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>> Karen: IT’S GOING TO DEPEND
ON THE DISTRICT WITH THE START
OF THE SCHOOL YEAR-ROUND THE
CORNER.
A LOOK AT THE PRECAUTIONS DISTRICTS A TAKING AS STUDENTS
DISTRICTS A TAKING AS STUDENTS
GET READY TO HEAD BACK INTO THE
CLASSROOM.
THE CDC STRONGLY RECOMMENDS ALL
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WEAR MASKS
IN SCHOOL REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS.
VACCINATION STATUS.
>> Jason: SOME DISTRICTS ARE NOT
GOING ALONG WITH THE GUIDELINES.
PAULA TUTMAN HAS BEEN VISITING
AND POLLING SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE REGION AND JOINS US
ACROSS THE REGION AND JOINS US
LIVE TO SHOW US HOW VASTLY
DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS REGARD IT.
>> Paula: GOOD EVENING, GUYS. THERE’S A REAL STARVATION TO NOT
THERE’S A REAL STARVATION TO NOT
NECESSARILY GET BACK TO THE
NORMAL BUT TO AT LEAST GET A
SENSE OF NORMALCY BY NOT HIDING FROM THE VIRUS BUT LIVING
FROM THE VIRUS BUT LIVING
WITNESS.
I GET THE SENSE BY TALKING TO
DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THERE IS CHAOS AS EVERY SCHOOL
THERE IS CHAOS AS EVERY SCHOOL
DISTRICT DOES ITS OWN THING.
PONTIAC PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY
DISTRICT HAVE SOME OF THE MOST
STRINGENT SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE WE’VE SEEN IN A RANDOM
PLACE WE’VE SEEN IN A RANDOM
SUPERINTENDENTS SURVEY.
STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFFERS
IN DETROIT MUST SHOW
DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THEIR VACCINATION STATUS IN ORDER TO
VACCINATION STATUS IN ORDER TO
GO MASKLESS.
>> ONLY THOSE STUDENTS AND
EMPLOYEES UNVACCINATED OR WHO ARE VACCINATED AND DO NOT SUBMIT
ARE VACCINATED AND DO NOT SUBMIT
DOCUMENTATION WOULD HAVE TO WEAR
A MASK.
>> Paula: AND WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID TESTING.
SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID TESTING.
DEPENDING ON YOUR SCHOOL
DISTRICT, EVERYTHING FROM STRICT
MITIGATION TO BARELY EXISTENT
RULES. AND SUMMER SCHOOL GIVES A FAIRLY
AND SUMMER SCHOOL GIVES A FAIRLY
ACCURATE PEEK INTO HOW
ADMINISTRATORS VIEW SAFE
PROTOCOL.
IN THE PONTIAC SCHOOL DISTRICT,
WHICH TEACHES CLOSE TO 5,000 STUDENTS, YOU CAN’T GET IN THE
STUDENTS, YOU CAN’T GET IN THE
DOOR WITHOUT FIRST A TEMPERATURE
CHECK AND SOMETHING AKIN TO AN
AFFIDAVIT YOU MUST SIGN TO
DECLARE YOUR HEALTH STATUS.
>> YOU HAVE TO DO THAT EVERY DAY WHETHER YOU WORK HERE, WHETHER
WHETHER YOU WORK HERE, WHETHER
YOU’RE A VISITOR OR A STUDENT OR
STAFF.
>> Paula: BEFORE STUDENTS ENTER
CLASSROOMS, THEY’RE REMINDED OF
THE PROPER WAY TO WEAR THEIR
MASK. >> YOU KNOW THE MASK IS THERE
>> YOU KNOW THE MASK IS THERE
BUT YOU KNOW IT’S FOR A GOOD
REASON.
SO THAT WAY YOU DON’T GET SICK OR NOBODY ELSE GETS SICK.
OR NOBODY ELSE GETS SICK.
>> WE TRY TO WORK THOUGHTFULLY,
EFFICIENTLY, AND TO LISTEN TO
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD
AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
HEALTH CARE EXPERTS. >> Paula: IN EACH CLASSROOM, THE
>> Paula: IN EACH CLASSROOM, THE
GENTLE HUM OF AN AIR PURIFIER.
AND IN CLASSES WHERE STUDENT
DENSITY CANNOT BE MINIMIZED, THERE ARE PLASTIC SHIELDS.
THERE ARE PLASTIC SHIELDS.
IN THE CLINTONDALE DISTRICT,
FEWER THAN 2,000 STUDENTS.
LIKE EVERY OTHER DISTRICT, I
SENT A WRITTEN SURVEY PRIOR TO A VISIT.
THE DISTRICT SENT ME THE LIST OF
THE COVID MITIGATION STRATEGIES,
AND THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE SEVEN
PREPARED FOR SCHOOL.
>> Paula: HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
>> PUTTING IN A PLAN, AND INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE, BEING
INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE, BEING
PROACTIVE AND LISTENING TO THE
DATA, THE CDC GARDNER-WHITE
GUIDANCE, OUR MICHIGAN HEALTH
DEPARTMENT AND THE DOCTORS TO
ENSURE THAT WE’RE FOLLOWING
THEIR GUIDANCE, TO BE PREPARED FOR SCHOOL.
FOR SCHOOL.
>> Paula: THIS DISTRICT ONLY HAS
FIVE SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND
APPEARS TO HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT
TAKE ON MITIGATION. >> WE PUT THINGS ON OUR FLOORS
>> WE PUT THINGS ON OUR FLOORS
TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE 6 FEET
APART.
>> Paula: DESKS ARE SPREAD OUT
AND THE SIGNS EVERYWHERE DEMAND MASKING, WE ONLY SAW A FEW
MASKING, WE ONLY SAW A FEW
STUDENTS AND STAFFERS WEARING
MASKS.
>> Paula: IT SAYS MASKS KEEP US
HEALTHY YET I DON’T SEE THEM ON
ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS, AND YOU’RE NOT WEARING A MASK.
NOT WEARING A MASK.
>> NOT AT THIS TIME.
SINCE IT’S JUST RECOMMENDED BY
CDC, SOME OF OUR SAFETY PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND
PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND
STUDENTS CAN WEAR THEM IF THEY
FEEL THAT THEY NEED ’EM.
>> THERE ARE SOME SCENARIOS THAT
MASKS ARE UNSAFE FOR US.
>> Paula: WHAT SCENARIOS ARE THOSE?
>> WHEN YOU’RE IN A MASK FOR
LIKE 8-PLUS HOURS A DAY FOR
SPORTS AND STUFF, IT DOES AFFECT YOU.
>> Paula: ARE YOU VACCINATED?
>> I AM NOT.
>> Paula: AND THE WATER
FOUNTAINS ARE FULLY OPERATIONAL.
SO YOU DIDN’T CLOSE OFF YOUR FOUNTAINS?
>> NO.
>> Paula: AND THE PLEXIGLASS FOR
THE WORK STATIONS HAD JUST BEEN
TAKEN DOWN.
AND THE BRAND-NEW SUPERINTENDENT IMPORTED FROM MISSISSIPPI
IMPORTED FROM MISSISSIPPI
PERSONALLY TOURED US AROUND THE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HE
REVEALED -- >> Paula: ARE YOU INOCULATED?
>> Paula: ARE YOU INOCULATED?
>> NO.
>> Paula: -- AND ON THE FENCE
ABOUT GETTING THE VACCINE.
THESE DECISIONS ARE LEFT UP TO THE DISTRICT.
THE DISTRICT.
THERE’S A VAST DIFFERENCE
DEPENDING ON WHO THE
SUPERINTENDENT IS, WHAT THEIR
BELIEF SYSTEM IS AS WELL AS THE BOARD.
I WANT TO UNPACK CLINTONDALE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS AN
APPOINTMENT TO BE VACCINATED IN THE FUTURE AND WILL SEND ME
THE FUTURE AND WILL SEND ME
DOCUMENTATION OF THE VACCINATION
WHEN HE GETS IT. I SPOKE TO HIS BOSS WHO IS THE
I SPOKE TO HIS BOSS WHO IS THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF MACOMB COUNTY
MISTD.
AND HE STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE WHO IS ABLE TO GET A
EVERYONE WHO IS ABLE TO GET A
VACCINE, TO GET THAT VACCINE,
PARTICULARLY THOSE WORKING WITH
CHILDREN.
WE OFFERED THE ABILITY TO COME
BACK A WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL IN THE
CLINTONDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN AN ANSWER
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN AN ANSWER
WHETHER OR NOT WE’LL BE INVITED
BACK.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, WE’LL
KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT.