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* Message to parents yesterday from Triad Community Unit #2 Superintendent Leigh Lewis…
As you may be aware, Triad is one of many school district defendants in two different lawsuits regarding COVID mitigations. The first lawsuit, Austin v. Pritzker, was brought by parents across the state against 145 school districts and the State regarding the mask mandate and the requirement that districts exclude close contacts from school. The second lawsuit, Allen v. Pritzker, was brought by staff members across the state against 21 school districts and the State regarding the testing mandate for staff and the requirement that staff wear masks in schools. Both lawsuits ask for class certification. In other words, they ask that the Court apply whatever the outcome of the case is to all students or staff in a school district instead of applying the outcome to only the named Defendants.
These two lawsuits will be heard in Court next week on motions for temporary restraining order. It is possible that the judge in these cases will determine as early as next week that Triad cannot enforce the use of masks in school for students or staff members, at least on a temporary basis. If that happens, we will have to make some quick decisions about how to conduct school until the lawsuits are resolved. We wanted to give you as much notice as possible regarding the options we are considering.
• Even if the mask mandate is lifted for some or all students or staff, due to the current high transmission rates in our area, Triad will continue to strongly encourage our students, staff, and community to wear masks in schools and in many cases will make additional efforts to create more physical distance between students and staff members not wearing masks in order to prevent additional spread.
• Depending on the transmission rate in our area at the time the decision of the court is released, if we cannot employ COVID mitigations, we may have to move to remote learning. We will work to find other options before we make this decision, but we want you to know that it is a possibility.
We will keep you informed as to mitigations and the outcome of the lawsuits as soon as we have additional information.
Triad is in Madison County.
* Attorney Tom DeVore, by the way, is against the concept of public schools…
* He’s also busy spreading goofy “resist” propaganda when he isn’t working to maybe shut down schools by prohibiting statewide mitigations…
* But he’s not the only one. Jesse Sullivan is out there with the resisters…
If you don’t know who Emma Woodhouse is, well, count your lucky stars.
* Pic from the rally…
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:00 am
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Public Schools have dress codes.
Dress codes have been upheld time and time again by the courts.
The solution is to make masks part of the required dress code. Not because of any medical claims, simply as part of the existing dress code. That immediately removes any complaint of masks being a ‘medical procedure’.
If this guy wants to play with loopholes, then lets go all in on abusing loopholes.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:07 am
If it’s Woodhouse you’re courtin’, your campaign will shorten.
Comment by Roadrager Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:10 am
==If you don’t know who Emma Woodhouse is, well, count your lucky stars.==
You made me look. Dang it, Rich.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:11 am
Why on earth is Jesse Sullivan running for office? Was this the only way he could get GOP Daddy Kenny G’s attention?
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:12 am
==If you don’t know who Emma Woodhouse is, well, count your lucky stars.==
Doubt Rich would let me ‘Real name her’ here, but let’s just say she’s an Ed Consultant who’s VERY cozy with Illinois Family Institute types.
Comment by Morty Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:18 am
= Triad joined the lawsuit =
No. 5 or 6 parents in the Triad school district paid devore 5k to file the suit.
Devore is trying to claim that these handfulls of parents in each district, speak for all residents of the district. That’s why he’s trying to get a class certification first, before the 2nd part of the case determines if he can get the TRO.
If he can’t get class certification, then any TRO issued by the judge only applies to the specific people who have filed the lawsuit. If he can get class certification, he can get any decision to apply to everyone in the school district even if they didn’t file a case.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:19 am
Any school, public or private, is going to have a curriculum set by someone. At least with a public school, there are standards so that we know it’s designed to make our kids employable and able to function in life. A curriculum designed to be objective. Can you imagine the curriculum that would be set by some of these protestors?
Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:19 am
I feel like I have seen the “public schools need to be abolished” line more and more lately, with almost the exact same wording as DeVore. Did a new set of talking points get sent out to the far right?
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:23 am
-I feel like I have seen the “public schools need to be abolished” line more and more lately, with almost the exact same wording as DeVore. Did a new set of talking points get sent out to the far right?
Wirepoints, via the always reliable Trib Editoral Page, sure’s been talking it up
Comment by Morty Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:25 am
OK Jesse Sullivan, it’s the first day to circulate petitions, but you have to have your running mate named on the petition.
Time to reveal who’s running with you.
Is it “Emma Woodhouse”?
Comment by John Lopez Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:25 am
So when my daughter was in middle school they adopted a dress code. Nothing major, but everyone had to wear a belt with their khaki pants. For some reason this was an issue for the daughter. The office loaned her a belt a couple of times. Then the call came and Mrs. Club J had to go pick her up cause she was being sent home for the day. No belt for the last time.
I guess I should have called Tom DeVore and got her some due process and made her stay in school. It’s all about that due process.
Comment by Club J Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:32 am
=== if DeVore wins lawsuit ===
LOL
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:37 am
Would you really want to speak to DeVore. My guess is logic would have no role in the discussion. Stupidest gonna stupid.
These folks would gladly cut off their entire face to spite their nose.
Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:41 am
PublicServant, it’s a possibility this time.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:42 am
Abolish public schools?
So now we know (not that we didn’t but now it is obvious):
1. Devore is anti-America- public schools have been a part of our culture since the colonial era and thomas Jefferson was an ardent supporter.
2. Devore hates equality- Public schools are the final bastion of equal opportunity in this country. You can argue about how good some schools are and how we finance them, but everyday we accept everyone who shows up at our doors (so long as they mask). Rich or poor, regardless of religion or race or politics. We take them all. Every. Single. Day.
3)Devore wants an dystopian version of America. Autocratic and only for some people. You can interpret that for yourselves.
He is going to lose. Then be a judge and get his gubmint salary and pension like the rest of the charlatans.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:48 am
“Miraculous Human” is shaping up as more of a religious cult/sect,showing the religion/science divide that put the lives and freedom of Galileo and Copernicus in jeopardy.
There is a difference between believing in science and understanding it.
Where are the Republicans like Jefferson who, for all of his human flaws, supported public schools as necessary for an informed democracy?
Comment by Glenn Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:50 am
I just don’t understand how people who think like this can maintain conflicting ideas as true at the same time. The biggest example is there belief that Trump is the best president ever, smartest, richest, etc. But, then boo him and ignore him when he advocates for the vaccine. In this particular case the belief that CPS is a corrupt, poorly run Bureaucracy and at the same time CTU is evil for opposing their CoVid plans?
Comment by Jimbo2 Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:55 am
It would be interesting to see what would happen with some of these folks if their wish came true.
I think some folks see this as a gateway to their church operating a school. Having been a member of a church that operated a small school (not small by choice, our numbers dropped off the older kids got) for PK-8. It’s hard and will end up a major activity of your church. After a significant investment of time and money, we finally had to just give up.
We can start our own school! Some towns would end up with 3 or 4 (even more) smaller church schools none of which would come close to hitting a critical mass of people. You also now would obviously want to hire teachers that align theologically with your viewpoint, so now you have to find someone who at a minimum has the theological viewpoint you are looking for and has the temperament (and ideally education) to teach. For large education-focused denominations, this isn’t as hard to find, but that isn’t most denominations. Not to mention the competition to hit critical mass to make it work economically, it might require you to vary from your goal of theological purity.
Added bonus of operating a small church school, the conflicts between the kids and families that occur that you are blissfully unaware of in public school, everyone is aware of them in a small church school. Don’t forget if you allow non-members to send their kids to your school, those parents are not going to see you as their private school provider. The school is not part of their ‘ministry’ you are a service provider and they will move on from you at the first sign of trouble or anything they don’t like.
An added bonus with some folks is that they will have a ton of reasons why they are sending their kids to your school, some of which you have to deal with. Things like they don’t like Timmy’s IDP evaluation, Timmy is a genius and the public schools don’t recognize that, they say Timmy has behavior issues but it’s the other kids, not Timmy.
Careful what you wish for.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:02 am
What’s the issue with naming “Emily Woodhouse”? - she went public when she tweeted a youtube video of an (unhinged) appearance at a school board meeting where she gave her real name. If Rich gives the ok I’m happy to post the link and the time in the video where this happens.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:04 am
Private education, at least that aligned with religious ideology, has been declining for some time now. Seems that there just aren’t as many believers out there these days.
Having experienced both private and public education systems I’m a bit mystified that this would be the fight that DeVore would want to take on. While there will always be a few nuts that want to get worked up over CRT and liberal elites, I don’t think that translates to the a broader effort to abolish public schools. And if these are the kinds of issues that Republicans want to run on good luck winning over suburban voters.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:20 am
= I think some folks see this as a gateway to their church operating a school =
In some areas, private religious schools are already running ads for their schools because “we stayed open”.
The catholic diocese schools are jumping all over this. They are taking in huge sums of COVID relief funds, even though they have been collecting tuition the entire time. IF there is a catholic diocese in your area, use the publicly available PPP funding search. Around here, the diocese itself is making these requests for the schools, and ALSO each individual school is making these requests. I have yet to see a single request denied to these religious schools.
The private religious schools see this situation as their last chance to stem the actual exodus from these schools that has been happening for the better part of 2 decades now. Some large catholic high schools before the pandemic even hit were only at 25% of the enrollment they saw in the late 90s.
The same underlying beliefs that have been pushing for school vouchers, are heavily pushing on this as well to increase the donation base for these private schools.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:22 am
‘What’s the issue with naming “Emily Woodhouse”’
She was also fingered (probably unintentionally) by the posters of Illinois Review…
I’ve got a bit of a file on her from some research- but Rich’s site, Rich’s rules…so nothing unless he’s ok with it.
Comment by Morty Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:29 am
TheInvisibleMan captures the issue really well. We ultimately left the private school system at the end of last year. While they were in fact able to stay open during the course of the pandemic, the years of declining enrollment have taken their toll and they were falling well short of the public schools. And while they may have been able to use the pandemic to bring in added revenue, most of it is being used for survival not expanding the quality of education.
For whatever reason the ILGOP seems intent on targeting their messages to shrinking populations and the unhinged and then wonders why they can’t expand their base of support.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:42 am
Right wingers read Dickens novels and think that the setting is aspirational. People dying of preventable diseases, child labor, rich and poor alike having the freedom to live under a bridge.
Comment by Homebody Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:48 am
Why are we still fighting over mask mandates? The risk of covid in school age children has been nominal from the beginning. Even more so now with vaccines and omicron. This is an outdated policy and we need to secure our children’s mental health and well being and stop with the madness
Comment by Julie Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:50 am
= Why are we still fighting over mask mandates? =
Because people like you don’t understand the concept of a community. All you care about is what’s in front of your nose, and that’s all you’ve been fighting for.
Your non-hospitalized kid carrying COVID, spread it to a teacher, or a bus driver, or their extended family. Those teachers, and bus drivers, and others then have to call off of work, which lately has been in large enough numbers to close schools, and destroy our supply chains.
The concept of interconnectedness just escapes you, and instead of learning about it you just double down on refusing to learn about it - thinking your little corner of the world is all that matters.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:59 am
You can wear your masks forever - don’t force your wishes to others. More than half of the school in US are masks optional and at lot of schools were always open. Stop sacrificing the children to virtue signal.
Comment by Parent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:10 pm
DeVore is still mad about that school board thing and taking it out on anyone and everyone he can reach, anywhere in the state.
Comment by Fixer Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:14 pm
=== Why are we still fighting over mask mandates? The risk of covid in school age children has been nominal ===
“Nominal risk” takes on a different dimension when it’s your kid who has severe complications and ends up in the pediatric ICU (children’s hospitals are very busy right now), or it’s someone else in your household of unusual risk for infectious respiratory disease who gets infected by your asymptomatic child. And if not you and yours, perhaps a relative, neighbor, or friend.
=== secure our children’s mental health ===
Wearing a mask is an infinitesimal imposition. Children advantageously can learn about how their actions can protect others in society. Anyhow, they’ll get over it.
Comment by n-t-c Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:17 pm
=we need to secure our children’s mental health and well being and stop with the madness=
To secure the mental health of children they would have to be removed from the homes where their parents cause the mental illness with their munchausen syndrome and the evils of masking which kids don’t care much about.
According to a poll reported on the morning news, the overwhelming majority of America support masks.
Maybe you need to understand more than what you here in your echo chamber.
=don’t force your wishes to others.=
Don’t force your disease on me.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:22 pm
Has there been a list compiled of Tom Devore’s cases and outcomes pertaining to the mandates over the past two years? I hate to ask, but I have not had any luck locating such a list using Google.
Comment by Macoupin Manny Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:23 pm
what happens to high school sports when there are no public high schools?
Comment by Big Mike Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:26 pm
=Why are we still fighting over mask mandates?=
Because despite our best efforts to educate, two years in, people don’t get the concept of public health. And the “mental health” impact seems to be born more by adults than kids. My kid has been wearing a mask inside and outside of school for almost 2 years now. His doctor (not sure of his politics) recommends it. The kids holding up just fine. But he does have concerns about why adults can’t follow the same common sense that grade schoolers have no problem with.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:27 pm
@Pundent says what I was trying to say only much much better. Kudos.
There is an old joke educators and coaches tell.
“What is the best place to teach and coach?”
“An orphanage. No Parents.”
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:36 pm
How are we in a third year of this and people like J are still so terribly misinformed on virtually every aspect of this thing? It has to be intentional or mental illness or something. Insane
Comment by SWIL_Voter Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:40 pm
Started to read the headline and I was getting concerned until read “if Devore wins lawsuit”. Those four words gave me great comfort.
Maybe it is just me and I don’t want to be particularly critical, but reading Mr. Devore’s comments I got the distinct feeling that he is the kind of fellow who would make a bet, lose the bet and then not write a check to an extremely highly regarded charity to pay off the bet.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:53 pm
We all understand the concept of public health/community - as Oswego wisely advocates, can’t we argue on the merits? There is a trade-off at play here, masking young children clearly has a cost and the benefit is less than with adults based on my experience of observing how effectively they wear them (e.g. chewing on them/fidgeting constantly) - there’s a reason many other Western countries have had less sweeping mandates around masking and children, and it’s not because they don’t understand public health.
Comment by GoBulls Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:13 pm
- GoBulls -
Don’t include me in your silliness, speak for yourself.
===there’s a reason many other Western countries have had less sweeping===
… and other countries have had far more restrictions, including insurance rate increases or closed borders. Are those countries wrong?
Argue the merits, but understand the bigger picture if you want to include the outside nuances.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:17 pm
==Stop sacrificing the children to virtue signal.==
Speaking of sacrifice, why not volunteer at a local hospital? The CDC reports a surge in pediatric hospitalizations for Covid.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:19 pm
== there’s a reason many other Western countries have had less sweeping mandates around masking and children==
England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Belgium all require masking in schools. Germany has been publicizing research showing masking in schools is effective. I got tired of looking up countries to figure out what you’re talking about.
Maybe you could fill us in on that as well as the “costs” of masking children. With 2 kids I’ve yet to hear about these costs
Comment by SWIL_Voter Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:20 pm
= what happens to high school sports =
Death comes for us all.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:22 pm
=masking young children clearly has a cost=
No, it doesn’t. At least not in the way you think it does. This is completely the “horse whispering” of neurotic anti-mask parents.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:37 pm
== masking young children clearly has a cost==
Explain what that cost is. The hysteria over putting on a freaking mask amazes me. I’ve found that the kids, while they would prefer not to have to wear them, don’t have the same issues with masks that their parents do.
Enough with the anti-mask hysteria. It’s just asinine.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:09 pm
My kids pediatrician recommends masking. I always thought he was providing that advice as a doctor. Is he virtue signaling? I don’t ask him how he votes so how would I know?
The advice on wearing masks is coming from doctors. The advice on not wearing them is coming from the likes of Joe Rogan. I can see why it’s quite a dilemma for many to know what to do.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:25 pm
I don’t think there has been any research done to see what affect if any masking has on children. I think for any neuro-typical child > 4 it would not have a significant impact. After all, once it’s on, the child is unlikely to notice it. I think even the non-neurotypical children react more to the fact that everyone else is masked around them, less than the mask itself.
As far as why masking in the face of omicron. I will agree better masks should be used in the face of that insane R0. That’s why I was heartened to see some aldermen distributing them and giving them to schools. But remember, as JS Mill earlier said school systems serve everyone, that also includes the disabled and those that live in medically frail families. In a way, public schools almost have to be the safest place for a child to be.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:25 pm
Are you really saying you know more than the surgeon general on the health and well being of children? Medically frail people will always exist and they have the right to protect themselves the best way they can. Just as much as the rest of society has the right to do their own thing. Covid is here to stay. Are you arguing for masks in perpetuity? What statistics would you need to see for masks to go away.
Comment by Julie Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:34 pm
===Just as much as the rest of society has the right to do their own thing.===
Huh, so the rest of society shouldn’t think of others that… how did you put it… “Medically frail people”?
That’s an odd take to selfishness and not good for a healthy society to exist.
===Are you arguing for masks in perpetuity?===
Not one person since March 2020 has made that claim.
I know, I know, “Freedom and ‘Merica”… and the lil voices in the head that has everyone out to get “everyone else”
The love of Peter, please.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:40 pm
=What statistics would you need to see for masks to go away.=
Kind of hard for me to respond to that at a time when cases, hospitalizations, ICU utilizations, and deaths are at all time highs. I guess my answer would be, “not now.” But considering that you’re making the false claim that people are calling for masks “in perpetuity” and you’re opposed to wearing them even under the most dire of circumstances, I’m guessing that there’s no scenario under which you would support their use. Well I guess it’s always good to stand for something.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:50 pm
==-Just as much as the rest of society has the right to do their own thing.==
Spoken like a true covidiot. It’s a global pandemic. And you are your ilk think people should just be able to go about their business as they see fit like it has no impact on anyone else. It’s always about your and your “rights.”
==Are you arguing for masks in perpetuity?==
Nobody is arguing that. Stop arguing like a child.
==What statistics would you need to see for masks to go away.==
That’s a tough one but I’ve heard Dr. Fauci say that he would like national cases to be somewhere in the range of 20,000 per day for things to be considered “normal” again. There were over 800,000 cases yesterday. There were over 30,000 cases in Illinois. I don’t know exactly what the final metric should be but those ain’t it.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:51 pm
Jullie,
I think what I’m arguing is that schools must have real ventilation systems put in. Not just dinky little hepa filters but monitors, and if those monitors do not show adequate values (like not ideal values but after kids have sat in the room for a couple hours) knock the walls down and put in better venting and blowing) and that a remote option always be present for children for whom school as it is is not safe. I don’t care if the school district serves 2 one horse towns, that remote option must be available for any child who needs it. and Special Ed rules need updating to account for the medically frail families.
But until those are available and until we get through omicron (and assuming nothing worse with Covid is on the horizon) then masks it is. Be patient, we’re (at least in Chicago) probably past peak. Get our metrics down of new infections, ICU usage etc. etc. just like last year which I don’t think, we ever met the metrics.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:52 pm
This is just example number 3,562 as to why Tom Devore should lose his law license.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:53 pm
=No, it doesn’t. At least not in the way you think it does. This is completely the “horse whispering” of neurotic anti-mask parents.=
I am having a hard time figuring out what horse whispering means in a non-equine context but maybe I am not up on the latest lingo. Who is the horse in this analogy?
Regardless, are people genuinely arguing there is NO cost to masking children as they try to learn first (or second languages)? You’re trolling right? Why does Pritzker take off his mask every time he is at the podium? Why when you see a play do the performers not wear masks? You can certainly argue that the cost is worth it but the idea that masking has no impact is ridiculous. I have spoken to many teachers who tell me their ELL students struggle with masks - it’s very hard to teach pronunciation with a mask.
The reason that many worry about masking in perpetuity is exactly because of these types of conversations - if you really insist there is zero cost to masking, then why wouldn’t we do it in perpetuity?
And SWIL voter, the publicized study out of Germany concluded that masking a teacher can have a significant impact on the spread, not masking the students. Unless you’ve seen something differently which I’d happy to read.
Comment by GoBulls Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:12 pm
=== The reason that many worry about masking in perpetuity is exactly because of these types of conversations - if you really insist there is zero cost to masking, then why wouldn’t we do it in perpetuity?===
Because adults look at things in hopes of helping society, arguing like a child “in perpetuity” is really a way to push what you wanted all along.
Remember? I do…
===What I “want” is the majority of children to be able to attend in-person public school no matter what their parents decide about a COVID vaccine.===
That’s not how a healthy society thinks when vaccines exist, and you don’t care about vaccine status… I mean, you say so right there…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:15 pm
==then why wouldn’t we do it in perpetuity?==
That is one of the dumbest questions I think I’ve ever seen. Masking is being done for a purpose right now and that is to help mitigate the effects of an out of control virus in the middle of a pandemic. Stop asking dumb questions.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:15 pm
=== Why does Pritzker take off his mask every time he is at the podium? Why when you see a play do the performers not wear masks? You can certainly argue that the cost is worth it but the idea that masking has no impact is ridiculous.===
It’s because all you cite… they are vaccinated.
You, again…
===What I “want” is the majority of children to be able to attend in-person public school no matter what their parents decide about a COVID vaccine.===
You don’t care about vaccinations or status… you say so…
I can understand how it confuses you because you think you’re thoughtful without claiming safety to any thought.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:17 pm
===What I “want” is the majority of children to be able to attend in-person public school no matter what their parents decide about a COVID vaccine.===
For all the bluster about freedumb, you guys still haven’t figured out you aren’t in charge, the virus is. It doesn’t care what you want. You want to let people forego masks, the vaccines, and require schools to be open? Go ahead, but when a third of the kids get sick and the school can’t staff the buses and classrooms, you’ll have no choice but to close. If you want kids in school consistently you have to do your part to limit the spread. Your wants are only achievable by being a productive, conscientious part of your community
Comment by SWIL_Voter Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:30 pm
===that’s of a disease that at its peak had a death rate of 2%.===
Yo, do you know what happens to societies that have wars or epidemic diseases with 2% death rates? It’s CATASTROPHICALLY economically disruptive. It typically either leads to national/governmental collapse, OR to a massive leftward lurch as the government is forced to step in to fill the holes left by an enormous percentage of the population dying — veteran pensions, European welfare states, the US social safety net, those all came out of conflicts or pandemics with around 1-3% population death.
So when you say that “only” 2% of people were dying of Covid, are you saying that you want to kill a massive proportion of the US population in order to either usher in a bunch of left-wing policies or see the United States collapse? Or are you saying you don’t understand anything about economics or history? Because those are the only three options.
“only” 2% death rate, Jesus H. Christ
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:48 pm
=Regardless, are people genuinely arguing there is NO cost to masking children as they try to learn first (or second languages)? You’re trolling right? Why does Pritzker take off his mask every time he is at the podium? Why when you see a play do the performers not wear masks? You can certainly argue that the cost is worth it but the idea that masking has no impact is ridiculous. I have spoken to many teachers who tell me their ELL students struggle with masks - it’s very hard to teach pronunciation with a mask.=
For speech and ELL students, we use face shields if we cannot use video.
And I meant what I said. I work in schools every day. I don’t just talk to the very nebulous “many teachers”.
In your rambling you mention the governor and stage actors. Just so you understand, they have nothing to do with school children.
I fed you.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 6:10 pm
I truly don’t believe that those who call for privatizing schools and/or “school choice” actually feel as they broadcast.
One case: nearly the entirety of Southern Lake County is served by very well-recognized schools, and those schools undeniably drive property values, which in turn drives continued residential/commercial development across that corridor.
No matter what the argument may be toward privatization of education or “school choice”, I seriously doubt the residents who live in districts served by Stevenson HS, or Barrington HS, or Lake Zurich HS, or Deerfield HS, or Highland Park HS, would want to see their property values impacted by a change such as that which some propose.
I believe the same case could be made in most - if not all - regions of the state.
At this point, I’ve been in education long enough to expect the “blah-blah-blah” on “privatizing schools” that would follow the CTU/CPS mess. It’s cliché, if not sloppy.
Comment by Zoomer Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 6:44 pm
And.. about this nonsense on masks: I fail to understand how and when it has become en vogue to become sick, especially with a virus that now has been linked to increased risk of Type I diabetes among infected children (https://www.cbs58.com/news/wisconsin-pediatric-diabetes-cases-increase-as-alarming-new-study-finds-link-with-covid-19).
Call me crazy, but as a general rule I follow: when given two options (A) and (B), where (A) leads to me getting sick and (B) reduces my likelihood of getting sick, I’m going with (B).
It’s both disheartening and alarming as a teacher to watch so many adults show such lack of care for themselves, and lack of empathy toward others. If you don’t think our kids are watching, and some are starting to replicate what they see in this madness among adults, then you’ve lost the point of why compulsory education is interwoven into the fabric of our society.
Hint: It ain’t just about high scores in math and ELA on standardized tests..
Comment by Zoomer Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 7:24 pm
Zoomer…. If you read between the lines of that article you posted, it will tell you that the kids being effected by covid19 are already on their way to diabetes and that’s why their body couldn’t ward off the virus like other kids can.
The ‘germ theory’[and mainstream corrupt medicine] is basically the argument that germs (viruses) are what we need to worry about and we need to keep finding ways to kill them off. Terrain theory (a more holistic approach) argues that if the body is well and balanced then germs that are a natural part of life and the environment will be dealt with by the body without causing sickness.
“Germs seek their natural habitat – diseased tissue – rather than being the cause of diseased tissue.”
- Antoine Béchamp
Comment by DearGod Tuesday, Jan 25, 22 @ 1:56 pm