Teachers should be considered front line candidates for COVID-19 vaccinations

So, we don't even know how many schools have reopened and the impact of Covid19 on education? LOL, thx Obama.

Biden administration to survey schools on COVID-19 impact (apnews.com)

The Biden administration will soon begin collecting data from thousands of U.S. schools to find out how they have been affected by the pandemic, including how many have returned to in-person instruction, officials said Friday.

Led by the Education Department, the effort will collect monthly data from 7,000 schools on a range of topics related to COVID-19. It’s the first federal effort to gather data on the pandemic’s impact on education.

President Joe Biden called for the data in a Jan. 21 executive order on school reopening. The Trump administration declined to collect data on the subject, saying it wasn’t the role of the federal government to do so.

..

“If our nation is to effectively address the unprecedented educational challenges brought about by the pandemic, we will need objective, accurate and timely data to inform policy and decision-making at the local, state, and national levels,” the coalition wrote.

The new survey will collect data from 3,500 schools that enroll fourth graders, and 3,500 schools that enroll eight graders. It will be made available to the public on a monthly basis through June, with collections starting later this month.

 

Why no HS?

 

Good question. No idea

 

this is a problem

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/02/texas-substitute-teachers-coronavirus/


There aren't enough substitute teachers to step in when coronavirus keeps Texas teachers out of the classroom

Administrators, school staff and uncredentialed stand-ins are being sent into classrooms to cover for teachers who fall ill or have to isolate. But even those improvisations aren't keeping classrooms fully staffed.

 

So not considered front line workers then? Front line would be medical professionals. Complimentary workers would be those doing lab testing, vaccine production etc. Those should also be in front of teachers. I would even put grocery workers and essential services in front of teachers. If I don't have gas food, and electricity I'm in big trouble.

So while this sounds great, you have to make choices and as I see it, you would just be making a new special 1f subset 13 group to slot teachers. Probably just complicating and slowing the release of the vaccine.

 

It's understandable with the pandemic. I speak as an example of a substitute who took this year off. Substituting requires going to multiple schools to get work. I worked at over 23 schools last year to get Special Ed assignments. That puts you at much higher risk of getting Covid, especially if your work requires close contact, hand over hand work on a daily basis. Right now there are 23 teachers with Covid at schools within a 3 mile distance from my home. I'm not even counting other schools I frequently work at. One teacher died last week of Covid.

The pay isn't good. As a Certified Special Ed teacher with a Masters Degree in Special Education I only make $100 a day. I obviously didn't do it for the money. I just love working with numerous children with Autism, as that is my specialty. Substituting is the best way to meet and work with a vast amount of students. I love that.

That being said, the risk of Covid is real. The job doesn't pay health benefits, and some substitutes with only a couple years of college make less. Granted, I get a whopping $20 more a day for being a Certified teacher with a degree. They obviously don't want to pay any more than they have to for teachers. It's the value of good teachers that seems to be left out of the picture when it comes to pay. Education is not the priority on the money scale in this country. Sad, but true.

I luckily have health insurance as a military retiree, but subs have to take the risk of Covid without healthcare benefits paid by the school. This is the problem, and until schools treat the value of substitutes more seriously the problem won't go away.

When minimum wage goes up, I wonder if a substitute teacher with a degree will make the same amount as a 16 year old kid taking your order at McDonalds. Time will tell I guess.

 

My ex and her entire 2nd grade team had to quarantine because one teacher tested positive and they had a meeting before they found out. None of them could come back until they tested negative twice and stayed home an additional 3 days. They had a couple of subs but it was mostly school admins stepping in. It was a s*** show.

 

Those teachers still have to work from home they are not doing nothing.