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My partner is a k-12 teacher who has been told to wfh. This is relatively uncharted territory. I don't envy her. She's trying to figure out how to support stude

My partner is a k-12 teacher who has been told to wfh. This is relatively uncharted territory. I don't envy her. She's trying to figure out how to support students in households without internet, with parents who are technologically illiterate, in households with very high risk individuals, etc. These are hard problems in a functioning society. I might get laid off this week too. I don't look forward to being cooped up inside for weeks to months. I guess I can keep trying to learn web dev to keep my mind busy, at least until we get evicted from our home.

WrtCdEvrydy 7y ago
> until we get evicted from our home. Sheriffs in a few places are not evicting due to risk of infection...
- VBprogrammer 7y ago
  I'm counting on the hope that banks will realise that the cost of giving normal people a few months to get their shit back together will cost much less in the long run than the cost of evicting people.
  - brundolf 7y ago
    Some governments are stepping in and making it illegal. Austin is banning evictions and utility shutoffs for the near future: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-03-13/utility-shut-offs-evictions-court-dates-suspended-due-to-pandemic/ https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-03-13/utilit...
    - Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
      My city has taken none of these actions. We need federal responses to these issues.
      - _bxg1 7y ago
        Agreed.
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
  Yeah, not exactly an immediate concern of mine. But now that I've done everything I can to prepare my family and home for quarantine I've started worrying about things outside of my control...
_bxg1 7y ago
> I might get laid off this week too If you don't mind my asking, what do you do? I'm under the impression that most people on HN are in STEM and I would expect the majority of that group to be fairly insulated from the turmoil as far as their jobs go (obvious exceptions being things like Airbnb and Uber).
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
  I'm an hourly employee for a staffing company in a specific industry, that I'd rather not name drop here. I make between 20-30k a year. My work site is liable to shut down soon because it is irresponsible to keep their doors open with this virus. When it does I'm on unemployment. There's rumblings of new contracts specifically due to covid but nothing concrete yet. Let alone anything for me. I am not in stem, though that is where my interests and hobbies are. I'm here because there are good discussions with actionable information.
pengaru 7y ago
> I don't look forward to being cooped up inside for weeks to months. There's no need to be cooped up unless you're actually sick. You can go for walks, runs, hikes, bike rides, do whatever outdoor activities you want as long as it's not crowded, without it being a problem.
- _bxg1 7y ago
  Just so long as it doesn't involve touching public objects with your hands. Playgrounds, gyms, maybe even outdoor rock climbing are out.
  - debian3 7y ago
    Or just don’t touch your face and wash your hands
    - ithkuil 7y ago
      This hits a core point: some rules protect you; other rules protect others from you (even if you're asymptomatic) In Italy the rules are designed to protect others from you.
- ithkuil 7y ago
  That's what I thought too, when they first implemented social distancing rules in Italy. The rules seemed reasonable: you cannot move across the borders of your municipality unless you have a written proof you have to do that for work or health reasons. All non-essential shops closed, but you can go buy groceries and essential items. 1m distance between people (in small shops only one person at a time can enter). The rationale was explained, and the populace was encouraged to further minimize contact within reason. Many thought it meant that within the borders of your municipality you can take long walks with your dogs. The municipality adjacent to mine stretches out towards the sea and has a few km of beaches. Some thought this weekend was perfect time to have a walk on the seafront. Some people came technically from a different municipality and 400 got fined 200eu. The city council reacted by closing the beaches and seafront road and limiting access also from people from the same township (allowing only people living strictly within a few hundred meters). Similar stories with people being either fined or strongly criticized for walking their dogs a bit too far from their homes. Also people who had small plots of land to tend (now it's olive tree pruning season) which were not adjacent from where they live, were publicly denounced for unauthorized 'non essential leasure activity' (despite going there working alone or with significant other, would not cause them any contact with people). Agricultural activity, the newspaper said, is permitted, but you have demonstrate that's your job (which here means to be registered as a professional agricultural producer, a form of business incorporation that you just don't do if you have a small family plot of land; and now offices are closed and you can't register a new one). A newspaper has FAQ section where I read a case: "two parents work from home and ask their child's grandmother can come and babysit" the answer is "no, because they work from home and babysitting activity is only allowed if the safety of the children is at risk". (Those who made those rules clearly have no idea what working from home means....) I can't but groceries for my 80yo in-laws because they live 20 miles away. In theory, supermarkets offer an online order and delivery. By the time we managed to get past the outages in the registration process to the website, all deliveries were booked until the end of the month. I have faith local authorities will find a way to care for the vulnerable population, but I assure you: it doesn't look like a minor limitation. Every day it looks worse. The more you talk to people, especially those living in cities where there are no places they can walk (I live at the foots of a mountain, it's easy for me, I can just walk in the woods and meet perhaps one person). Most people are cut off from this leisure activity. I'm worried how this will affect people's mental health. I'm in two minds. On one hand I do understand the rationale behind social distancing, I'm sold. On the other hand, it seems this has gone too far. There are no shades of gray, everything is black or white: "you're either have to do all it takes to limit chances of contagion, or you're not doing enough" seems to be reasoning. The relentless obstinacy of the exponential function that lags behind the tally by days/weeks, makes it obviously impossible for people to notice any effect of their massive collective efforts. Of course we had twice as many new deaths than last week. They were people infected before the strict rules took place last week! And the cumulative numbers will grow even when the rate will slow down. In the meantime people start to freak out and take extra measured. The idea of sanitizing the streets has been floated (and then retracted); many people I know have reacted by disinfecting their shoes every time they go out (clearly, they reason, the ground is infected too). Anyway, I don't know what you can draw from this anecdata. YMMV, Italy is a funny country anyway. There is a weird around rules here: people don't follow rules, so clearly we need more rules (people don't pay taxes, so we raise the taxes to make up for it). Many people do follow rules (many people do pay taxes, they can't avoid). But some people don't follow rules (and for some people it's easier to avoid paying due taxes). The collective shaming against those who don't follow rules is paid by the majority who do follow them and would benefit if the rules were a little looser.
hansthehorse 7y ago
My wife teaches at a school for autistic children ranging from K through 12. Her students are barely functioning and some can't talk. I have no idea what their parents are going to do as the school closed today until further notice.
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
  I can sympathize. My partner also has students on the spectrum. Though she is at a mainstream school. Some of her students are even physically aggressive, I hope the parents manage okay and know that she's there to offer support as needed. This is a serious concern, but one that she has had no time to make plans for. What these parents need is helicopter money to stay home and care for their families. In the case of the families of essential employees they need federally funded child care. It is a travesty that solving these problems isapparently so hard for our elected officials.

WrtCdEvrydy 7y ago

> until we get evicted from our home. Sheriffs in a few places are not evicting due to risk of infection...

VBprogrammer 7y ago
I'm counting on the hope that banks will realise that the cost of giving normal people a few months to get their shit back together will cost much less in the long run than the cost of evicting people.
- brundolf 7y ago
  Some governments are stepping in and making it illegal. Austin is banning evictions and utility shutoffs for the near future: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-03-13/utility-shut-offs-evictions-court-dates-suspended-due-to-pandemic/ https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-03-13/utilit...
  - Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
    My city has taken none of these actions. We need federal responses to these issues.
    - _bxg1 7y ago
      Agreed.
Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
Yeah, not exactly an immediate concern of mine. But now that I've done everything I can to prepare my family and home for quarantine I've started worrying about things outside of my control...

_bxg1 7y ago

> I might get laid off this week too If you don't mind my asking, what do you do? I'm under the impression that most people on HN are in STEM and I would expect the majority of that group to be fairly insulated from the turmoil as far as their jobs go (obvious exceptions being things like Airbnb and Uber).

Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
I'm an hourly employee for a staffing company in a specific industry, that I'd rather not name drop here. I make between 20-30k a year. My work site is liable to shut down soon because it is irresponsible to keep their doors open with this virus. When it does I'm on unemployment. There's rumblings of new contracts specifically due to covid but nothing concrete yet. Let alone anything for me. I am not in stem, though that is where my interests and hobbies are. I'm here because there are good discussions with actionable information.

pengaru 7y ago

> I don't look forward to being cooped up inside for weeks to months. There's no need to be cooped up unless you're actually sick. You can go for walks, runs, hikes, bike rides, do whatever outdoor activities you want as long as it's not crowded, without it being a problem.

_bxg1 7y ago
Just so long as it doesn't involve touching public objects with your hands. Playgrounds, gyms, maybe even outdoor rock climbing are out.
- debian3 7y ago
  Or just don’t touch your face and wash your hands
  - ithkuil 7y ago
    This hits a core point: some rules protect you; other rules protect others from you (even if you're asymptomatic) In Italy the rules are designed to protect others from you.
ithkuil 7y ago
That's what I thought too, when they first implemented social distancing rules in Italy. The rules seemed reasonable: you cannot move across the borders of your municipality unless you have a written proof you have to do that for work or health reasons. All non-essential shops closed, but you can go buy groceries and essential items. 1m distance between people (in small shops only one person at a time can enter). The rationale was explained, and the populace was encouraged to further minimize contact within reason. Many thought it meant that within the borders of your municipality you can take long walks with your dogs. The municipality adjacent to mine stretches out towards the sea and has a few km of beaches. Some thought this weekend was perfect time to have a walk on the seafront. Some people came technically from a different municipality and 400 got fined 200eu. The city council reacted by closing the beaches and seafront road and limiting access also from people from the same township (allowing only people living strictly within a few hundred meters). Similar stories with people being either fined or strongly criticized for walking their dogs a bit too far from their homes. Also people who had small plots of land to tend (now it's olive tree pruning season) which were not adjacent from where they live, were publicly denounced for unauthorized 'non essential leasure activity' (despite going there working alone or with significant other, would not cause them any contact with people). Agricultural activity, the newspaper said, is permitted, but you have demonstrate that's your job (which here means to be registered as a professional agricultural producer, a form of business incorporation that you just don't do if you have a small family plot of land; and now offices are closed and you can't register a new one). A newspaper has FAQ section where I read a case: "two parents work from home and ask their child's grandmother can come and babysit" the answer is "no, because they work from home and babysitting activity is only allowed if the safety of the children is at risk". (Those who made those rules clearly have no idea what working from home means....) I can't but groceries for my 80yo in-laws because they live 20 miles away. In theory, supermarkets offer an online order and delivery. By the time we managed to get past the outages in the registration process to the website, all deliveries were booked until the end of the month. I have faith local authorities will find a way to care for the vulnerable population, but I assure you: it doesn't look like a minor limitation. Every day it looks worse. The more you talk to people, especially those living in cities where there are no places they can walk (I live at the foots of a mountain, it's easy for me, I can just walk in the woods and meet perhaps one person). Most people are cut off from this leisure activity. I'm worried how this will affect people's mental health. I'm in two minds. On one hand I do understand the rationale behind social distancing, I'm sold. On the other hand, it seems this has gone too far. There are no shades of gray, everything is black or white: "you're either have to do all it takes to limit chances of contagion, or you're not doing enough" seems to be reasoning. The relentless obstinacy of the exponential function that lags behind the tally by days/weeks, makes it obviously impossible for people to notice any effect of their massive collective efforts. Of course we had twice as many new deaths than last week. They were people infected before the strict rules took place last week! And the cumulative numbers will grow even when the rate will slow down. In the meantime people start to freak out and take extra measured. The idea of sanitizing the streets has been floated (and then retracted); many people I know have reacted by disinfecting their shoes every time they go out (clearly, they reason, the ground is infected too). Anyway, I don't know what you can draw from this anecdata. YMMV, Italy is a funny country anyway. There is a weird around rules here: people don't follow rules, so clearly we need more rules (people don't pay taxes, so we raise the taxes to make up for it). Many people do follow rules (many people do pay taxes, they can't avoid). But some people don't follow rules (and for some people it's easier to avoid paying due taxes). The collective shaming against those who don't follow rules is paid by the majority who do follow them and would benefit if the rules were a little looser.

hansthehorse 7y ago

My wife teaches at a school for autistic children ranging from K through 12. Her students are barely functioning and some can't talk. I have no idea what their parents are going to do as the school closed today until further notice.

Red_Leaves_Flyy 7y ago
I can sympathize. My partner also has students on the spectrum. Though she is at a mainstream school. Some of her students are even physically aggressive, I hope the parents manage okay and know that she's there to offer support as needed. This is a serious concern, but one that she has had no time to make plans for. What these parents need is helicopter money to stay home and care for their families. In the case of the families of essential employees they need federally funded child care. It is a travesty that solving these problems isapparently so hard for our elected officials.