Yeah, our last test results came in today (approximately 45 minutes after the mask optional email), so I think that’s why they made the decision.
And I stand corrected. PA did in fact go mask optional after the latest round of testing. An email went out to students. If an email went out to parents, I missed it.
Anyway, FINALLY. Onward.
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One consideration for schools who are conservative with the mask policy, there is always more to the story.g
The most often overlooked is considering a community where faculty, staff, student body and parents(esp. day), are highly immune suppressed due to many possibilities: cancer being a biggie.
In my kids former school, two teachers working through chemo treatments for breast cancer. One could argue a small subset should not be a policy for a greater community. I will just say, it is easier on the mind to just say there is always more to the story.
And FWIW: I so wish every school was mask optional at this point.
My issue is that in every school community there is always a person or two or even “a meaningful number of people” with XY or Z to contend with. And yet magically most schools have long since figured out ways to accommodate those people without keeping classes remote or requiring indoor masking of 100% of the student body and faculty/administration.
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I wouldn’t dare claim that some schools have figured it all out without adding “it seems” and “for now.” A lot can changed with new variants… and just because we haven’t heard of an older faculty member or immunocompromised administrator getting gravely ill doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened or won’t.
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It’s been months for some schools. And others were nimble throughout, removing and reinstating mask policies for two years without any disasters.
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Agreed. I applaud nimble and flexible policies re: removing and wearing masks. I’m not ready to applaud permanent removal and to do a victory dance.
Schools that adapted their policies did so based on local school and community data, including testing. We don’t have access to other schools’ data, so perhaps we shouldn’t judge?
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Not sure where anyone said anything was permanent? Something can be both well overdue and impermanent.
As for the local data, data for both PA specifically and the surrounding county are all publicly available. Many other schools also shared their data along the way. PA’s pendulum has been unduly slow to swing and follow the science.
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Every class I’m in keeps on getting really unlucky revisit students. Last week, someone who takes Spanish came to my French class, and today, we got a student in Algebra 2 in my Calculus class.
On another note, I was running a club booth, and some parents came up to us and asked us how frequently students here use drugs and alcohol??? The person I was with is a tour guide, so he was luckily able to cover, but…why would you ask us that?
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YIKES.
Re: the classes, my DD described the same situation - mismatched languages and math levels.
I’m guessing the parents are hoping for a truthful answer about drugs and alcohol. You won’t get a true answer from the admissions office on that!
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I mean, we also just gave them vague platitudes…I don’t know what they were expecting.
You should have replied, “As often as necessary,” with a straight face. 
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The correct response (and then quickly turn away): “In moderation. And only when they have consensual sex.” 
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I was considering saying “All the time, wanna see my stash?” and then reaching into my pocket, but I realized that all I had in there was a bunch of masks 
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. 
The purpose of this thread is to lighten up. That is not how it has been used since the OP left, but the intent was to indulge in just such comments as ski and I posted. BTW, nice job on the stash @confusedaboutFA.
Kids do wander in here from time to time, but this thread was meant to be a virtual barstool for BS parents. It might behoove some to start at the beginning of this thread to get the gist.
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I’ve been here a while thanks.
Please clarify though, are you saying that this thread exists for “just such comments” as jokes about teens having impaired sex? Honest question.
I think ski answered your question.
Please see my reply to him, wherein I quoted his pre-edited comment. I can send you a screen shot if you’d like.