Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many Brownsville ISD students and faculty members do not feel safe returning to schools this fall. We demand for our district to listen to our voices and allow us to complete the fall semester using distance learning, where we would work online from the safety of our homes. We are deeply concerned about the health risks we could face if we go back, and strongly believe that working from home will be the best way to ensure everyone’s safety. 

Recent news of athletes testing positive for COVID-19 in one of the Brownsville public schools sports camp, serves as a preview of what could happen if schools open their doors this August. It is not safe for us to return to schools just yet. There are of course uncertainties that we may face, but we believe that human lives matter above all else. Cases are on the rise in our city, and we must do everything possible to help flatten the curve. The transition to at-home learning during the spring of 2020 was made while the valley suffered minimal cases of COVID-19. It would be illogical to consider a safe return to school this fall with the alarming rise of confirmed cases within our county. 

This is a petition created by BISD high school students imploring that our voices be heard by our district. BISD states that one of their beliefs is that “Everyone flourishes in a safe and healthy educational environment”, and we hope that they stand firm on that belief. As students we are well-aware of the dire situation our community is in, we are aware of the threats being made concerning government funding, but we want to believe that BISD will make their students’ health and well-being a priority. We are exercising our First Amendment right by voicing our concerns and creating this petition, and hope that our community stands by us during these uncertain times.