households reported having at least one member with pre-existing conditions, many of whom may have a heightened risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID. President Biden believes that workers should have the right to safe work environments and that no one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own or their families’ health. As one of many measures to help keep workers and their families’ safe throughout the pandemic, the President is asking the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that will jeopardize their health and if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment insurance.”
It looks like workers are protected. I have documentation of filing FMLA paperwork due to health conditions, and I have documentation from the doctors. I’m not returning because I have no choice but to stay home and take a leave of absence. If DeKalb chooses to fire me because of that, then so be it.
The district appears to have no plan and appears to want to keep people misinformed and afraid.
Can any of you say you received a reply to your ADA request that stated in writing you wouldn’t receive a telework option? I’m not talking about those people requesting one because of vulnerable family in house but about those employees with a medically identified disability. It’s one thing to communicate something verbally; it’s another thing to put it in writing.
The district probably doesn’t want to put certain things in writing because it’s hoping misinformed and scared employees will just come to the building and stay quiet. Once you’re there, it’s hard to say you can’t be there in the future. I’m guessing it’s delaying responding to valid ADA requests and having administrators call employees with previously approved ADA requests so that it creates this situation.
The AJC has reported that Dekalb has not published Covid cases among its staff and students. Hard to see how that fact will support any mandate to report to school for any employees but especially those with underlying conditions. The Georgia Department of Public Health may not mandate that the district publishes the numbers, but it does require the district to provide case numbers to the health department. I would assume that the CEO of Dekalb or the county commissioners could request that information to assess the overall public health situation in Dekalb as the district intends to create more situations for Covid spread.
No, they don’t have anything in writing about what happens when you’re quarantining either. Of course you can’t be required to work when you’re using sick days. In fact, they would be breaking the law if you did work while out sick.
Pay less attention to what’s being shared via phone call and second hand and more attention to what is and isn’t in writing.
I am so frustrated that it’s giving anxiety attacks. I’ve read all the comments about teachers refusing to go F2F to teachers are lazy to teachers are not teaching. I’m sorry, but teachers are not getting respect as teachers nor as people. Teachers are just as frustrated as the superintendent and the administration! Teachers want to be back in the classrooms to teach. The difference in the teachers frustration and the superintendent is she’s thinking of the popular vote and school funding and the teachers are in fear of contracting a disease that may or may not take their life but will certainly make them feel like they’re not going to get over it. I’m sadden that our parents really have little care about their teachers and administrators, the lack of respect the superintendent gives the teacher’s organizations in this state. If the superintendent is worried about student enrollment this year or next, going back F2F right now will not increase the enrollment.(unless I’m misinformed). We have a good budget this year to no thanks to the the new superintendent, but if this is the case, why doesn’t she be open about that. Not sure why in the past she has disregarded a member of a board that’s an elected member. Not sure of anything anymore about DeKalb School. THIS IS FRUSTRATING! Hopefully we can come together, first, parents and teachers or visa versa, with the superintendent.
@Frustrated. I’m not sure what DeKalb Schools is looking at. Seems like the decision to go back was at the drop of a dime back in December. It could be funding or academics … or who knows.
From the parent’s point of view, they see Biden’s executive order and these studies from the CDC. They drive down the street and see that everything is open except for the schools.
Waitingfordot,
I agree. I truly believe that DeKalb is going to use this month-long delay in processing paperwork to force teachers into the buildings so that they can turn around and deny those applications. They’re going to say that if teachers were able to figure out a plan for that month, then their situations aren’t urgent and they should be required to continue working in-person. The ODE has good reason for advising teachers not to return. Again, my situation is one in which I have no choice. I’m not refusing to return out of protest, I’m refusing to return because I have no other option. My willingness to accept leave without pay, or 60% of my salary (through short-term disability), should be an indication of how dire my situation is. DeKalb is disgusting for pulling this.
@waitingforgodot,
You know, you have spoken what has just happened! I am really praying for our leaders of DCSD, for that is what I’m supposed to do, but it’s like seeing nothing but chaos in the making. If you ever has experienced COVID-19 or talked to someone that survived it, it’s a Disease, yes with a capital letter, that makes you feel like you’re gonna die or worse. My question to the superintendent is why subject thousands of employees to that and what are your reasons for open the buildings when we will be teaching F2F AND virtual. Hopefully her intentions are honorable because the ODE organization is thinks she’s not being honest with her decisions. I’m honestly praying for her and DCSD AS A WHOLE.
@Stan: You make an interesting point about the fact that parents drive down the street and see that everything is open, except for the schools. That is exactly why the schools are closed. In many European countries they have closed non essential businesses so that schools can be open. They also pay these workers while they are not working. We have chosen not to do that. Also, the CDC clearly states that community spread must be LOW for schools to be open, and that has yet to happen in DeKalb or in the area in general. In order for the spread to slow, life cannot go on as usual. We have decided to act like there is not a deadly/life impairing disease that is circulating. I take this seriously not just for my own health, but for the health of anyone that I encounter. This is the only way to SAFELY open schools again.
OMG, I am crying because DCSD’s new video is just so bad:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/F3BHa5fVa0Y
The video features a trio of “DUMB ASSES WHO DON’T WEAR MASKS”:
Principal Mr. Michael Alexander (Chapel Hill MS)
Principal Dr. Thomas Glanton (Southwest Dekalb HS)
Principal Dr. Latashia Searcy (Miller Grove HS)
At 0:42 into the video, CWH and Michael Alexander are walking side-by-side down a hall —NO SOCIAL DISTANCING— and at 1:08 in the video MASKLESS Dr. Glanton stands in the middle of his atrium and says “Always Wear Your Mask”.
At least Principal Gail Barnes (Chamblee Charter HS) and Principal Dr. Keshier Smikle (Canby Lane ES) are only shown wearing masks….. so the takeaway is that 2 out of 5 DCSD Principals are capable of wearing masks.
When the first case of COVID is reported after the grand re-opening Wednesday. I say Friday.
Associated Press article:
————————————
Fauci sees vaccination for kids by late spring or the summer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert said Friday he hopes to see some kids starting to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in the next few months. It’s a needed step to securing widespread immunity to the virus.
Vaccines are not yet approved for children, but testing already is underway for those as young as 12.
If those trials are successful, Dr. Anthony Fauci said they would be followed by another round of testing down to those 9 years old.
“Hopefully by the time we get to the late spring and early summer we will have children being able to be vaccinated,” Fauci said at a White House coronavirus briefing.
https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-anthony-fauci-coronavirus-pandemic-infectious-diseases-coronavirus-vaccine-47af1ca6b75a2cedaac7923b7b084404
Thanks to those who answered my Q about ODE. I’m a parent and care passionately about education. The communications from the Department have been muddled, incomplete and inconsistent. It doesn’t engender trust in their planning. My child will not go F2F. We appreciate our teachers and want to keep them safe. The smaller the number of people in the building, the safer it will be for those who are there.
FYI I am not going in Wednesday either. I also will not continue grading assignments nor will I make lesson plans for whomever will be tapped as my long term sub. No pay no play.
Meanwhile I got advice from a lawyer. If you don’t hear from the county on an ADA request please make a complaint to EEOC. The county seems to be not in compliance with the law by Not Offering Any Accommodations at all. I suspect that our #1 cheerleader believes that teachers are all hat and no cattle about this issue and will meekly return to school on Wednesday. I am not encouraging anyone who is in a difficult situation to risk losing your job, but if your medical situation is such that you are risking your life please don’t go in for your sake and the concept of bonding together against those who do not care if their actions do us harm. Like many others I have a family member who died from Covid. I see the risk is too great.
@Sick from everything except COVID
How can we say that during the peak of a pandemic that we have been ordered to report back into buildings that we feel have not been properly prepared. Well the COVID-19 doesn’t care who you are…just ask the super. I pray that we do what is needed to lower the curve.
@concerned: “Well the COVID-19 doesn’t care who you are…just ask the super. ” Are you saying subtly that the super has covid? or someone close to her?
@Sick from Everything – way to be there for the students, your students. You are the true meaning of self-serving asshole.
@AB…supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…yes!
Dear worried about the students. I think you really don’t get it. The definition of slavery is doing work without pay. If I take family leave I will not be paid. Do you work without pay? I don’t think so. I truly love my students but I am not a slave. Period.
@DSW2Contributor I wanted to ask you what does the commission have to do with Female schools I am asking because I know they had the protest there yesterday I wondering if they could step in and do something. Another thing it seems that all the principal are on different pages because I have been talking to people at different schools and everyone has a different version about what each school is doing. Last thing have there been any closed door meetings since the protest yesterday. Thanks in advance
^ @Scared, I *assume* ODE protested at the County Commissioners Office because the County Board of Health reports to the County CEO (Michael Thurmond) and the County Commissioners.
I just sent an email to the PSC letting them know that I will not be in any building on Wednesday and explained that as of today I have not received a response from DCSD regarding my ADA request. I wanted to let them know that I didn’t abandon my contract but that the county abandoned me by not responding.
@Exhausted, Please let us know if you receive a response!
If you’re “scared to go back,” then no amount of Science™ will persuade you otherwise. Attempting to refute emotions with facts and reason is a fool’s errand. Perhaps all “scared” teachers should schedule an appointment with a guidance counselor to work through their fears.
The video features a trio of “DUMB ASSES WHO DON’T WEAR MASKS”
Don’t you mean TWO MASKS because that’s the “common sense” approach now, right? But why not THREE MASKS? Hell, why not FIFTY MASKS? Fifty layers of protection for me and thee is nifty, right? It’s just “common sense” according to St. Fauci, which shows the depth of his commitment to science. The results prove that California and its mask mandate did nothing to stop its surge in coronavirus cases, but you keep masking yourself and complaining about DUMB ASSES, @DSW2. It’s a good look on you.
@Concerned Citizen
Change your name. You are NOT concerned about anyone except perhaps yourself. Much as you cry and whine, you are not going to get what you want. No teacher is going to risk their health by getting within 6 feet of the students. Sorry, just the facts. Just ask the families of the Cobb, Henry, Gwinnett, Cherokee educators if face to face was worth it.
ADA &pregnant
I heard from PSC. If they receive a complaint from the county I will have an opportunity to respond to the investigation. If feel like I would be screwed coming and going.
@Just the facts — yeah, change your name because facts ain’t your game. I am concerned … about suicide rates, overdose rates, lack of learning for year after year after year after year, and the diminished future prospects for students stuck with a stunning lack of — what’s the word? — concern from educators who claim to put students’ interests first but those aren’t the facts, Jack. I can give you the facts presented in study after study and your reply will be “this is a life and death decision for teachers!” Your facts aren’t. Your facts are your perceptions wrapped in your hysterics and blanketed with your privilege, entitlement, and self-righteousness. In the Las Vegas-Clarke County school district, 18 students have committed suicide while educators screamed, “Teachers will die!!!!” Facts are mighty inconvenient to teachers at this moment.
@Concerned Citizen –
Just as people that share your views say to teachers “if you don’t like it, just quit”, people who think as you do should just take your children out of public education and put them in private. Then I’m sure they’d be face-to-face. Problem solved. Nobody is forcing this on you. If you (or those that think as you do) don’t like it, stop bitching about it and withdraw your kids.
@Pot Kettle—
If the government would provide me with the per pupil expenditure that the various government entities pump into the failed public education system, then yes, I would/could put my students in private school. In the meantime, I will bitch about the failed public education system peopled by failures like yourself who somehow think “nobody is forcing this on you” when that is exactly what is happening. I suggest you withdraw your head from your hindquarters before typing your next bit o’ brilliant commentary.
@Concerned Citizen
The teenage suicide rates have been increasing over the last 10 years. They are sadly expected to increase during the Covid-19 pandemic since they usually rise during other periods of national calamity. Contrary to popular belief, parents, not teachers, are charged with keeping their children safe. Teachers may be able to catch a sign when the parents are too busy, too distracted, or sometimes a little negligent in their parental duties. No one should rely mostly on or blame teachers or school administrators to stop teen suicides.
Schools cannot undo the pandemic. That is the issue! Pandemic 101 was not in the undergraduate teaching or graduate administrative curriculum. You give both teachers and administrators far too much credit to think them experts in the field of pandemic. That could explain why you are are so eager to trust blindly and without a single question because, for some, a re-opened school is the symbolic end of the pandemic and the return to normal all want.
What about the teenage suicides? Teachers continue to monitor the signs, the writings, the conversations, and the behaviors of the students. Principals are receiving calls from teachers reporting troubling signs at all hours of the night, weekday and weekend, during this virtual phase just as they did before. Rest easy there. But, there are actions that parents should take on their own at home and in consultation with a mental health professional to prevent suicide. Here is what has been published:
“….Suicidal ideation often signals psychological distress. Thus, suicidal ideation should always be taken seriously.
A recent study in the United States showed that 50 per cent of parents were not aware that their adolescents, especially younger adolescents, were thinking about suicide.
For this reason, it’s important to be there, and be aware. Be especially attentive to warning signs. Don’t wait for teens to come to you. Engage them in conversation.
Be alert for any signs of psychological suffering, non-suicidal self-injury, social isolation, increased drug/alcohol use or researching the internet for potential means. Any step toward exploring suicide or signs of considering a suicide attempt should be considered a red flag…”
But you already knew all that. You were just searching for arguments for a symbolic end of the pandemic and the return to normal.
I am positive, le Baron de Vastey, that as a man of letters you are aware of the increasing rate of suicides over the past decade and the perceived reasons for those increases; however, 2019 was a year of decline. The lockdowns and their negative effects on mental health are threatening circumstances for young adults and adolescents. Despair drives suicide rates among our youth. Ignoring their need for a “normal” school experience that prepares them to succeed as they confront their future will have terrible consequences. Those of us who have been touched by suicide are not “just searching for arguments for a symbolic end of the pandemic and the return to normal.” We want to prevent the horrible devastation that follows the numbness when one first hears the words, “He killed himself.” A family shocked with that awful phrase once is more than likely to hear it again. And then again. The first to topple sets more in motion, both contemporary and across generations. More than a “red flag,” that first suicide becomes an idée fixe that can dominate a family for decades. Some normal, that.
Concerned citizen—across the web I recognize your pain. Clearly this has happened in your family or with close friends. What Henri has said is unfortunately true. Parents are the ones who are in charge of their children and teachers will assist but cannot be the primary person. We care and we do our best to recognize symptoms and report them quickly. However, I don’t go home with my students and barely have authority over them when they are in school. Please don’t make us accountable for what we cannot control more than reporting a problem. Also, teachers can have problems with parents if we report so sometimes we are taking serious risk and yet we do it anyway. Please try to meet us halfway with this issue so parents and teachers can work together for the benefit of the children.
Does anyone have news about tomorrow? I am not going in and neither is one of my friends. But I didn’t ask anyone; this was volunteered to me.
@JustCurious I’m not going either and most of my constituents aren’t either…It’s a sick day…
@Just Curious @ Confident I am not going in either. Sick day for me until….
Georgia DPH Covid Data for Dekalb County, February 2, 2021:
Cases (last 2 weeks): 4015
Cases per 100K (last 2 weeks): 506
Cases per 100K (total): 5963
Confirmed Cases (today): 141
7-Day Moving Average: 247.3
% PCR Tests Positive: 10.6
7-Day Moving Average: 10.7
@DSW2Contributor you seem to find out all the news .but I saw on the news where they said that staff and teachers did not due a sick out today which was false and that Southwest Dekalb had 95% of teachers and staff at school that was a lie because my sister works there and she said 50% of teachers and staff was not there. At my school the bathroom were nasty, roaches crawling in the room, no heat in my room and CWH said all that was fixed she lied. At my school we found out teachers are in quarantine and they said it as ok for them to be at school which is not safe. Why does CWH need to lie about everything it is time for her to go.
Just heard CWH on the radio she said will announce at the board meeting when the students will return because the teachers were so happy to be back and they are ready for the students. Everyone know that is a lie it is time for everyone to email and call board members, news, and newspaper. Because if we don’t lots of people will be sick