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HS that suspended teen who tweeted photo of hallway has 9 COVID-19 cases:
North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia, sent a letter to parents Saturday, saying, "At this time, we know there were six students and three staff members who were in school for at least some time last week who have since reported to us that they have tested positive." The letter was published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Most or even all of the six students and three staff members who tested positive could have had the virus before the school reopened on Monday, August 3. As Harvard Medical School explains, "The time from exposure to symptom onset (known as the incubation period) is thought to be three to 14 days, though symptoms typically appear within four or five days after exposure," and "a person with COVID-19 may be contagious 48 to 72 hours before starting to experience symptoms."
[...] As we reported Friday, the school issued a five-day suspension to student Hannah Watters after she posted a photo to Twitter, noting the "jammed" hallways and "10 percent mask rate." The school lifted her suspension after extensive media coverage. One other unnamed student who was suspended for a similar reason also had the suspension reversed, the Journal-Constitution said.
Students attended class in person only on Monday through Wednesday, as the district said it conducted a short first week "so that all of our schools can step back and assess how things are going so far."
Update at 6:50pm ET: North Paulding High School announced Sunday that it has canceled in-person instruction for Monday and Tuesday, August 10 and 11, because of the nine positive cases and "the possibility that number could increase if there are currently pending tests that prove positive." The school said that on Tuesday evening, parents and students will be notified about whether in-person instruction will resume on Wednesday. Remote learning will continue while the school is closed.
Previously:
(2020-08-08) Pupils Who Shared Photos of Packed Corridor of Maskless Georgia Students Suspended
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @03:55PM (29 children)
Switching the schools on and off again like this whipsaws the students, parents, and everyone else connected to them. Switch them off. Homeschool exclusively. Lay off the administrators, staff, and all but a handful of teachers to serve as on-call tutors.
Some kids have gotten services through schools. That makes sense when schools are functioning normally, but keeping them open now just to deliver them is the least efficient way to do that; there are other ways.
Public education has needed a paradigm shift for decades. The way they teach prepares students to work in factories at the dawn of the industrial age. Now, it's holding them back from the 21st century. For example, all kids should learn how to program from kindergarten on (adjusted on an age-appropriate basis, of course). Math should be taught by people who love and understand math, not by English teachers who fear numbers. So, we should not lose the opportunity the coronavirus has presented to turn things around.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Wednesday August 12 2020, @04:08PM (7 children)
Math should be taught by people who love and understand math, not by English teachers who fear numbers.
Where are you going to find people who love and understand math, and are interested in working in public schools (in Georgia no less) with all the discipline problems that exist there (not to mention the constant threat of school shootings), for utterly lousy pay? There's tons of far better-paying jobs out there that are far safer.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @05:23PM
Retirees?
Just an anecdote, but I know of a Naval Captain who retired (semi-forced retirement) who went on to teach mathematics in a large Virginia school system. Don't remember exactly, I think he taught for about 15 years before health forced him to retire again.
Rest in peace, Bad Bob.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Wednesday August 12 2020, @05:57PM
Although it was decades ago, That description fits my Algebra I teacher. My chemistry teacher got in to teaching after several years as an industrial chemist. We lost our Physics teacher after a couple years when his commission was reactivated so he could work on the MX Missile project.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @08:06PM (4 children)
There are people who love math, love kids, and love teaching. They don't need to have Gauss's ability to do that. They could be taking a breather from working in industry, or be retired. They could love time off more than money.
As for pay, I can't speak for the whole country in one gulp, because it varies so much, but New York City pays its teachers well and gives them excellent benefits.
But all that is if you want a traditional, physical school. I think there's too much cruft in that system now, and needs a reset for the 21st century. Meanwhile, I'd much rather have my kids learning math from Salman Khan online that wasting their time taking "math vocabulary" tests in a sweltering room in an NYC public school.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Wednesday August 12 2020, @09:18PM (3 children)
There are people who love math, love kids, and love teaching. They don't need to have Gauss's ability to do that. They could be taking a breather from working in industry, or be retired. They could love time off more than money.
If there were a sufficient number of people fitting this description, we wouldn't have problems with insufficient teachers or incompetent teachers in school systems nationwide. It doesn't help that the school environment in many places is awful and discourages people from going into the profession.
As for pay, I can't speak for the whole country in one gulp, because it varies so much, but New York City pays its teachers well and gives them excellent benefits.
Of course there's some places that pay teachers better. But in general, in the US, teachers are not paid well, which is why we have so many problems attracting people to the profession. If this were not the case, then this wouldn't be an issue, would it? And does NYC really pay its teachers that well, relative to the extremely high cost-of-living there? Can they actually afford to live in NYC near the schools they work at, or do they have to commute in from cheaper places like Jersey City (which isn't even in the same state)?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday August 13 2020, @12:24AM
Worse--Staten Island.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2020, @02:38AM
People think that those who can do some math are automatically good teachers. Bullshit.
Teaching as a skill in itself is totally undervalued. I would take a good teacher over specialist expertise any day of the week. Even at uni level - the teaching quality is far more relevant that the subject matter. Kids don't need motivation to learn, they just need the douchebag at the front to give it to them straight and not get hung up on whatever their problem is.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2020, @04:12PM
You should also factor in the continuing education that teachers are required to take - these are significant expenses on top of the 6-8 years of schooling any prospective teacher would be in debt for. If you can do math, that doesn't sound like a great choice.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @05:03PM (6 children)
Quoth the parent:
"For example, all kids should learn how to program from kindergarten on (adjusted on an age-appropriate basis, of course)."
Oh please. Do you say that because it's the only white collar job left that pays decently that is not management? Why do you think that is? What do you think will happen when the labor pool of programmers is dramatically expanded to include EVERYBODY? Hint: Supply and demand will kick in and readjust the price of labor.
There is noting magical about computer programming that warrants elevating it so far above other disciplines. I would encourage teaching programming to solve simple problems (i.e., self-contained sorts of problems) because it can be used to teach breaking a bigger problem into solvable pieces. This is a useful approach and attitude to teach. As for cranking out Python "coders": for most students, this is a waste of time.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @05:29PM
I'll take up for GP's opinion here.
We already force kids to sit at computers, all through school. With few exceptions, their hours at the computer prepares them to be office drones, working in the Microsoft environment. Meaningless bullshit, preparing them to be wage slaves. They are taught Excel spread sheets, then pushed out into the working world - if, that is, they intend to even work.
Given that we already force them to spend endless hours in front of computers, WTF aren't we teaching them anything meaningful? If you are smart enough to jump through all the stupid hoops that Microsoft makes you jump through (How's that ribbon work, again?) then you are probably smart enough to contribute something useful.
Programming is far more useful than learning Excel, and far more rewarding. That statement stands even if the kid never programs anything more than a stupid "Hello World".
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @06:14PM (4 children)
Great logic. Lemme try:
Oh please. Do you say that because it's the only white collar job left that pays decently that is not management? Why do you think that is? What do you think will happen when the labor pool of people who can read is dramatically expanded to include EVERYBODY? Hint: Supply and demand will kick in and readjust the price of labor.
There is noting magical about reading that warrants elevating it so far above other disciplines. I would encourage teaching reading to understand simple phrases (i.e., self-contained sorts of problems) because it can be used to teach understanding a bigger block of text. This is a useful approach and attitude to teach. As for cranking out essay "writers": for most students, this is a waste of time.
Hmm, I don't know if that works the way you think it does. Lemme try again:
Oh please. Do you say that because it's the only white collar job left that pays decently that is not management? Why do you think that is? What do you think will happen when the labor pool of people who can do basic sums is dramatically expanded to include EVERYBODY? Hint: Supply and demand will kick in and readjust the price of labor.
There is noting magical about math that warrants elevating it so far above other disciplines. I would encourage teaching math to solve simple problems (i.e., self-contained sorts of problems) because it can be used to teach breaking a bigger problem into solvable pieces. This is a useful approach and attitude to teach. As for cranking out basic "mathematicians": for most students, this is a waste of time.
So, gosh, you're right. We should not teach kids how to code, read, or do math lest they be able to do stuff and compete with you in the labor market.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @06:43PM (3 children)
Reading, writing, and math are generally useful skills that can be used literally anywhere, in any job, or off the job.
Computer programming is a much more focused and limited skill to teach. Might as well say welding is a useful thing so we should teach **all** kids to weld.
You are confusing a general (what used to be called "liberal") education with a trade school.
As I said in my prior post, I am in favor of having one simplified programming class for everyone to teach learning to break up a bigger problem into smaller problems. but serious programming classes ought to be electives.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:01PM (2 children)
You shouldn't argue with that guy, he and runaway take classes together on how to be most wrong in a conversation.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:58PM (1 child)
You shouldn't argue with this guy, he and his AC parent take classes together on how to be most mewling in a conversation.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @08:42PM
Not my fault your opinions aren't worth engaging seriously with. Maybe you should go to some college campuses and argue with some first years.
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Wednesday August 12 2020, @05:13PM (9 children)
If you teach programming like you teach the rest of the curriculum, you get a batch of cargo-cult programmers but not anything that can do more than copy/paste from stackoverflow. First move away from rote-learning, then try to teach something that can't be rote-taught.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @06:00PM (8 children)
I agree: rote learning is part of that "preparing them to be factory workers" approach. There are a number of modern, better approaches.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Opportunist on Wednesday August 12 2020, @06:33PM (7 children)
That's why I said you FIRST have to change the school system before you start trying changes to the curriculum. Else you're just pouring good wine into leaky casks.
We have to teach one of the most important skills that today's society needs: The ability to learn continuously. To know what is necessary to ackquire new knowledge. To differentiate between information and bullshit. And no later than the last part you're fighting a severe uphill battle, because nobody who could possibly be involved in this would actually want that. Certainly not politicians who need nothing less than an electorate that can't be bullshitted. Not a board of education that wants easily standardizable tests. And finally not principals and teachers that value obedience over curiosity.
This is something that might (MIGHT!) work in a private school where the structures are smaller and you have more leverage against a system fighting you, but the outlook for the public school system and its omnipotent bureaucracy is bleak.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:01PM (3 children)
Your anti-public schooling schtick is getting boring. If the public schools in your area are bad, that's a local issue, not some universal truth. Students in school districts that are run competently with adequate funding get a good education that covers all of your areas of complaint.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:54PM (2 children)
Your triumphalism schtick is getting boring. If the public schools in your area are good, that's a local issue, not some universal truth. Students in school districts that are run competently with adequate funding get a good education that covers all of your areas of complaint, if they're white/asian/south asian and upper middle class or better.
Thanks for demonstrating your ignorance of the educational realities that most black and Latino children, and some others of other ethnicities, face in America's urban school districts.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @08:45PM
Your copy/paste skills are great, keep it up, very convincing. So much wow, possibly even a shamwow.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2020, @04:16PM
I understand that inner city schools have lots of issues, but that doesn't make public school bad, that just makes the administrations running those school districts bad. I went to an incredibly diverse school with only a 50% white population, still got a good education.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:50PM (2 children)
I agree. I said initially that instead of switching public schools on and off again willy-nilly, we should switch them off. Homeschool in the meantime and move on to something new and better.
There are experimental programs here and there that are trying what you propose (and I also support), but there is deep-seated resistance to change in the system, with no real incentive to change. If parents walk away after the coronavirus shutdowns, perhaps they will find the will to make those changes, but in the end parents and students can't wait for the education industry to catch up to economic realities that came about 80 years ago. For once in history the tools to learn are widely available and cheap or free, so we should seize those opportunities for ourselves and kids and let the education dinosaurs die out.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @09:23PM
Or, bear with me here, we put all the corrupt assholes in prison and appoint a real educator instead of some greedy evangelical bitch?
Nah, makes too much sense. Better burn the whole country down and let the Native Americans rebuild.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2020, @11:07PM
Ah, you tilt your hand. It was all a ploy to denigrate institutions that are bombarded by rightwing assholes to make them as dysfunctional as possible, all so the same assholes can privatize schools to leech even more money from the average American.
You sir are a cock gobbling wanker and the world would be better off without you.
(Score: 3, Informative) by shortscreen on Wednesday August 12 2020, @06:19PM (3 children)
If I had had to study programming throughout school, I guarantee that I would hate it and stay as far away from it as possible today.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 12 2020, @07:56PM (1 child)
Something tells me that even if you hated grammar in school and loathed reading Shakespeare in high school that you're probably still able to form sentences and read challenging material.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by shortscreen on Thursday August 13 2020, @02:35AM
Nah, I didn't mind those much. But thanks for the vote of confidence :)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2020, @03:19AM
Actually, I would be OK with this. You may turn off your computer and go outside and play now. No need to hurry back. In fact, I would prefer if you not.