The Amphitheater School District is starting school remotely through Labor Day, if not later, due to COVID. On July 20, the Amphitheater administration informed teachers and staff via email they are required to be on site full time for remote teaching.

Stated reasons include that "a number of employees did not make themselves available to students and families during their regular work hours in the final quarter of last year." When asked for specifics, the Superintendent was unable to cite numbers or details regarding how many employees.

This is unacceptable for the following reasons:

1) Teacher safety. A teacher in Maricopa County died when remotely teaching with 2 other teachers. Having all staff on campus sharing buildings puts teachers and staff at risk.

2) Children's safety and emotional well-being. When asked what teachers with school-aged children should do, the Superintendent's answer was "bring them to school with you." This puts staff children at risk, and will hurt their emotional well being stuck at their parent's work for 8 hours.

3) Blaming management problems on staff. If a principal is unable to manage their staff effectively, all teachers should not be blamed.

4) Treat teachers and staff as professionals and don't micromanage them.

5) District technology is not sufficient for teachers, staff and staff children to be simultaneously doing remote learning.