Here’s a headline that makes no sense: the Detroit Public Schools Community District is reportedly moving to remote learning on Fridays this December “to address COVID spread, cleaning, and mental health.” Apparently, this will give staff time to deep-clean schools, which is all performative anyway since the coronavirus is an airborne disease.
NEWS out of Detroit: The school district is moving to remote learning on Fridays in December to slow COVID spread https://t.co/6v8BX4JZJW via @ChalkbeatDET
— Lori Higgins (@LoriAHiggins) November 17, 2021
Chalkbeat Detroit reports:
Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said in that statement that he and the school board made the decision “after listening and reflecting on the concerns of school-based leaders, teachers, support staff, students, and families regarding the need for mental health relief, rising COVID cases, and time to more thoroughly clean schools.”
How are we still doing this? Not only are kids lower risk to begin with, but there are now vaccines available.
Remote learning impacts the quality of learning, socializing of students (behavioral issues have been seen with students as a result of lockdowns) and working parents https://t.co/7A0v3dXGPP
— Alicia Smith (@Alicia_Smith19) November 17, 2021
It's doesn't spread on the other days? Interesting.
— californiadreaming (@califor61515531) November 17, 2021
Since Covid, like Happy Hour specials and baseball series openers, happens mostly on Fridays.
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) November 17, 2021
What if the virus outsmarts them, and it shows up double on Monday through Thursday?
— Peacefully Coexisting (@mrsmolescroft) November 17, 2021
There is ample data showing this will have no impact whatsover on covid spread.
This should read, Detroit school move to remote learning on Friday for undisclosed reason, with no regard whatsoever for the undoing of public education, and the harm to children and families.
— Are School Masks Gone Yet? #MaskLikeAKid (@Fights_For_Kids) November 17, 2021
So long weekends have nothing to do with it? How many studies do we need to see abt the harm of remote school to kids? Who cares, right?
This is what happens when there are no repercussions to prolonged closures. What’s a day here and a day there? No one will notice or care..
— ilana horowitz (@NYC_essentialSW) November 17, 2021
Children in the Detroit public schools, whose 50K enrollment is 3% white, will attend school only 4 days/week next month. This follows a similar move in the heavily Black suburb of Southfield. Striking to see such inequity become normalized after the year-plus of remote learning. https://t.co/TjkdmYgivU
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) November 17, 2021
Unbelievable
— Nellie Bowles (@NellieBowles) November 17, 2021
I wish they'd told me earlier that COVID only spreads on the weekends.
Seriously, WTF.
— Sean T at RCP (@SeanTrende) November 17, 2021
It won't make any material difference in outcomes.
— David Pinsen (@dpinsen) November 17, 2021
All they have to do is lie and say it’s to slow the spread. And they get away with it
— Daniel Fullam (@daniel_fullam) November 17, 2021
Bridge Detroit says the closures are about staffing shortages, not COVID:
Background on the Southfield announcement: https://t.co/N3ThYv1FVq
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) November 17, 2021
Related:
Schools ask parents to send rain gear with children as they’re required to eat lunch outside due to COVID https://t.co/HciFk9QgQm
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 19, 2021
