As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in our community and beyond, we urge the Barrington 220 School District leadership to prioritize science, health, government recommendations, financial risks and safety as the District considers revising the metrics to permit any form of in-person schooling. Without prioritization, this decision will invariably negatively impact the health and well-being of our community, District 220 staff, and our families.

The Lake County Health Department (LCHD), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Government Entities - all recommend remote schooling when COVID-19 case numbers are greater than 200 new cases per 100k, and/or when the positivity rate exceeds 10%. As of November 9th, the four zip codes included in District 220 recorded upward of 880 cases per 100k, and all are trending sharply upward. Our current positivity rate is over 14%. 

In addition to the serious health risks, dismissing the metrics set by the Government Entities regarding schools opening would set up the District to waive its tort immunity and/or insurance protections. Opening to students during the highest point of this pandemic would position the community to assume the financial liability for, and potential exposure to, claims from students, parents, teachers, staff and the community at large.

Remote schooling is without question the only safe choice given the current, and likely future, COVID-19 cases in our area. Some argue that those who prefer to remain remote would be unaffected by District 220’s decision to offer an in-person model, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. We are one community, and the virus does not recognize school boundaries. In-person schooling should be reserved for those who need it most: students with special needs. A hybrid program would likely put these students and their education at greater risk. 

The risk of requiring our District’s highly-qualified teachers to teach in-person is unacceptable. We are already seeing the impacts: District 220’s employment page lists 53 substitute positions posted to be filled, and there are currently 93 teachers in quarantine. In the last month, 27 teachers and 27 students have tested positive for Covid 19. These numbers are not just data points on a graph; these are real people who return home to families and communities just as we do. Like many members of our community, many teachers are at high risk of complications from this virus. They should be valued and supported during this time, not replaced with minimally qualified substitutes. Nor should our children be reassigned to alternate teachers, simply to allow the implementation of a dangerous hybrid plan. 

Stevenson High School has remained committed to distance learning, and focused their efforts on building and maintaining a robust distance learning model. We would like to see District 220 do the same. Our children need consistency in their educational model and in their teacher relationships. 

Please join us in urging District 220 leadership to heed the guidance of Government Entities as they weigh the decision to abide by their recommendations or to revise health metrics. The health of our community and the strength of our educational programs depend on it.