Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Springfield, Holyoke: zoo, double, homes)

[mp775]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

I just think buses are a problem. There’s waay too many of the on the roads in Boston creating more and more traffic.

And traffic would be better if each of those buses was 40 cars instead?

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

You’re not really getting my point. If everyone can make alternative arrangements if there is no school then they should be able to figure out how to get a kid to school without a school bus. If someone has no car there’s also public transportation busing.

So you think public schools are somehow magically on municipal bus routes? In my town, the high school isn’t on a municipal bus route at all. You could theoretically get to the middle school and largest elementary school with a bunch of walking and a transfer at the city bus station. It would take at least an hour and a half counting the wait at the city bus station with the homeless people. You’re going to somehow do that daily with a 6 year old?

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

You’re not really getting my point. If everyone can make alternative arrangements if there is no school then they should be able to figure out how to get a kid to school without a school bus. If someone has no car there’s also public transportation busing.

What public transportation? We don't have that in Marlborough or most of central and western Mass. In most of the country, there aren't even sidewalks. If someone is a nurse who has an 8 a.m. report time in Boston or is working the breakfast shift at Dunkin Donuts, they can't drop of their kids at school at 9 a.m. If they are dropping off their kid at 9 a.m. and are not able to work from home, they certainly can't pick up at 3. And our school's entrances aren't build for every single child to be picked up by an individual car.



If schools have to open, there needs to be a way to get students there.

[Bridge781]

Or how about kids walk? Apparently there’s no time for that anymore either.

I don’t care if buses are used or not because it really won’t affect me one way or another. But I do think the city of Boston could cut back on the buses they use. Too many buses on the road.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by mp775

And traffic would be better if each of those buses was 40 cars instead?

In my town, parents doing pickups at 3pm at the local elementary school is already a traffic menace. 100 crossovers queued up on a busy through street every day. I can only imagine what the schools would be like if they re-open. I imagine anyone who can would keep their children off of the yellow school bus. It’s 5 degrees in January and the bus has to keep the windows open while transporting your 6 year old. My town is huge. There are plenty of 30 and 45 minute bus routes.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

Or how about kids walk? Apparently there’s no time for that anymore either.

I don’t care if buses are used or not because it really won’t affect me one way or another. But I do think the city of Boston could cut back on the buses they use. Too many buses on the road.

My town has some sidewalks that would get kids to school, but not enough to cover all students. We have universal bussing - even if you live less than a mile from school - because of the hazardous roads. With two high schools across from each other, there would be kids who would have to walk 3 or 4 miles down 20 and cross 495 to get to school. The elementary schools are better, but not much. Many of the surrounding towns do not have sidewalks at all. Where I grew up, I would have had to walk 3 miles alongside a 4 lane highway and across an 8 lane freeway with no sidewalks to get to school.



You live an extraordinarily privileged life and seem unable to see that what is easy for you is difficult for 80%+ of the country. And yet you call people who have less options than you do lazy, while complaining about the waning possibility of teachers being forced into a room to teach your kid in person because, while you're completely capable of supporting your family from home, you don't want to bother.



I get it. This sucks. It sucks for everyone. But we should be doing as much as possible to make sure it doesn't suck for the most vulnerable - teachers, low income students, the students of front line workers.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

You’re not really getting my point. If everyone can make alternative arrangements if there is no school then they should be able to figure out how to get a kid to school without a school bus. If someone has no car there’s also public transportation busing.

Because your point isn't making sense. Having people using public transit instead of a school bus (if and when even possible) isn't a benefit, its worse. Much worse. Often if its younger kids, you'll have a parent with the kid; more crowding. Or, adults with kids mixed (different risk groups). You're proposing ideas that literally make zero sense. You're seemingly doing so out of the notion that if you're going to be inconvenienced then why can't everyone else be, out of spite or anger.

[Bridge781]

Lol. Ok. Well I’m glad my kids don’t have to take the bus. Glad everyone is such a fan of the giant gas guzzling yellow school buses that have been clogging streets since the 70s.

[Bridge781]

But it makes sense to close schools so kids under 8 could be left home alone while their parents are at work. Because that will happen...

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

Does he name the “high risk” states?

Currently: New England, NY, NJ, and Hawaii. The metric is below 6 positives per 100,000 and positive rate below 5%. Both 7 day averages.

They use this data:
https://www.covidexitstrategy.org/

The rightmost two columns are the 7 day average per million so divide by 10; and positive rate.

Looking at the numbers, Rhode Island is right on the cusp of being a plague state.