To Superintendent, Dr. Steven A. Lockard, and the Board of Education. 

Covid-19 school cases are higher than ever in our county than any other point during the pandemic. Families who are concerned with the latest surge in COVID-19 cases currently have no alternative to in-person learning. Children must be given the option to do distance learning instead of in person classes, in order to keep students, faculty members, and their families safe from the deadly virus. 

The last high spike in Carroll County, MD was in January of 2021. It didn't hit more 200 new cases in a day. On Dec 28 alone, we hit 1,660 new cases, and continue to hit more. Two high schools in the county hit 70+ covid cases as of 1/5/22. In total, CCPS has 1197 new Covid cases as of 1/5/22. We need to keep our children safe. I am calling on students, parents, and faculty staff to sign and share this petition, and save lives.

Students should not be forced to get sick, even when it is 'mild'. Students should not be forced to decide between keeping immunocompromised love ones safe, or their grades and graduation requirements. Prince George's county and Baltimore county have already started offering kids Virtual Learning options to keep families healthy. Carroll County hasn't offered good methods to stop the spread of Covid. In fact, CCPS schools did just the opposite, reducing the quarantine time for those who test positive, down from 10 days to now 5 days. 

The majority of students in our school are not wearing masks inside classrooms, or wearing them improperly. The mask rule is being poorly enforced. We are also not socially distanced in our building, and the extra-curricular activities are Covid spreading grounds. I see many students struggling, feeling forced to go to school sick with Covid, or untested, because remote learning isn't being offered. Students and families are afraid of falling behind in schoolwork, fearing they won't pass. Since we don't offer remote learning, we are forcing students who have families with high-risk loved ones to put their families in danger for their future dreams of college and jobs. Every parent and student should be offered the choice to for their family to go virtual. 

We, the students and families of Carroll County Public Schools, NEED to be offered remote learning. 

If you've already signed and shared, consider sending an email to the president of the board of ed (kakiler@carrollk12.org) or Superintendent Dr. Lockard (Steven.Lockard@carrollk12.org)