July 13, 2020

 

 

Dr. Hightower and Esteemed Board Members:

We the Educators for Common Sense and Safety are an organization dedicated to the safety and well-being of students, teachers, staff, and the community. Our primary goal is to achieve a safe environment in which students and teachers can continue to cultivate the standards of excellence CCSD is known for. As an organization of concerned professionals, we wish to be very clear. We do not oppose reopening, but we are opposed to reopening without proper safety protocols in place. As an organization, we desire to adhere to the protocols and standards set forth by the CDC and Department of Public Health before reopening our schools. We are nonpartisan and unaffiliated with any political entity. We believe that for our schools to be successful, safety must come first. Our organization has set forth a list of concerns that we feel must be addressed before CCSD schools reopen, so that we can remain open.

The concerns with the reopening plan can be summarized under the following 5 areas: masking, distance, testing, sanitation, and communication.

Masking: 
We request a mask or face-covering mandate and a plan to educate staff and students about those face coverings (as suggested by CDC). Per CDC Guidance “Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms.”

Physical distance: 
Normal class sizes do not allow for physical distancing. Therefore we request schedule modifications, such as block scheduling or staggered scheduling, to reduce class size and in order for distancing to be feasible. In lower and middle grades, this may include cohorting to reduce contact between staff and students. This plan must also address large-group settings such as band, chorus, and PE. 

Testing:
Because of the possibility for asymptomatic spread and the fact that adults run a higher risk of severe illness, we request a plan for sample testing and contact tracing.

Sanitation:
We request an enhanced plan for sanitation of restrooms and classrooms, access to products that have been proven to kill coronavirus, and a plan for scheduled hand-washing. We request access to classroom supplies for hand-sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces. We request a plan to address ventilation issues as needed.

Communication:
We request a communication plan that allows us to openly and without fear of retaliation communicate our concerns, our questions, and our personal circumstances. We request a point person with knowledge of public health who can answer questions that will arise such as quarantine procedures, plans when a teacher must leave the classroom and no substitute is available, the impact of quarantine on sick leave, liability questions in case of infection, etc.

Finally, we see ourselves as part of a team of district leaders, students, teachers, and community members. There are many difficult questions ahead and specific, practical issues that we need time to address. Our organization is working to share ideas and troubleshoot these classroom concerns as professionals. At the same time, infection rates are rising and Cherokee County has reported a steady uptick in cases for the past two weeks.

For those two reasons, we request a delayed start to allow for reworking schedules, redesigning classroom spaces, developing digital materials, and redesigning classroom activities to be safe and engaging for our students. We know that face-to-face instruction will not look the same this year, but with time and collaboration we can maximize our resources.

We appreciate your consideration and hope we can work together to reopen in a way that keeps us, our students, and our community safe.

Educators for Common Sense Safety