Spotty virus tracking in schools is leaving millions in the dark on infection rates

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN

The data on how coronavirus is spreading at schools and colleges is inconsistent, erratic — and sometimes purposely kept out of the public’s reach.

Federal rules don’t specifically require tracking or reporting the numbers by school or college, despite pressure from President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to open schools and colleges for in-person classes. The result is a distorted picture of how and where the virus may be spreading, not just for parents, teachers, students and professors, but the cities and towns where campuses are located.

The plan in Texas was for the state to gather and share data, but the state teachers union said it is launching its own tracker because the Texas education and health departments won’t share any data for a few more weeks. Even then, it won’t break the information down by school. In Florida, the state department of health has told schools that information about cases is considered confidential and has pressured schools to quit public announcements about cases. Some districts are ignoring that command and sharing the information anyway. In Tennessee, state officials at first balked at sharing statewide data about cases in schools, citing student privacy. The state reversed that position and the new plan is to provide the information starting later this month.

Ad hoc trackers have cropped up to fill the national void. Kansas high school teacher Alisha Morris started her own tracker, which has been taken on by the National Education Association. The New York Times is surveying outbreaks on college campuses. Its latest numbers show at least 51,000 cases across hundreds of institutions and at least 60 deaths since the pandemic began.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/spotty-virus-tracking-in-schools-is-leaving-millions-in-the-dark-on-infection-rates/ar-BB18ULhr?li=BBnb7Kz

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That is just crazy how both Florida and Texas have tried to hide case outbreaks at schools. No wonder a lot of folks once again think that the pandemic is over.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. There's a whole lot of "non-reporting" going on

where although the "totals" might be reported, the "where" (schools, food plants, public transit, restaurants) and the "who" (some locales aren't doing demographic breakdowns) has been more glossed over.

[SheltieLover]

2. TN doing same hiding

[groundloop]

3. East Paulding High in Dallas, GA was closed (same county as the crowded hallway photos).....

East Paulding High School in Dallas, GA was totally closed last week because of an outbreak yet not even county school employees at other schools knew about it. They went out of their way to keep it quiet. (It was North Paulding High where the now infamous crowded hallway photos were taken).

The superintendent of the district has merely suggested that students and employees wear masks, he refuses to mandate it.

AND, instead of quarantining school lunchroom employees at home during the closure they were sent to other schools in the county. Hopefully none of them were infected.

[bluestarone]

4. They DO NOT give a fuck about the children in this country

I really got to wonder WHY parents are sending the kids to school? There is NO DOUBT in my mind that i would use online class with my kids!! Gonna be very sad for some families. I was mentioning this before here. RUMP has told ALL schools to NOT RELEASE any info on how many kids are getting sick!