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Thursday, July 16, 2020

Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Is DCPS passing the buck with health decisions?

Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Is DCPS passing the buck with health decisions?

Is DCPS passing the buck with health decisions?




The answer is yes, and this lack of leadership is going to cost people their health or worse.


At the last school board meeting, the superintendent spoke about how the health department will conduct "investigations" when somebody presents signs of the virus or tests positive. There was absolutely no description of what this would look like, but we can imagine.

A student in class coughs and presents with a fever. The teacher checks on them and decides they may be sick. They walk them out to the office or nurses station, if the school has one, IF!! 

The principal and or the office staff, or both check on the child. One of them calls the parent, and the other calls the department of health. The parents says they will be right there, maybe, or maybe there is no answer, or perhaps it's going to take some time.

The underfunded and undermanned Department of Health may pick up quicker, but there is no guaranty; they will get there faster or that day for that matter. What if there are multiple contacts,  can they send out 167 investigators at a time? What about 80 or 40? How about 20 or even ten? Maybe 5 right.

I say they may not get there that day, and that's a real possibility. I have reported abuse and not seen the Children and Families investigator for days, so why would I expect the DOH to be any different. 

So they get there, but now the class where the child presented the symptoms has switched and switched and CONTINUE READING: Mr. G for District 3: Chris Guerrieri's Education Matters: Is DCPS passing the buck with health decisions?