We the undersigned are concerned about the permanent psychological and developmental harm that another year of distance learning would inflict upon many of our most vulnerable students.  

We ask you to instead consider the following scenario to open schools in the Fall:

Allow families and staff in LOW-RISK groups that choose to do so return to full-time IN-CLASS instruction WITHOUT MANDATORY MASKS.

Allow families and staff in HIGH-RISK groups, or that are not comfortable with the potential risks, choose full-time REMOTE instruction.

Remote learning has failed to engage many of our most vulnerable students, and many families lack the ability and/or resources to oversee their children’s schooling on a daily basis. Please give families A CHOICE! 

Healthcare providers are nearly unanimous in the belief that the risk of physical harm from COVID-19 is lower than the lasting social, emotional, financial and academic harm that results from keeping our children out of school and away from their peers.

We ask you to prioritize a plan for Fall that encompasses the academic, as well as social and emotional needs of our children while researching the individual risks and burden on staff and families before finalizing that plan.