We, the teachers of Clear Creek ISD, urge the CCISD Board of Trustees to commit to starting the 2020 school year with remote instruction. CCISD has already taken steps to promote online learning by placing devices in the hands of every student and providing teachers with a camera and microphone. The Texas Education Agency has given school districts the option to hold the first four weeks of classes online, with an extension of up to eight weeks with approval. Districts across the state have already taken advantage of this change, and we expect CCISD to follow suit.

As cases are on the rise in our communities, no amount of planning or preparation will ensure our safety in the classroom. We are not satisfied with many of the protocols set forth by the Safely Reopen Plan and believe it will jeopardize the physical and mental health of our students, staff, and families, and will lower the quality of education in CCISD. Above all else, safety should govern the reopening of brick and mortar classrooms.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Harris and Galveston counties have seen increases in new COVID-19 cases per day over recent weeks. The positivity rate in Texas, averaged over the last 7 days, is over 16%. Hospital ICUs are quickly reaching capacity. Reopening schools, even with the most stringent of safety precautions, will only exacerbate these issues.

The physical health of our staff, students, and families is at stake. Children typically experience mild symptoms, but those with underlying conditions may develop severe illness. In rare cases, children previously infected with COVID-19 suffered from multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a serious condition that requires immediate hospitalization. Adults experience more severe symptoms, with older and immunocompromised teachers especially at risk. Even after recovery, the virus can cause lasting damage to the lungs, heart, brain, circulatory system, and other organs due to an increased formation of blood clots.

The mental health of staff and students is also at stake. There will be a divide between those who take the virus seriously and those who do not. Imagine a student being bullied over wearing a mask, asking to see the nurse, or coughing. And what happens if a student transmits the virus resulting in a death? As teachers, we are not mentally equipped to put our lives on the line every day, and students should not have to live with the fact that they may have contributed to the death of a teacher or classmate.

In addition to health issues, reopening too early will lower the quality of education in CCISD. If schools shut down due to the virus, transitioning from in-person instruction to remote instruction and back will interrupt the learning process. In addition, we whole-heartedly agree that in-person instruction is superior to remote instruction, but with covered faces and limited collaboration among students, the benefits of in-person instruction vanish. Yes, we will face problems with remote learning, but if we decide to start the year remotely, we could use the next few weeks of summer break to solve those problems.

In closing, we find the Safely Reopen Plan unacceptable and urge the CCISD Board of Trustees to commit to starting the year remotely. We should err on the side of caution in this matter, as one death is one too many. We have faith that CCISD will place the safety of students, staff, and families above all else.