“If this is the norm, we don’t have a chance”
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Sunday…
Dear Maine South Families,
On Friday evening, the building administration was notified about potential COVID exposures to students in social settings at multiple parties across a four day period beginning on August 14th. After spending the entire weekend calling families, we know students were exposed to positive cases of COVID at these parties. When we’re notified about potential positive cases, we enact our mandated contact tracing protocol. For this protocol to work, it requires complete cooperation and honesty with all parties and unfortunately, we did not have that from some families. It makes the process impossible if we’re not able to quickly figure out which students were present where and with whom. In total, Maine South staff made contact with, or attempted to make contact with, at least 71 students over the weekend to determine the scope of contact tracing for the reported events.
Based on the numbers of students we believe were in attendance at the parties, and the positive cases we know of, we are making the following changes to the week of August 24th:
Senior day (August 24th) is now online.
Junior orientation (August 25th & 26th): a virtual orientation recording will be sent via email.
Sophomore orientation (August 27th & 28th): a virtual orientation recording will be sent via email.
More information about instructional materials pick-up will be forthcoming.
The following will remain the same for the week of August 24th:
When your student is being tested for COVID, we need to know about it immediately. Please call the school’s health office when you take the test and then again with the test result. Information can be found in our COVID parent guide.
We have repeatedly said in the online sessions that we all want our students back in school. For that to happen, the rules outside of the school cannot differ from the rules inside school … and large parties are not going to help. What was also troubling was the lack of partnership that we witnessed through the weekend as we spoke to families who either refused to share information or gave us false impressions of what took place. There is no disciplinary action when we have to contact trace and when we call, we are doing so to keep our students and staff safe and make sure COVID is not passed along to anyone, especially those with underlying health conditions.
The virtual schedule for Senior day can now be found on the Class of 2021 webpage.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ben Collins, Principal
* Tribune…
“If this is the norm, we don’t have a chance (for in-person learning),” [Maine South Superintendent Ken Wallace] said. “If this is what we have to deal with week to week, trying to run down who is exposed and who is positive, it’s going to be really difficult to maintain any semblance of in-person school and grow it like we want to.”
In order to transition from remote learning to in-classroom learning, schools in District 207 must know if students have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to it, Wallace said. Such information should be reported immediately by calling the student’s school, the superintendent said.
Students and their parents also share the responsibility in protecting themselves from contracting the virus and exposing others, he added.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
This is the norm. This is a huge problem. Loyola’s high school in Wilmette just went virtual. Lots of others have too. The system is only as strong as the weakest link and we have a lot of very weak links.
- Bob_Loblaw - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
You can choose privacy and personal choice, but you’re going to give up schools, the economy, and public health. We have to act as a community to defeat this thing. Americans are not accustomed to it, and are showing they’re outright hostile to it. That is a choice that comes with consequences. Too many people want to make the choice and not live with the consequences. Not how life works
- thechampaignlife - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
Happened in Mahomet for a summer prom as well. It will only be resolved when the U of I’s saliva test can be conducted at least weekly in schools. Only when you know the status of every student (or else they have to be virtual) will you get ahead of the obstruction.
- Nearly Normal - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
Welcome to my world living in Normal. Our school district saw this coming and Unit 5 (and Bloomington 87) quickly pivoted to virtual only in early August before the infection surge.
- Mama - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
“In order to transition from remote learning to in-classroom learning, schools in District 207 must know if students have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to it, Wallace said. Such information should be reported immediately by calling the student’s school, the superintendent said.”
The parents and the kids don’t seen to care that someone else can catch it from them.
- Morty - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:33 pm:
Totally shocked that the most predictable inevitabile event occured.
If only 10% of a community are Covidiots, this is the conclusion
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:33 pm:
“it requires complete cooperation and honesty with all parties and unfortunately, we did not have that from some families.”
The same people shouting for schools to reopen to make the president look good are the same ones calling COVID a hoax, so good luck getting them to comply with contact tracing efforts. There’s no way this is sustainable.
- pool boy - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:36 pm:
If they want to track this they will need to cut deals. My guess is parents don’t want their kid suspended or kicked off a sports team for a rules/code of conduct violation.
- Ok - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:45 pm:
Won’t someone please think of the children and their parties?
- The Doc - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:47 pm:
==The same people shouting for schools to reopen to make the president look good==
It’s not limited to Trumpers, if my experience is representative. Shocked at the number of parents in my affluent, suburban district that are demanding in-person schooling.
- revvedup - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:04 pm:
Whoever is handing out stupid pills to adults and children, please stop it now. These people need no help; they’re dumb as rocks already.
- Trace Armstrong - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:06 pm:
Fairly predictable. I’ve never heard any public health people really say how successful they are in getting cooperation. I’m not sure if public health doesn’t want to reveal a bad number.
At the same time, it’s quite likely that all the people at the party know they were exposed and that a great number are taking appropriate steps regardless of their level of cooperation. At least some people are going to operate under a rule where they tell someone they’ve tested positive and suggest they get a test as well. People don’t want to “turn someone in” to the authorities but they do want them to know the information.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:12 pm:
Zero tolerance for non-cooperative families. Help or home school.
I keep visualizing Alfred E. Neuman, maskless of course.
- My New Handle - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:16 pm:
Home sapiens has been around about 200,000 years. I expect the species won’t last another 200,000.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:29 pm:
If you’re foolish enough to attend a party at this point your unwillingness to cooperate doesn’t come as much of a surprise. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these individuals haven’t been tested and/or quarantined. Their indifference tells me that they believe this is no big deal.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:07 pm:
I am going to argue that school administrators own some of the challenges with this.
Both when I was in HS and even more so when my kids were in HS that punishment for things and what things were a problem seemed a bit arbitrary at times, some things that were not a problem one year were a problem the next year, etc.
So your a parent and your kid attended a thing, you start spilling the beans about everything you really don’t have any idea what the consequences are for your kid for something they did that was not at a school event. So if I share everything that we know, my kid might be subject to punishment and will be thought of as ‘the kid that made us do a deep clean and cancel this and that.’ I have to admit I understand why a parent might be concerned about that because the odds of that being kept confidential are slim and none.
Even if it is, there might have been 20 or 30 kids at this thing, but mine would be remembered as the one who was the ‘problem.’ I can sympathize with a parent who is worried about that.
- No Raise - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:10 pm:
Where was everyone the last 100 winters with the flu being spread at parties? Nothing like adults taking away kids’ childhoods.
- A - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:19 pm:
I am shocked at the desperation of some parents who would do just about anything to get their kids out of the house and back in school. Some aren’t working, so being able to do their job isn’t the motivation. They’re just sick of them. Some are shocked at what is involved in instruction (for their one or two kids) but could never bring themselves to state that what teachers handle every day is a lot more than they’d ever imagined. So, it’s not that easy, eh?
Those parents don’t seem to be concerned with anyone’s health however. They aren’t taking a political stance on this disease, they’re just selfish people of both political camps.
Another disappointment in humanity for me.
- I am Batman - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:37 pm:
Sadly, we live in an era of selfishness, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and general wackiness.
- MyTwoCents - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:38 pm:
A public health department had this problem in New York. The problem was only solved after issuing subpoenas with $2,000 fines attached for non-compliance. For contract tracing in general, whether done through a health department or through a school it’s going to take a serious hammer to get effective compliance.
- Still Waiting - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:50 pm:
Even more fun is when you have staff members living a few miles away in Indiana, and a large part of the student population also has family ties there. Then you get to work with with two conflicting state health departments trying to contact trace and issue quarantine orders, and I can tell you people in Indiana haven’t been super cooperative either.
- jimbo - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 6:05 pm:
~~Where was everyone the last 100 winters with the flu being spread at parties? Nothing like adults taking away kids’ childhoods.~~
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present exhibit A as to why ALL the schools will end up at home this winter.
- Jibba - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 6:33 pm:
Who could have predicted this? Us. All of us. Looking forward to UI going on line and students going home. 300 tested positive so far.
- jackmac - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 7:07 pm:
273 positive COVID cases in Normal, the number tripled in three days. Half the cases are people in their 20s (likely college students). Illinois State University has already shifted to online learning. This thing is just going to get worse.
- Siriusly - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 7:55 pm:
It’s not all about selfish behavior. We just don’t have the testing systems in place to resume normal level activities. Like they said in the Sun Times today. If U of I can’t make this work with their innovative rapid testing, then nobody can.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 8:40 pm:
=== It’s not all about selfish behavior. We just don’t have the testing systems in place to resume normal level activities. ===
The selfishness is resuming in “normal level activities” like massive house parties when public health officials have said not to.
The selfishness is telling your daughter she can go to a high school dance when she has been quarantined.
The selfishness is showing up maskless on the House floor , and lying to all of your colleagues about getting tested beforehand.
The selfishness is going to your buddy’s 50th birthday even though you are feeling a little under the weather, because you haven’t had any “real fun” in weeks. And not wearing a mask because no one else is…so it would be awkward.
You can do everything right, follow every precaution, and still get COVID. But those cases are not what is driving this pandemic. The pandemic is being driven by people who are choosing to ignore the restrictions recommended by medical experts.
- Cadillac - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 8:52 pm:
=== Still Waiting - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 5:50 pm:
Even more fun is when you have staff members living a few miles away in Indiana, ===
LOL. You’re going to blame this on Indiana?
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 9:26 pm:
Excellent communication from the principal.
F2F learning can take place, but it is contingent on students (and their families) acting responsibly. The principal did a very good job connecting behavior to consequences. The more frequently and consistently this type of message is conveyed, the more likely people are to acct appropriately. I realize not everyone will comply, but this is the way to move us all toward a more responsible social norm.
Universities…take note…no need to hide numbers and spring consequences at the last minute. Create a dashboard, publicize it, get the students to connect actions to consequences…that’s part of the mission isn’t it?
- Lynn S. - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 1:35 am:
@Siriusly,
If you think rapid testing 2x per week is going to control Covid-19 at the U of I, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell to you at a great price, and I won’t even demand a portion of the $$$$ you earn from tolls.
If you go to uiuc reddit, they have lots of pictures of parties taking place on campus. Start driving around the fraternity houses around 3 p.m. any afternoon, and let me know what you see…
Or go to Scott Park or Frat Park, and count all the people playing basketball.
Front page of today’s News-Gazette said 263 cases in 5 days of testing. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see that number become 150 or more per day by this time next week.
We’re hosed.
Been nice knowing y’all. There are some really funny and articulate folks hanging out here.
(And the days with an Oscar picture are some of the best.)
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 2:33 am:
===uiuc reddit===
Hello, fellow millennial.
- Moderate Mom - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 9:14 am:
This type of behavior doesn’t surprise me in the least. I am a healthcare provider and found out that I had been exposed when a patient’s parent brought their teenager to my office twice knowing that they were positive for Covid 19 at the time of the visits. The parents had signed paperwork before the appointments stating that their child was not Covid 19 positive. They lied and exposed me and my entire staff and any patients in the waiting room. The teen’s care would not have been impacted had they done a televisit which would have been the right thing to do. By the time we found out it had been 21 days and thankfully no one in my office got sick. To say people are acting in a willfully ignorant and selfish manner is an understatement. There seems to be a fundamental pathology of disconnect in empathy and concern for others in our society.
- Lynn S. - Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 9:21 am:
“Hello, fellow millennial.”
My kiddo is the millennial. I’m Gen X.
And my mom is the Boomer.