MASBO Fall Session: Joseph Allen

 Allen is from the Chan School of Public Health

"a lot of science to show that the building matters a lot"
ventilation related to better test taking results, better health for those in building
"over 200 scientific studies" showing link between building and student health
"something like temperature" just looking at test scores on exam days
12% more likely to fail the test on a warm day
"one of the factors it was a hot day and whether or not it was a comfortable environment"

"this is not something that is a new phenomenon"
we've underinvested for decades
"an investment in the school building is an investment in students"

you can't "just open" schools
there needs to be preparation of buildings ahead of time
building a culture of health and safety: masking, distance become the norm
"the idea of a hybrid plan never made an sense to me"
manage transition time; make lunchtime safer
rethink transportation
modify attendance

designing buildings with infectious disease in mind
overheating old buildings to force windows to be open for air exchange
"opening windows in November?" sure if it gets kids in school

most deaths related to temperature swings in shoulder swings; bodies are acclimated, buildings aren't ready
what are buildings built for? What are people accustomed to? 

start by getting a handle on what's working and what's not
what systems are working and what are on

improvements will help with other health impacts
"I know it's resources, but I think it's less about resources than about prioritization"
um...it's about resources...

...which as I've listened to this, I am realizing is a major issue in his presentation and argument: saying, as he did that kids and teachers should just put on sweaters and coats and we'll open the windows is to ignore that many of our kids don't have additional layers to come to school with (and they may not have bodies adjusted for cold, either). Utterly ignoring the impacts of poverty (and institutional racism, for that matter) both of our students and their families and of our districts means we can't have a realistic conversation about these things if we don't recognize that aspect of it.

 I do wonder how much this has to do with DESE's push to get students back in school.