Kathryn
@kathrynas.bsky.social
Past-Chair of the Women’s Caucus at CASWE-ACFTS, MSW, Long COVID research, therapist, equity advocate, intersectional feminist, mom. Not totally here. Still more there.
Thoughts my own.
Thoughts my own.
I’ll be your understudy. I know the part well…
October 31, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I’ll be your understudy. I know the part well…
Agreed. There are plenty of good reasons to wash your hands, even if preventing COVID probably isn’t one of the most important.
June 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Agreed. There are plenty of good reasons to wash your hands, even if preventing COVID probably isn’t one of the most important.
There are so many structural failings that discourage prosocial behaviour when it comes to illness. The system is maintaining itself by chewing through workers.
June 26, 2025 at 8:35 PM
There are so many structural failings that discourage prosocial behaviour when it comes to illness. The system is maintaining itself by chewing through workers.
Just because it hasn’t changed YET doesn’t mean it won’t. But it will take pressure from citizens, parents, advocacy groups, and any other concerned individuals to get bureaucrats moving. That’s just the reality of the situation.
Thank you for attending my TED talk.
End 🧵
Thank you for attending my TED talk.
End 🧵
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Just because it hasn’t changed YET doesn’t mean it won’t. But it will take pressure from citizens, parents, advocacy groups, and any other concerned individuals to get bureaucrats moving. That’s just the reality of the situation.
Thank you for attending my TED talk.
End 🧵
Thank you for attending my TED talk.
End 🧵
Common Criticism 5: If the schools were ever going to get HEPAs, they would have done it during COVID. There’s no point trying now.
Answer: ‘During COVID’ is now & we will need airborne mitigations now and for the foreseeable future. Remember, policy moves slower than science...
Answer: ‘During COVID’ is now & we will need airborne mitigations now and for the foreseeable future. Remember, policy moves slower than science...
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Common Criticism 5: If the schools were ever going to get HEPAs, they would have done it during COVID. There’s no point trying now.
Answer: ‘During COVID’ is now & we will need airborne mitigations now and for the foreseeable future. Remember, policy moves slower than science...
Answer: ‘During COVID’ is now & we will need airborne mitigations now and for the foreseeable future. Remember, policy moves slower than science...
Common Criticism 4: It’s good for the kids’ immune system to get sick!
Answer: No, it is not, but that outdated information is sticky as fly paper. It needs to be addressed. The moms feel abandoned by institutional leaders & are turning to each other - a dangerous echo chamber.
Answer: No, it is not, but that outdated information is sticky as fly paper. It needs to be addressed. The moms feel abandoned by institutional leaders & are turning to each other - a dangerous echo chamber.
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Common Criticism 4: It’s good for the kids’ immune system to get sick!
Answer: No, it is not, but that outdated information is sticky as fly paper. It needs to be addressed. The moms feel abandoned by institutional leaders & are turning to each other - a dangerous echo chamber.
Answer: No, it is not, but that outdated information is sticky as fly paper. It needs to be addressed. The moms feel abandoned by institutional leaders & are turning to each other - a dangerous echo chamber.
The cost of running an appropriate HEPA that can greatly reduce the likelihood of illness & associated costs is nothing compared to the cost of perpetual illness. Imagine if this was divided between 30 students. Even 300 per year is $10 a student or just over $1 per school month.
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The cost of running an appropriate HEPA that can greatly reduce the likelihood of illness & associated costs is nothing compared to the cost of perpetual illness. Imagine if this was divided between 30 students. Even 300 per year is $10 a student or just over $1 per school month.
Second: Is anyone considering how expensive it is to have a sick child and/or to be sick themselves? Even with socialized medicine in Canada, it costs 💰 to take time off. It costs 💰to fill scripts. And there are many secondary costs that aren’t even figured into this equation…
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Second: Is anyone considering how expensive it is to have a sick child and/or to be sick themselves? Even with socialized medicine in Canada, it costs 💰 to take time off. It costs 💰to fill scripts. And there are many secondary costs that aren’t even figured into this equation…
Common Criticism 3: Are you going to pay for them?! (They’re too expensive.)
Answer: First of all, the school boards *should* be purchasing & maintaining HEPAs. With all of the hand waving about absences, you’d think investing in staff & student health would be a no brainer…
Answer: First of all, the school boards *should* be purchasing & maintaining HEPAs. With all of the hand waving about absences, you’d think investing in staff & student health would be a no brainer…
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Common Criticism 3: Are you going to pay for them?! (They’re too expensive.)
Answer: First of all, the school boards *should* be purchasing & maintaining HEPAs. With all of the hand waving about absences, you’d think investing in staff & student health would be a no brainer…
Answer: First of all, the school boards *should* be purchasing & maintaining HEPAs. With all of the hand waving about absences, you’d think investing in staff & student health would be a no brainer…
Common Criticism 2: HEPAs won’t do anything. Just make the kids wash their hands.
Answer: Airborne viruses aren’t stopped by hand washing. You are approximately 10,000 xs more likely to get C19 through the air than from touching an object.
Answer: Airborne viruses aren’t stopped by hand washing. You are approximately 10,000 xs more likely to get C19 through the air than from touching an object.
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Common Criticism 2: HEPAs won’t do anything. Just make the kids wash their hands.
Answer: Airborne viruses aren’t stopped by hand washing. You are approximately 10,000 xs more likely to get C19 through the air than from touching an object.
Answer: Airborne viruses aren’t stopped by hand washing. You are approximately 10,000 xs more likely to get C19 through the air than from touching an object.
Common Criticism 1. We don’t even have air conditioning in classrooms, and you’re worried about HEPAs?!
Answer: Has it occurred to anyone that kids need BOTH and not neither?
Answer: Has it occurred to anyone that kids need BOTH and not neither?
June 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Common Criticism 1. We don’t even have air conditioning in classrooms, and you’re worried about HEPAs?!
Answer: Has it occurred to anyone that kids need BOTH and not neither?
Answer: Has it occurred to anyone that kids need BOTH and not neither?
Everything is Better with Googly Eyes: a child-led guide to finding joy in unexpected places
May 17, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Everything is Better with Googly Eyes: a child-led guide to finding joy in unexpected places