I live in Texas and I am really angry
Related:
Trump Jr Compares American Teachers To Taliban
I'm worried about the people right here in our own backyards who share the same hatred for our country as the terrorists hiding in the caves of Afghanistan. ...... The most dangerous threats to our republic aren't hiding in caves -- they're hiding in plain sight in our K-12 classrooms. ( READ IT ALL )
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Texas health officials warn of full ICUs as state grapples with worsening Covid-19 surge (CNN)
I live in Austin, Texas, where the school district is just one of several across the state defying Governor Greg Abbott's executive order prohibiting government entities from requiring face masks.
I also teach at the University of Texas, where in-person classes start next Wednesday. Thanks to Abbott, the school is not allowed to require students to be vaccinated or to wear masks.
We're not even allowed to ask our students if they are vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the 11-county area around and including the city of Austin had a grand total of four ICU beds left as of Thursday.
But I was angry. Angry because Abbott's positive test underscores a lesson so many still haven't managed to learn over the past 18 months: the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 doesn't discriminate. And while those who are vaccinated are better protected against serious illness, hospitalization or death, they can still transmit the virus to others -- including those who are unvaccinated.
I'm feeling anger, too, because I'm a parent of two children who are too young to be vaccinated. Texas hasn't just barred public schools from requiring students, staff and teachers to wear masks -- the state also does not mandate that teachers or other staff members be vaccinated. And when there are positive cases (as there already have been in Austin since the school year officially started Tuesday ) schools are not required to contact-trace positive cases to identify the scope of potential clusters, and students are not required to quarantine even when they know they were exposed .
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It shouldn't be hard to see just how difficult a position this puts everyone in -- or how needlessly stressful a climate it creates. It's no wonder school districts in even more conservative parts of the Lone Star State are also openly defying Abbott on these policies.
And while the school districts and other government institutions that are flouting Abbott's executive order by issuing mask mandates may well lose the ongoing legal battle, their fight is a worthy one: Each additional day that mask-wearing can be enforced makes it worth it.
It's just insane and beyond belief that these fucking bastards like Abbott knowingly are putting all these peoplei in harms' way/severe illness/death. Pushing OVERWHELMING health care workers/doctors/nurses hospitals to the brink.
If I had my way all these scum bags would rot in prison for MURDER ONE.
Hell isn't good enough for these fucking killers
With respect, I believe you're upset about the wrong thing.
With 100% mask adoption, medical professionals say they expect a 30-40% reduction in transmission. I'm sorry, 60-70% is just not acceptable, IMO.
We should be going back to remote learning until we're confident administering the vaccine to children (under 12). Dallas ISD is reopening that option.
The problem with that is....and this is what I'm angry about... schools don't get to count remote learners in their average attendance numbers which determine state funding.
My problem is people that don't have good internet access. Or maybe even a good tablet.
I didn't know about the attendance. That is stupid.
Most school districts supply them with a tablet and most internet companies have offered free or reduced broadband plans through the end of the pandemic to households with school aged kids who demonstrate financial need.
Chromebooks loaded with electronic textbooks are actually quite a bit cheaper than buying traditional textbooks.
And of course you always respect the word of medical professionals.
Well-- at least when what they say can be used to support your political positions....
Most medical professionals are very supportive of the vaccines-- in fact more and them feel it should be mandated.
What does your MO (well, actually IMO) say about that?
Especially ones who have done research on the subject, are well respected and have no apparent conflict of interest. In this particular case, that would be one of the directors at Texas Health Resources, a large hospital chain here in Dallas.
Which political position are you imagining this time?
Absolutely EVERY medical professional I've ever heard utter or write a word on the subject encourages people to get vaccinated, which is why I did so.
I've not seen any data on doctors supporting mandates. Happy to review your link as soon as you provide it.
They have for health professionals.
Major Health Care Professional Organizations Call for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for All Health Workers
This endorsement is for people in their field, and so it’s not surprising that they feel comfortable making it. Anything else, and you start to get into the realm of public policy, and I think a lot of doctors prefer to avoid that particular stage. Still, they don’t seem to be impressed by the individual freedom arguments. They’re siding with public health.
It's a massively important distinction.
You're pretending you don't understand the vast difference between requirements for healthcare workers and requirements for the general population??
If you are aware of an important distinction, just say what is on your mind.
A healthcare worker chooses that profession/employment. A person in the general population does not.
A healthcare worker spends their day in constant contact with patients who are already in some form of ill health and therefore more vulnerable as a group than people not in a healthcare setting.
Healthcare workers accept as part of that career the requirements of maintaining all sorts of vaccination and other health requirements, which are not required of people in other professions.
I have zero problem with employers requiring employees to be vaccinated, just like I have zero problem with drug screening. I don't have a problem with schools requiring students to be vaccinated. A person can always opt out of those things.
My objection is to government entities mandating vaccination under penalty of law.
When people like Abbott cast the fight over mask mandates in terms of "freedom," they're knowingly misleading the public. This debate isn't about "freedom" in any analytically coherent sense; it's about the politicization of a specific public health crisis -- where "owning the libs" has become a policy priority, especially for those like Abbott, who seem to be clamoring for attention and support.
There ought to be some things more important than scoring political points. I would have thought that the health and well-being of our children would ( cont'd in article ).
I completely understand your anger.
You put too much faith in masks and mandates.
It's next to impossible to get kids to wear theme correctly
Like the Asian countries that make us look irresponsible by comparison?
BS. Well designed with girly things, sports memes or super heroes and you can't get them to take them off to eat.
You are just wrong on this.
Wrong isn't the word for that flip beyond lackadaisical nonsense. But I will stop right here.
Would you be referring to the Asian countries that make us look irresponsible in every area of life and have done so for decades? You know...those countries where kids actually learn math and parents actually expect them to achieve? The ones where kids behave and are respectful?
I'm not sure that's a reasonable comparison with American kids.
Well, we do have freedum....
And in non-pandemic times, that individuality and willingness to challenge authority have helped make us the strongest and most prosperous civilization in history.
But it's not something we can switch on and off.
I spent several years teaching in inner-city schools. People who say mask mandates are unenforceable in public schools are absolutely correct.
We're endangering kids because we want to argue politics. That's Democrats, as well as Republicans.
The good news is that it's not that hard, and we've done it before. The bad news is that we'd rather argue politics than protect our kids.
Yeah, those Asian countries where they do not teach and express freedom ad nauseam or to the absurd degree!
Well, did you teach in schools since 2020: This is probably as much your first world-wide pandemic as it is today's youth!
Ain't we all getting a 'schoolin' about viruses and their not-so friendly mutations in this classroom of life right now?
I think we definitely are. But the science so far seems pretty clear that masks are somewhat effective, vaccines are very effective, and keeping our asses at home is the most effective.
It's unconscionable to me that we find it acceptable to send our kids into a petri dish with 30% protection. That's what we're fighting over. 0% or 30%.
It's insane.
You put too much faith in masks and mandates.
Like the Asian countries that make us look irresponsible by comparison?
Maybe its genetic. As Trump implied, the Chinese are inferior (well, at least in terms of their morality...their intentions) Maybe that why the Chinese kids always wear their masks correctly-- its their Chinese genes!
I think everyone understands they aren’t enough. That’s why we also need everyone (who can) to get vaccinated.
That’s not a reason to not require them. Kids can’t tie their shoes, either, but we still expect them to wear them.
great answer
I am in awe of little kids in grocery baskets who demonstrate patience with masking, and holding onto IPhones with a "death-grip."! Greg is making the argument of a contrarian. That is, he has limited or no field experience with children and masking, in my opinion.
I am on a combined family / business trip tp Waco & Corsicana and Georgetown
I stopped in two of my client's businesses and saw not one mask.
Get to my SiL's house where they are replacing all of the solid underground gas lines
with new flex lines and every city worker and gas contractor was wearing masks outside
while drilling, backhoeing and pulling lines to the homes.
Weird state run by a weird despot, Bible thumping Lt Gov and criminally challenged AG.
Only in TX...
That Dan Patrick rubs me in all the wrong ways.
I just saw something from him blaming African Americans for the co-vid surge
I didn't know anything about Paxton until I just looked it up. Facing disbarment for being a trumpturd election fraud scumbag
Clown Car Syndrome.
I don't understand the problem. I thought America was the home of the brave and the land of the free. Brave enough to say fuck the vaccine and fuck the masks, I'm brave enough to do without either and to get the virus and to die, free enough to spread the virus to my loved ones and watch them die because I'm an AMERICAN, and so I don't give a shit as long as I have my personal rights and freedoms even if they lead me and others to the grave. God bless the assholes of America who make Scrooge's comment come to life - reduce the excess population.
What SARS-2 does is expose the shortcoming of the conservative mindset. Conservatives in general are not nimble in their thinking, but some conservatives (Trump conservatives) are rigid and 'frozen' beings. This virus will run through their 'lines' on steroids this coming fall. It will be well deserved. A hard head makes for a soft behind.
"Game Over." Some of the hard-case conservative radio jocks are fallen and more besides are chronically sick.
Darwin was right!
Point of clarification: Is this an opinion writing or a seeded article, because I see all the tags but I do not see the standard "seeded content' or linking.
OMG-- you are right.. I messed up!
Usually I double check all the details just before... and after I post something. But for whatever reason I was a bit careless with this seed, and forgot to enter the url for the "Seeded Content" link near the top.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Its been fixed now-- sorry for any confusion as to the identity of the author.
Its been fixed now-- sorry for any confusion as to the identity of the author.
Since this article is by a person speaking of his own experiences, thoughts and feelings (and not a report by someone else), the Editors did post this at the beginning in order to make that clear, and it also tells a bit about the person who wrote it:
Editor's Note: Stephen I. Vladeck is the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Court at the University of Texas School of Law, a CNN contributor and an expert on the role of the federal courts in the war on terrorism. The views expressed here are solely his.
It is about time for outrage to metastasize. Abbott is messing with your children. He is using exposure to the virus as a random check on the virus. Accordingly, SARS-2 will collect on the assent. It will 'pick and choose' its way through the defenses of Texan society—bigly. It will scar, maim, diminish, cripple, drive to insanity, many who survive positivity and outright kill the 'unfortunate.'
All the while, vaccinated and medically therapeutic-satisfied Governor of Texas G. Abbott will be safe in his gilded wheelchair watching "the proceedings."
The parallels to what policy changes through republican leadership for the gun-down children at Sandy Hook Elementary comes to my mind. For there was no outrage, no added controls, and no effect. Those kids 'went down in conservative silence!
Shall Texan children do the same?
Texas, you elected this clown and it is up to you to do something about it.
Donald Trump has not rebuked Abbott or DeSantis or any other conservative over this kind of activity. Because Donald approves of this!
I don't know if it is true or not, but I guess Baron Trump and all the other worthy Trump's are vaccinated (and likely wearing masks) using the guise of freedom and liberty to be so. While the out-sized lecturing and "droning" to let conservative children's noses and mouths be open to contract SARS-2 from their surroundings and their arms free of jabs continue unabated on conservative media!
Too funny !
Trump has ordered his resorts and hotels to mask and to observe social distancing. Of course he would for his well heeled customers but not for his rallys because he feels those people are beneath him.