# My son's teacher spreads disease!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 28, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425 "2009-10-28T12:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/21 "2009-10-28T16:43:02Z")
Meh, think that’s bad? Once when I was in church, I saw a guy a few pews ahead of me _reach down the back of his pants and scratch his ass_. Thank god I was nowhere near him – I don’t know what I would have done during the sign of peace! (The part in Mass where the priest says, “Offer one another the sign of Christ’s peace”, and then everyone shakes hands with those near them and says, “peace be with you.”) At least you were able to wash your hands after that! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/22 "2009-10-28T16:46:11Z")
People need to learn to cough into their sleeves and a teacher should keep purell on their desks. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/23 "2009-10-28T16:54:09Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > People need to learn to cough into their sleeves and a teacher should keep purell on their desks. At my son’s school, they have drilled it into their heads to cough in their elbows and they douse the kids in Purell. There are 30 kids in his class, so they can’t line them up to wash hands very often or they’d spend all day doing just that. When he walks in the door from school, he doesn’t even have to be told anymore to go give his hands a good scrub. We’re all in the habit of doing that when we get home from anywhere, especially places like the grocery store. I can’t remember the last time I or the kids had even a cold. My husband did have a mild cold a few weeks ago, but he works in health care and he’s exposed to all sorts of stuff all day long. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/24 "2009-10-28T16:59:59Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Meh, think that’s bad? Once when I was in church, I saw a guy a few pews ahead of me _reach down the back of his pants and scratch his ass_. Thank god I was nowhere near him – I don’t know what I would have done during the sign of peace! During flu season here, the sign of peace has been dropped. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/25 "2009-10-28T17:08:35Z")
Don’t you worry that you’ll have a poor immune system by not exposing yourself to germs? We’re too sterile. Your immune system gets better by being exposed to germs, not by blocking as much as you can. Then, when you do shake hands with the guy that just peed and didn’t handwash, your body can deal with it. I understand the need to wash hands and keep your phones and keyboard clean, and to be extra vigilent during cold/flu season, but sanitizing your hands every 30 minutes or opening doors with your elbow is out of control. That said, I do think the teacher coughing into his hand then offering it for a handshake is not so great, but more for a gross factor then for germs. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/26 "2009-10-28T17:08:53Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > When did we all start coughing and sneezing into our elbows? I never got that memo and I don’t think anyone else I know did either. In Toronto, the Public Health Department has put up [posters](http://www.toronto.ca/health/cdc/clean_hands/pdf/cover_your_cough.pdf) (PDF) advising people to cough into their sleeves if they don’t have a tissue handy. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/27 "2009-10-28T17:13:02Z")
I honestly had no idea. I am an allergy sufferer so I generally have tissues on me, but I swear I haven’t seen anyone doing this in person. Maybe now that I know about it I will start seeing it more. I wonder if people are going to start routinely carrying around handkerchiefs again. Or are non disposable tissues a bad idea too? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/28 "2009-10-28T17:13:08Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > As has become vogue to say when one agrees wholeheartedly: This. > > It’s one thing if you’ve got bubonic plague. But we’re really getting paranoid about germs. Hands get into everything. Most of us have immune systems. Wash your hands as normal before meal times and stop worrying about it. Seriously. It’s not leprosy. You’ll be fine in 3 days or so. Obviously it’s better not to be sick than to be sick, but if you absolutely can’t get sick then go live in a bubble. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/29 "2009-10-28T17:14:45Z")
I’m not a church goer. Why wouldn’t you continue making this groovy two-fingered gesture during flu season? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/30 "2009-10-28T17:18:07Z")
> [@Kricket](#): > > …It really kind of bothered me that this guy was lecturing me on going to work sick when he really had no idea what was going on and that this time of year in Iowa is a bad time of year for lots of people. I (& my coworkers) got that all the time. This was retail and did involve handling people’s (packaged food). Never mind that the company provided us neither sick pay or health insurance. :mad: Shortly before I left we got an email from corporate reminding sick employees to stay home if the showed flu symptoms. Managers were to “encourage” employees to go home, but couldn’t actually force them for some reason. Intead they were to contact corporate human resources for further advice. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/31 "2009-10-28T17:29:36Z")
> [@Chicken\_Fingers](#): > > I’m not a church goer. Why wouldn’t you continue making this groovy two-fingered gesture during flu season? Well, she said it basically is shaking hands. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/32 "2009-10-28T17:56:51Z")
There’s not enough germ-spreading nowadays, imho. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/33 "2009-10-28T19:58:16Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Don’t you worry that you’ll have a poor immune system by not exposing yourself to germs? We’re too sterile. Your immune system gets better by being exposed to germs, not by blocking as much as you can. Then, when you do shake hands with the guy that just peed and didn’t handwash, your body can deal with it. I agree with you in theory, but then my friend who believes in this for herself and her baby is often sick. Yeah, she building up their immunity, but in the meantime they’re out of commission for days at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/34 "2009-10-28T20:06:02Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I agree with you in theory, but then my friend who believes in this for herself and her baby is often sick. Yeah, she building up their immunity, but in the meantime they’re out of commission for days at a time. Does it really make a difference, though? I mean, I wash my hands after using the bathroom like a normal person, I don’t go around touching strange things that often, and I try to get enough rest and vit-C. I don’t really find myself sick any more or less than anyone else, I don’t think… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/35 "2009-10-28T20:11:51Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Meh, think that’s bad? Once when I was in church, I saw a guy a few pews ahead of me _reach down the back of his pants and scratch his ass_. Thank god I was nowhere near him – I don’t know what I would have done during the sign of peace! _And as you join the Good Ship Earth And you mingle with the dust You’d better leave your underpants With someone you can trust And when the Old Man with the telescope Cuts the final strand You’d better lick two fingers clean Before you shake his hand_ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/36 "2009-10-28T20:18:03Z")
I wish we could drop handshaking altogether. I don’t know where your hand has been (well, I do know where it has likely been, and that doesn’t make me want to shake it more). I’m completely down with coughing into your shoulder or elbow, not shaking hands, and frequent handwashing. - Cat Whisperer, trained in microbiology ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/37 "2009-10-28T20:36:33Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I agree with you in theory, but then my friend who believes in this for herself and her baby is often sick. Yeah, she building up their immunity, but in the meantime they’re out of commission for days at a time. There are a couple hundred known viruses that cause the common cold, much less anything else you could pick up. :smack: And believe me, I experienced a whole lot of them during the years I worked in pediatrics - and I didn’t even have direct patient contact! I got them from handling patient charts; the nurse and doctors would scrub up after clinic but I wouldn’t see the sniffling and sneezing, so I wouldn’t think about that when dealing with charts. It seemed like I was always sick. I’m much healthier now even though I have direct patient contact and care responsibilities - and adopted the appropriate handwashing and other hygiene standards for that position. Plus I’m out of pediatrics. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/38 "2009-10-28T20:37:38Z")
Tell the teacher. That’s gross. He should be setting a better example for his students. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/39 "2009-10-28T20:38:56Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I wish we could drop handshaking altogether. Better than sniffing butts. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425/40 "2009-10-28T20:44:03Z")
I think teachers should be required to wear biohazard suits around the little snowflakes. Kids are germ factories. All kidding aside, I really do worry that my wife, a K-8 school librarian is gonna end up catching the flu from school. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-teacher-spreads-disease/515425.md?page=3)