With summer drifting along and soon moving, yet again, into the start of a new school year, the question of what to do with public schools remains.
On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines explaining that the safest method of reopening is to keep classes virtual. This would have students beginning the year the same way it ended: at home. Nationally, Secretary of Education Betsy Devos urges schools to reopen despite record spikes of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom announces that schools will not be pressured into reopening. And, locally, the Ukiah Unified School District voted to reopen schools for the fall semester, on the same day that Mendocino County reported 14 new coronavirus cases.
The UUSD decision was made on Monday evening. The final consensus was to implement a “hybrid model,” where students spend two days a week in on-campus instruction and the other three school days at home, learning remotely. Parents would also be given the option to choose all-remote learning for their children.
The district will be allocating funds to hire additional custodial workers and purchase more cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.
UUSD Superintendent Debra Kubin speaks to reopening, “The Board’s decision was based on consultation with our Mendocino County Public Health department and recommendations that were developed by UUSD administration. We will continue to watch cases of COVID in our community, consult with our county Public Health Officer, and pivot to a different model if the health conditions warrant it.”
The other possible solution is to have students and teachers continue to work virtually as they have been since March 14, when the county case count was still zero. Though the transition to remote learning was a rocky one, teachers are adamant that with time to prepare, this could be more effective.
“I’m with the opinion that all of our training going back should focus on how to better do that remote learning period,” commented Pomolita Middle School teacher Adam Lane, at the UUSD board meeting. “When this all happened in March, we were given half of a weekend’s notice that we were going online. We weren’t sure how long it would last, and we reevaluated every three to four weeks. How every teacher coped with that time varied greatly. Thus, the learning suffered and remote learning got a bad rap. We’re no longer going into this blind. We know what’s coming. We know [a breakout] has a high likelihood of happening, and we need to be better prepared so remote learning does not get such negative criticism.”
Despite dozens of UUSD teachers arguing for a purely virtual return at the start of the new school year due to fear for public health and spiking case counts, the meeting ended late into the night with the belief that schools need in-person instruction.
“For over a month, teachers have been taking great pains to supply the board with a clear picture of their many concerns and why. Teachers sent articles, explanations, ideas, and suggestions around supporting the continued model of distance learning,” says UTA Vice-President Rebecca Burford. “They tried to echo the board’s concern for our students, and advocate for safety first. Students have always been told that first and foremost, we teachers are committed to keeping our students safe.”
Many teachers believe that the decision to reopen schools had already been made before the meeting took place. Surveys were sent out two weeks before the meeting asking teachers what they felt most comfortable with; however, two weeks ago the county was not recording a 20 percent increase in cases within days.
Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan has declared schools as essential on numerous occasions. Not only are they necessary for students, but also for parents who require childcare. Working from home while caring for children places parents in a difficult position, and school acts as a way to amend that. Nonetheless, parents are adamant about keeping their children safe.
“I waver because I want my children to be safe and in a clean environment,” states Gina Weaver, a parent of UUSD students. “How would they handle essential close contact scenarios?”
Weaver believes that, ultimately, sending her children back is the best option as social interaction plays an immense role in child development.
“I agree with [the decision] on the condition that cases don’t continue to rise,” says Ukiah High teacher Matthew Lafever. “I am of the low-risk population. I am young. I think I could get [the virus] and get a little sick, but survive. I would apply that to a wide population of students.”
While most children and young adults have fewer complications after contracting the coronavirus, asymptomatic spread, which can infect those who are at higher risk for major complications, is at the forefront of concern for teachers and parents. Additionally, students with asthma or underlying health conditions are at risk for drastic complications if the virus is contracted. Older teachers and administrators make up a large slice of the district employees, which puts many individuals at higher risk, especially with the pronounced indicators of asymptomatic spread within the young.
“I do not feel safe entering a bricks and mortar system at present. I am over 60 years old now; I am not alone in fearing asymptomatic carriers or passing on the virus to my family members who are also in isolation,” says Rosemary Eddy, an English teacher and librarian at Ukiah High.
Many elder and immune-compromised teachers who opt to work from home may be left out of decision-making and general information that may only be available to those on campus.
“It does seem as though the board is trying to make room for those personnel who are uncomfortable returning physically. To speak to the feelings of being left out, it will be necessary to communicate through emails. It’s undesirable. If you are off-campus there will be some things you miss out on. That might just come with it. Not only teachers, but students,” comments Lafever.
On top of the teacher’s usual on-site workload, there is the possibility of teachers also having to develop a new curriculum for remote learning, which will mean harsher workloads with the inability to hire more teachers, and benefits, such as COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustments) potentially being eliminated with California education cuts.
These new additions, along with the potential of contracting the coronavirus, are stumping teachers as they are left wondering whether or not their value is appreciated. During the board meeting, one trustee likened death to falling asleep. Other trustees stated that they understood the fear surrounding reopening, but teachers insist that the decision pointed otherwise. Some believe the board members do not fully understand the concerns, as they are not the ones to be in the classroom with the students.
Even assuming fears of death were that easily assuaged, reopening during a time of such tension raises questions surrounding students’ mental health as they return to the classroom. The ever-draining reality of loss and disappointment is bound to stick; fully coming to school may lift spirits, but could also plummet them, yet again, as students and teachers inevitably begin getting sick.
“The board adopted an in-person scenario that did little to protect students or staff,” Burford comments. “They went on to support their decision with opinions, preferences, and beliefs, rather than data, statistics, or science.”
PPE, while inside closed quarters for long hours, cannot continue to keep students and teachers safe—especially when younger students may consistently misplace or take off masks. Moreover, hygiene and social distancing measures are difficult to maintain with children.
The tragic realities of COVID, unfortunately, are not predicted to end anywhere near the beginning of the 20/21 school year. The predicted peak in September does not mean a sudden end to the highly infectious, airborne, virus. The school board knows this.
Board trustee Tyler Nelson made it clear, “If there was a huge COVID outbreak because of a decision we’ve made, I would be devastated.”
In pushing for schools to open, the board wants sanctuaries for students who may have difficult home lives and rely on public schools for a safe and stable environment. But, in the wake of all this, teachers feel pushed aside, feeling the board forgets to recognize the very potent and unrelenting nature of the coronavirus. The outcome of the meeting rings out that either the school board agrees on a plan that truly keeps the safety of teachers and students in mind, or Ukiah citizens may see a public school district announcing to reopen with precious few educators.
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Covid-19: Ukiah Teachers Association urges continued distance learning - Ukiah Daily Journal
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