Name:	Rich -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 10:44:18 AM

It's time to take on the Department of Education (Wihich I think should be abolished) and the teachers union. Teachers are making demands to outlaw charter schools as condition for opening. I think The President should have a Ronald Reagan / airline controllers moment. State that education funds will revert back to parents if public schools don't fulfil they duty so they can choose where to educate their children. Seems like all we ever hear from the left is Choice well give us some in education.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 11:14:50 AM

At a minimum if teachers won't teach they shouldn't be paid.  Let's see if that causes them to change their minds.  We should accomodate children and teachers with legitimate health issues and leave the rest of them alone.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 12:13:53 PM

I take it that you don't see anything wrong with Trump cancelling the Republican convention because of the virus yet demading the schools to reopen?  I don't know how you justify that. 

Why not leave it to the states and the counties to decide what is appropriate for them?                                                    

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 12:20:03 PM

Trump cancelled the convention because of the pushback from the city.  

Lot's of countries are having school with no adverse impact to the progression of the virus.  But I agree that each local school board should make the decision.  But if they aren't open then why should teachers get paid and why should they get Federal funds to do nothing?  How come only ordinary Americans in the private sector lose their jobs but never those that work for the govt?  Wonder if they would decide differently if they lost their income as a result of their decisions?  I think we all know the answer to that question.

Name:	RHH -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 1:06:15 PM

Trump said he canceled the convention because of his concern for the safety of the American people. MM don't you believe he was being sincere? Of course we all know the answer to that...so start spinning.

Name:	GoneFishin -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 1:07:51 PM

I can't imagine not teaching. They will teach via zoom and get paid for it. What's wrong with that?

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Yep, concern for safety as expressed by the city
Date:	7/24/2020 1:09:31 PM

No need to spin this and that was not my intent.  He got a lot of pushback from the city concerning safety and he agreed to cancel it.  You seem to have a weird fixation with me that I cannot quite understand.  Are you gonna be OK?

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 1:17:31 PM

Tell me how teachers in the inner city are going to teach remotely.  Yeah, maybe will work in affluent districts where all the kids have computers, iPads and high speed broadband. Not so much in those areas where kids are most at risk.  But I have no problem paying the teachers if they do so remotely.  What about all the other employees of the school system?  What about the administrators?  What are they going to do remotely?  Nothing but collect a paycheck.  I can assure you they will all be getting paid.  It's only people in the private sector that get screwed.

As an aside, one of my wife's best friends is a high school science teacher.  She said remote teaching is very ineffective and that the kids are cheating on tests like crazy because they have no monitor.  Also can't do any labs which is a big part of STEM education.  Just one opinion but it doesn't surprise me. 

Name:	Rich -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 1:56:16 PM

Have no problem with local schools making that decision just think parents deserve the ability to make thier own decision on schooling also.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Schools won't open "Defund"
Date:	7/24/2020 2:16:31 PM

Especially since they are the ones that can't return to work with kids at home. My personal view based on the science is that for the vast majority of students, teachers and families there is very little risk of returning to school and lots if they stay home.  Accommodate students/families and teachers that are at risk.  Instead they punish everyone.  So if a student has a compromised immune system let them attend remotely.  If a teacher has some co-morbidity or someone in their home with one let them teach remotely.  This will be a very small minority and will allow the rest of the teachers and their students get on with their lives.

But this makes too much sense and doesn't accomplish the real goal of keeping the economy tanked until Nov 3rd.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	CDC now says reopen the schools
Date:	7/24/2020 5:13:03 PM

They have issued guidelines but now seem to be taking all the science and the social costs into account and have changed their tune.  The science has always been on the side of reopening but the NIH and CDC have muddied the water with their conflicting guidance.  Let's see how the politics of this works out but my guess is that many schools will stay closed or delay opening as long as possible.  

Name:	wix -	Reply
Subject:	CDC now says reopen the schools
Date:	7/24/2020 5:21:28 PM

I know of one school system that has offered the students (parents) the opportunity to choose between classroom or internet. Once you choose, you are stuck with that option.   Schools will offer both.  Interesting.  Teachers are gonna have to work after all!

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	MM
Date:	7/24/2020 6:39:03 PM

I can't speak for the whole government, but those in Washington have been reporting to work, and both of my sisters, who work for the Army, in Maryland (Aberdeen) have had to work remotely at home since they closed the bases, after there were outbreaks of COVID).  I don't see any reason they should not get paid since the work hasn't stopped.  One of my sisters has been called back to work in the office.  They are in phase 1 so they have a handful of workers there every day, on alternating days.  

I see no reason why people who are working remotely, government or not shoudn't get paid.  The technology is there; they have to log in and out every day, and there are deadlines for work.  And they meet using Zoon.

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	MM
Date:	7/24/2020 10:16:53 PM

COVID 19 has actually had a positive impact in some ways. The DoD activity I support has had work continue ALMOST to the level it was before mandatory telework ensued due to the virus. There are obviously things that are better done face to face but the work is getting done. The contracting officer mandate of no telework before COVID 19, probably based on a fear that employees would "screw off" and not work, has been laid to rest.

I agree with Hound that those who can and do perform their jobs without physically being in some office should be paid. Unlike in manufacturing, in our business one doesn't need to be sitting at a desk in an office to provide a positive contribution to the mission. 

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I never said that
Date:	7/25/2020 9:21:54 AM

Of course if someone can work effectively remotely they should be paid.  What I said is that the people in govt making decisions that have caused tens of millions of people to lose their jobs never seem to be negatively impacted by those decisions.  And again, there are a large number of govt employees that like many in the private sector, cannot do their job remotely.  And yet they are still being paid. A waitress can't do their job remotely and the person at the window at the DMV can't do their job remotely either.....only one of them is unemployed.  As for teachers, if they refuse to work they shouldn't be paid.  And all the support staff to keep the schools open and manage the day to day operations because of the presence of students should likewise lose their jobs like they would in the private life sector......but they won't and they never do.  That is my point. 

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	I never said that
Date:	7/25/2020 12:50:18 PM

I'm trying to think of what kind of government job could not be done remotely.... I know in DoD, there are very few "hands on" jobs anymore, but perhaps I am not thinking broadly enough.  

This may have changed since I have retired, but when I worked with contractors a lot, in between production breaks they would continue to pay their skilled workforce in order that they could retain them.  This was often a bone of contention on Defense contract negotiations with the contractors about how whether the government owned a share of the cost for retaining the skilled labor.  It wasn't like their skills could be moved to another production line during production breaks in one line.  Another bone of contection was maintining the floor space for production, but that was another story.  

I think that the teachers are really between a rock and a hard place.  I think they want to work, but that they know what they are facing in the classroom this Fall is not going to be pretty.  Trying to keep kids socially distanced, and in masks is going to make teaching difficult.  Beside the fact that they are normally faced with a classroom of kids with no respect for authority and no manners and parents that defend "junior" no matter what he says or does.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I never said that
Date:	7/26/2020 9:30:06 AM

I imagine many of them can perform their duties remotely but I can assure those that can't are all still being paid because unlike in the private sector they don't have to worry about how to pay for those employees, we do it for them.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	I never said that
Date:	7/26/2020 8:37:12 PM

I think you are overly harsh.  It's not like people don't want to work - I think people miss their work, miss their colleagues, miss "normal" life.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I never said that
Date:	7/27/2020 7:59:26 AM

Maybe so but when I see the demands of teacher's before they want schools to open that have nothing to do with safety or the virus I have a hard time being sympathetic.  But again, my main rub is that the people who make these decisions never seem to suffer any of the consequences.  Maybe if they did they would set aside partisan gain and follow the science.  There is zero reason to not open schools in the fall and we can easily accommodate those that really need it.  And opening schools is essential to getting people back to work.....which in my estimation is why they are trying to prevent it.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Tell you what
Date:	7/27/2020 12:27:45 PM

We'll put you in the front of a classroom with 25 3rd graders or 25 7th grraders and see how you make out.  It's easy to talk about teachers and what they should do, when you are not the one responsible for doing it.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	What is your point?
Date:	7/27/2020 1:15:46 PM

You think there is something uniquely difficult about that?  Every job has it's challenges and if you become a teacher that is one of them.  Big whoop.  I can tell you there are very few teachers who can do what I did, start a company from scratch and grow it to $20M in annual revenue with over 100 employees and a multitude of clients in a highly competitive industry.  Again, big whoop.  This idea of elevating teachers to some vaunted status has always baffled me.  They have their summers and every holiday off and long breaks at the holidays while the rest of us are working away.  Would I enjoy what they do?  Probably not.  Could I do it?  In a heartbeat.  I may not enjoy it but I could do it with my eyes closed and one arm tied behind my back.  Could they do what I do?  Not likely.

Name:	architect -	Reply
Subject:	MM’s brilliance is exceeded only by his modesty
Date:	7/27/2020 1:53:12 PM

BTW-My business in “a very competitive field” only has one employee but until l began to cut back a bit a couple of years ago my annual per employee revenue produced was somewhat above MM’s business.  I guess l must be a hellova success!

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	Archies delusion is only exceeded by his ignorance
Date:	7/27/2020 3:48:19 PM

Crawl back under whatever rock you hid under before.