Day 16 - Governor Newsom rescinds restrictions. Outdoor dining reinstated!

Schools remain closed…

It’s official - the CDC says opening elementary schools poses no risk.  How reassuring.  This is the same agency that said masking doesn’t work; Asymptomatic people can NOT transmit the virus; Covid-19 is NOT airborne; and you can catch the “rona” from counter tops. Early on in the virus’ history, the CDC issued a PSA on hand washing Instead of a PSA on masking, and movie stars followed suit.  Check out B-list actress’ You Tube video here: Effective Hand Washing in Just 30 Minutes. We were too busy scrubbing the skin off our hands to notice that breathing and talking moved the virus along, infected people, and could be deadly.

So the CDC says opening elementary schools poses no risk…no risk to who?  Results from studies in other countries reveal that the risk of infection for little kids is low, but that was before the rise of B117; P1; and B1351, some of the most contagious variants to date.  What I’m hearing, anecdotally, is that small children are, in fact, contracting the “rona”, but their symptoms, in most cases, are non-existent to the point that people [read the CDC] mistakenly believe that little kids don’t get it.

BUT, they can pass it. To adults.

The CDC has come out and said that elementary schools are some of the safest places to be when it comes to Covid-19.  They site studies performed in other countries showing that the risk of contracting the virus is low. While these studies from other countries are interesting, the USA does NOT have a robust testing program.  Perhaps the “rona” acts differently in our schools.

One important distinction might be America’s propensity for mass shooters.  This has resulted in school district policy throughout our 50 states forbidding teachers from opening doors and windows - this is especially prevalent in California. The door to the classroom must be closed and locked from the outside at all times and most of the windows are covered in brown paper in order to ensure the safety of our children. As a sub at various school districts, I can attest that, with no ventilation or air flow coming from doors and windows,  the classrooms become stifling within 30 minutes.  The same air and germs are blown all over the classroom with no route for escape.  Teaching in an American classroom is like teaching in a submarine. 

 Additionally, these studies fail to fully examine the risk to teachers. Although school children may not be infecting each other – and we really don’t know the rate of infection because most kids are Asymptomatic when they contract the virus – they may be infecting adults, i.e., teachers.  More anecdotal information:  two Georgia teachers died last month.

But nobody cares.  As soon as the CDC issued its bogus proclamation, Uncle Joe came out and said schools have to open ASAP, with Governor Newsom right on his heels. Teachers from some of the strongest Unions in the country agreed to return to school with one caveat: vaccination.  This appears to  be an incredibly reasonable request. Instead, Uncle Joe and other Governors are indignant: What? Vaccination?   No, that’s incorrect…why, just last week, the CDC said returning to school poses no risk.  You don’t need to be vaccinated in order to return to school.

It’s the same old story.  In this country, teachers are sooo under-valued.  They’re not paid well and numerous school districts aren’t even unionized.  For the first time ever – thanks to the pandemic – society realized the valuable role that teachers play, which is mainly “FREE DAYCARE.” Without teachers, parents are forced to care for their own children [gasp].  When schools open, the kids will finally be out of their parents’ hair and they can WFH in peace. Having recognized the importance of teachers, you would think that vaccinating teachers would be on par with vaccinating health care workers, but they’re not.  Teachers remain at the bottom of the tier, some of the last to get vaccinated, along with grocery store workers and Door Dash employees.

It should be noted that within a week of Uncle Joe proclaiming that schools must open immediately, his press secretary walked it back, stating that Uncle Joe really meant , “Let’s try to open schools at least one day a week for a few hours.”  Uncle Joe forgot [early onset Alzheimer’s] that the teachers’ unions typically pony up vast sums of money during campaign season. It’s best not to completely alienate this particular ‘interest group’, especially when there are still no plans to vaccinate them.

Governor Newsom, against the ropes [sort of] with the looming recall election, continues to scream for schools to open NOW.  LAUSD remains shuttered.

2/9/21. Tuesday.

10:00 – 10:30 - Up and I go downstairs to say good morning to the animal.  She’s napping on the couch so I rub her tummy three times.  Then, she grabs her toy and we go outside. She pees on the red rock – I don’t understand – and we head inside for her treat [old chicken] and my coffee.

10:30 – 12:00 - I need some help with my DE class and I scheduled computer time with L. today and told her she could bill me for it.  I read Dead Wake while I wait for my ‘appointment.’

12:00-1:00 - My most recent DE assignment involves opening a “page” in Canvas, then posting digital pictures and additional text from another source into the “page.”  I did the assignment, but now L. has to screenshot the assignment from College No. 1 to my DE class text box.  I simply don’t have the Iphone capacity to do this.

Shockingly, L. is not frustrated with me or giving me attitude, which usually happens even when I’m paying for her time and we are meeting according to her schedule.

L. has been working on the Google slide project and finished several chapters for the niche class I taught last semester.  She also completed the Chapter 5 slides for Specialty Class 1A – I review them and then she loads them into Canvas.

1:00-2:30 – I don’t feel like doing anything today.  I return to my room and continue reading Dead Wake. I have the very last of my Olive Terrace leftovers for lunch.

2:30-3:00 – Wash face. Brush teeth. Contacts. Covid-19 uniform. I listen to The Daily.

3:00-3:45 – I take the dog for a walk. I listen to True Crime Garage.

3:45-5:00 – Yard work. Sweeping and trimming. I listen to the Organize 365 Podcast.

5:00-6:30 – Salad with the very last of the mustard-baked chicken. I read a Money Diary.

6:30-8:00 – Back to Dead Wake

8:00-10:00 – Blog posts.

10:00-10:30 – I do a 30-min lower body workout with 5-lb weights.

10:30-11:00 – Kitchen duty and I take the dog out.

**11:00 - Its all a blur from this point forward. I’m posting several days out for this entry. I’m assuming I read Dead Wake and went to bed.