My heart just broke.

[KentuckyWoman]

We have 5 in our Red hat ladies and we work with various local charities. Everyone calls us "The Grandmas"

This morning a family of elementary age kids needed help. Dad is already in jail. Mom got taken overnight. 3 little kids are in rough shape.

Matted hair. Hungry. Dirty. Desperate for human touch. I don't think they have been out of the house. It was so hard to smile in their little faces while helping them clean up. I had to pull over and cry after... could not get home.

This changed my thinking on schools. Teachers see this and get people involved. Neglectful parents know there is a watchdog and at least do the minimum.

There are kids who lose a lifeline on no school days.. If we are not going to at least partly open schools, then absolutely need to find a way to help these kids.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. I was wondering about this, and how New Zealand handled it...

They seem to have handled this crisis fairly well as a country. Obviously the police part can't happen here for obvious reasons, but I do wonder if other measures could be put in place on an ongoing basis.

Moss said many of the tools social workers used to stay in touch with vulnerable children during lockdown – video and phone apps, craft projects and meal preparation kits delivered to homes as a family bonding activity – will continue after the Covid-19 crisis because they have proved so effective.

She praised police and the large supermarket chains for assisting with welfare monitoring activities, including police providing “spot welfare checks and holistic care” at roadblocks around the country.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/18/new-zealand-braces-for-spike-in-child-abuse-reports-as-covid-19-lockdown-eases

[Mr.Bill]

10. If police can stop cars to see if the driver is drunk, I can't see why we can't have roadside

checks to check on the welfare of children. This would involve trained social workers working with them. We stop cars now if a child is not in the proper seating apparatus.

[ZZenith]

18. No to the roadside checks, thanks.

[OneGrassRoot]

24. Oh goodness, the stress that would add to Black and Brown families...

No. Sadly, it wouldn't work here at all. Not unless something drastically shifts. We are so far away from community policing as they describe in NZ.

But I wish we could think of some alternative; surely wiser, more experienced people than I are contemplating this.

[totodeinhere]

26. That's a very good point. I know the poster meant well with that suggestion, but I'm afraid the

police would use it as an excuse to abuse people of color.

[47of74]

29. Not only people of color...

....but anyone else the powers that be see as undesirable.

The US is so fucked up that I would trust the police as far as I could throw them, leaving aside the fact with my back it wouldn't be very goddamn far.

[Native]

22. A nation that cares about it's citizens. I'd love to experience that one day.

[meadowlander]

34. The government asked neighbours to look out for each other

during the level 4 lockdown and to ring the police immediately if they heard any signs of domestic violence.

There was also a specific exemption to the lockdown rules for people fleeing domestic violence situations and special shelters set up for them to go to.

Generally, there is not as much child poverty or hunger in New Zealand as a baseline but there were also charities doing contactless delivery of food boxes to households that requested it.

There was a bit of a spike during level 4 but things are back to normal under level 1.

The key thing was getting the epidemic under control so that the restrictions could be relaxed as soon as possible.

[elleng]

2. It's true There are kids who lose a lifeline on no school days.

We, my family, is fortunate, as my 2 daughters, both with 2 kids, are able to care for and teach them when school's out, and 'our' states seem to be working to provide options for all; I hope it works for those in need.

[Wounded Bear]

3. It takes a village...

[Duppers]

7. +100

[LizBeth]

4. Yes. And violence increases also. These are issue. We have had plenty of time to address them.

We had all summer to address the issue, what it would look like to go back to school and what we need to do if that does not happen. That is what adults do, look at the issue and address ahead of time. Pragmatic thinking and concern. We didn't do that. We pretended covid would disappear during summer, and went full force open and Trump worked hard to normalize it and two months of no mask. Mock, scorn, ridicule those wearing masks.

Now here we sit and time to get back to school and we failed.

Do teachers risk their lives because kids need the school institution for hunger, and care and safety? (And lets look at what schools provide for society while they are constantly defunded and attacked).

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all get back out to live in the real world? Wouldn't it? I would not face the possibility of living off my savings that have to last the rest of my old life because Republicans and Trump waited until the last minute to address, and here I sit. I can't go out there. No. So, I have to use the cushion I have to stay at home because Trumpco could not be responsible leaders.

I am pissed off about it too.

[brer cat]

6. Excellent points, LizBeth.

We had all summer...and trump failed.

[LizBeth]

8. What I was seeing in May, I was thinking, get this and get onto how to prepare for fall.

They didn't do that. I thought that was what leaders are suppose to do. All they want it reacting to what is happening instead of getting ahead of it. It is very easy. Live with it, wear damn masks. Everyone. They tell us to learn to live with it. We know how to live with it. Trump and his people are the ones that are failing to learn to live with it.

Our choice, since we well know how to live with it, is stay away from those people. We are simply doing what they tell us to do.

[Phoenix61]

20. There is little evidence that violence increases

Realistically, kids are home all day every summer. I worked CPS and yes, there were fewer mandatory reporters with eyes on the children. There was also less conflict between parents and children. No set bedtimes or get up in the morning times. No notes home from school about problems there. No getting kicked off the bus.

[LizBeth]

23. Domestic Violence Reports On The Rise During Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Orders

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Domestic violence reports have increased in Los Angeles since stay-at-home orders were put into effect, according to a group of UCLA-led researchers.

The scholars behind the interpretation of the crime data say that it’s likely these incidents will decrease as people begin heading back to work and school but that if a second wave of COVID-19 were to hit and spawn new orders to remain at home, numbers could spike again.
*
The team of researchers looking into domestic violence-related calls to police say that those types of reports are among the least-reported crimes, but numbers still jumped.

By comparison, researchers looked at other crime data during the period before and during the pandemic.

Burglaries and robberies have decreased significantly in Los Angeles and vehicle thefts were moderately higher.

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/05/27/domestic-violence-reports-stay-at-home/

I read otherwise from a handful of sources.

[Phoenix61]

30. We were discussing child abuse and neglect,

and if staying home from school would increase instances of either, not adult DV.

[LizBeth]

33. I wasn't specific but betcha if there is increase domestic violence it goes to the level of kids.

firstly, and secondly living in DV even if violence is not directed at the child is certainly a horrible environment for a child. We were talking about children not having schools to be away and in safer environments.

[Phoenix61]

37. Absolutely agree that witnessing DV is horrible

for children. All the cases I worked involving DV took place outside of school hours. I’m sure it happens then but most folks are at work so less opportunity. People who hit the people they say they love are batterers. It’s not an anger management issue. Those same folks never seem to punch their boss or their friends. They hit the people who won’t hit back.

[kimbutgar]

5. When I did my student teaching there was a boy who always wore his Jacket even on hot

Days. He was really sweet but some days he’d come in so sad and weepy, And holding his arms around himself. I asked the regular teacher what’s was gong on with him and after I left she found out he had these bruises in his arms from his Dad grabbing him and hurting him.

I always wondered about how he turned out as he’d be about 30 now.

The school I substituted at before the shutdown had a few kids I knew that I worried how they were going to deal with their parents from comments they made. Not enough to report to my principal though.

[ancianita]

21. Children who enter school with bruises fall immediately under mandatory reporter laws. All

teachers are among the professionals required by law to call any social service without any prior contact either with their principal or parents.

That's across fifty states.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandatory_reporting_in_the_United_States

[kimbutgar]

31. I know about mandated reporting

And I kept expressing my concerns to my training teacher.

[ancianita]

38. I wasn't implying that you didn't know.

What did s/he do? I'm pretty sure that if you know about it you'd know that you weren't constrained.

There is within any school building a right for any adult to report. There is no hierarchy of reporting.

There is only the legal duty to directly report to social service authorities.

[iluvtennis]

9. I agree this stuff happens, but until the covid breakout is

under control, in classroom schooling should not be allowed. Until school s are reopened, the situation you described could handled by requiring parents to come to school once per week for half hour consult with a counselor. The counselor can do in person checkin on how online learning is progressing and query parents for feedback on how things could be improved.

[Bettie]

11. That's why those who can stay home and

do online school (hopefully, through our own school districts) should do it.

That gives more space for distancing for kids who have to go to school for whatever reason.

My kid will miss his friends, but he'll deal with it. He's safe here and has a full-time parent.

I am immensely privileged to not have to worry about going into a workplace every day and keep my kid home.

[WilliamPlanke]

12. Eyes and teeth, too

Many children get eye tests based on teachers reports. Teachers can also tell when a child is in pain from a toothache and unable to concentrate.

The social services teachers contribute goes far beyond the mandated reporting for abuse.

[Mr.Bill]

13. Without going into detail, I had the opportunity

to sit and have lunch with kids incarcerated at a juvenile detention center nearby. It involved doing some investigating work for the court system. The kid sitting across from me, who was 14 told me he felt better and safer in the facility than he did at home. That was a very sad moment.

[duhneece]

14. Visiting nurses/teachers/counselors?

We can’t sit and do nothing.

[AwakeAtLast]

40. That's a good idea!

There are some nurses who were furloughed. That would create some jobs.

[yardwork]

15. This worries me so much.

[Hoyt]

16. Unfortunately, kids are going to fall behind in a lot of ways. There is no

good answer in all this.

[japple]

17. If the US government can send DHS troops to Portland, Chicago, and Arizona to "help" with

situations, maybe they should be assigned to help with going door-to-door to ask if anyone in the home needs assistance with food, medical aid, transportation, or educational needs. This is where our needs lie. Not in harrassing people who are protesting for these things.

[brush]

19. We have to face it. This cohort of kids will be behind in their learning...

because of this time out of school because of the first virus shutdown, and probably a second one.

All will be affected. Schools may be able to offer catch up courses later on but now is the time to not endanger their and the schools' staffs' health.

[totodeinhere]

25. We should not reopen schools if doing so would cause a spike in covid-19 cases.

And teachers, especially older teachers with health problems, should not be put at risk by being made to return to the classroom while the pandemic is raging. But regarding the kids, it's heartbreaking to see something like this. It looks like the parents are already in trouble but child abuse and child neglect charges should be added to their rap sheets.

[mcar]

27. That is heartbreaking

and one of the reasons why this is such a hard issue to deal with.

SO is a public school teacher here in red FL. Our district is about 70% free and reduced lunch. When schools shut down in mid March, the district and charities did great work making sure families got food for those kids on a weekly basis.

But there is so much poverty, some drug stuff and what you experienced today.

The problem is that these families are not going to comply with the guidelines - in many cases because they can't. Thus, they will send their infected child to school, who will infect their classmates, teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc, etc. Given that it takes 10 days to get a test result (and that most parents will not have their kids tested anyway), we're looking at a perfect storm of infection.

I do not know the answer. But sending kids back to school with minimal precautions isn't it. I am, quite frankly, terrified for my husband. He's one year away from retirement.

[TeamPooka]

28. or we can send them back to school where they can get sick or bring the virus

into the house and kill their parents.
Societal problems that have been around for decades/centuries will have to wait for a virus cure or everyone to get smart enough to wear masks.

[KentuckyWoman]

35. I don't agree with you at all.

It isn't either put them all in school or abandon them at home. There are in between options and those need to be discussed and considered.

Perfect example. There's a school district near me that has a lot of kids from homes with various challenges. The school system has figured out a way to get all the kids within a neighborhood (the ones that are already playing together) into the classroom 1 week each month with remote learning the other 3 weeks. Within the school multiple steps are being take to protect the kids while in school. Any family who feels uncomfortable sending kids to the school can make that choice, and resources are being deployed to make home visits every 4 weeks or more frequent if needed to "keep kids on track". Basically, in home welfare checks.

This isn't the only option, but it is one that might work. It limits exposure and helps at risk kids too.

[A HERETIC I AM]

32. Greatest country in the world!

Unbelievable.


Actually, no it isn't. Not at all. VERY believable, in fact. To be expected by a nation that seems to value strong arm military tactics and overpriced weapons of war above teaching children and caring for people.

Let no one forget that the CEO's of the largest US defense contractors are sleeping well tonight on their entirely taxpayer funded, multi-million dollar salaries while AMERICAN children suffer what you describe on a regular basis.

This country is a fucking embarrassment.

[GoCubsGo]

36. Were they ever in school in the first place?

I doubt it, from the sound of it. A lot of parents who neglect their children also neglect to enroll them in school. Opening the schools back up is not going to help kids that aren't even going to be there.

[JI7]

39. I think they should have a place to drop off kids

not regular classes. But maybe in a gym or some other large space including outdoors

Have a few teachers to watch them over. Make them spread apart as much as possible.

It wouldn't exactly be regular school but a place where kids can go if parents can't have them at home . The kids will still have their regular distant learning classes that other kids have. And that can work on that while they are at this place.

Set aside some time for physical activity .

Provide meals .

Depending in how many kids attend they can even rotate if there are too many to social distance.

Most kids who go there will be less privileged types.

[MyMission]

41. 3 cities kept schools open during the 1918 pandemic. Experts say 2020 is different.

I read this article yesterday. Very interesting, and disturbing concerning the changes in schools over 100 years.

An excerpt:
The schools had extensive public health programs in place and argued that keeping students in school was "an opportunity to implement the public health strategies of school medical inspection and intensified disease surveillance," according to a public health report published in 2010.

Now, more than a century later, as society faces the same question of whether to reopen schools during a pandemic, experts warn that what allowed those three cities to stay open in 1918 is no longer viable.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/3-cities-kept-schools-open-during-the-1918-pandemic-experts-say-2020-is-different/ar-BB17d9bB