DO NOT RE-OPEN! Say YES to ONLINE classes & YES to technology provided for ALL STUDENTS!!!
DO NOT RE-OPEN! Say YES to ONLINE classes & YES to technology provided for ALL STUDENTS!!!
The Issue
Issue: Lives are at risk. The lives of students, teachers, and their families are being put at great risk for exposure to Covid-19. People have been dying, the numbers of cases are rising (including in child care centers), masks have been mandated in Texas, and many hospitals (especially in Houston) have or are close to reaching maximum occupancy.
Despite all of these details, Governor Greg Abbott and TEA Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, are choosing to force our teachers, staff, and administrators to return to school in August of 2020. They are giving parents the choice as to whether or not their child will return physically to school. The TEA Guidelines for opening schools safely have been released. Their “suggestions” are nothing short of reckless endangerment.
While we miss our students and teaching face to face, the number Covid cases and deaths in Texas are skyrocketing, especially in Houston. Our state has mandated that everyone wear a mask. The Texas government has asked us to be vigilant about social distancing, to stay away from gathering places such as restaurants, and to only go out when it is absolutely necessary. Due to this “2nd wave” of the pandemic, many of the teachers do not feel comfortable or safe physically going back to school. The voices of teachers are not being heard. We are not being given a choice in the matter. Parents have a choice, but we do not.
Why are we uncomfortable with returning to school?
Physical Space: Many schools do not have the space resources to maintain social distance of 6 ft. Especially in urban areas, schools have “temporary” buildings that are the equivalent of a poorly maintained, single wide trailer, with inadequate AC and heating (this is true for my classroom). There are many school buildings that have not been updated or expanded in decades. Our classrooms are tiny. There are minimal restrooms that house sinks/soap. Most classrooms do not have a sink to wash hands.
Mask Requirements: The mask mandate says that children under the age of 10 do not have to wear a mask. Some schools are not requiring masks at all, especially at the elementary level (most of the student population at the elementary level are under 10). This greatly increases the chances of contamination.
Exposure & Gathering: If the state wants us to social distance away from places such as restaurants and parties, how does it make sense to ask us to gather in a building that will literally have 100s of people (students, teachers, specialists, administrators, maintenance). Many schools have over 1000 students. The government seems to think that because they’re giving parents the option to attend school virtually or physically, this will decrease class sizes a little.
Did you know that the many Specialist teachers (Music, Art, Theatre, Dance, PE, and Technology) at the elementary level teach 100’s of students in one week? Some have 500 or more students. In my own school, Specialist teachers have 30 separate home room classes to teach. That means in the span of 5 days we have taught about 700 students. At semester, we switch schedules and have a new round of 30 classes. By the end of the year, we have had the majority of the school population come through our classroom.
Even if the predicted class sizes are smaller, those teachers and students are being asked to take a huge risk with their lives. Sometimes, there are only about 2-5 minutes between each class, sometimes there is not any time given at all. This leaves no room to sanitize, wash hands, use the bathroom, or even transition safely between classes.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. Again, we want to be back in the classroom, but not at the expense of human lives. Contamination can easily happen. It can also be carried home to families. The number of covid cases and deaths will only rise if we allow this to happen.
Demands: We are demanding the following of Governor Greg Abbott and Commissioner Mike Morath:
1. Revoke the order for students, teachers, staff and administrators to physically return to school for the 2020-2021 school year until one or more of the following has happened:
- Less than 100 new cases of Covid-19 in the state of Texas are maintained for at least a 3 month period.
- An adequate vaccine for Covid-19 is ready and made available to the public.
2. Allow ALL students to continue their education through virtual learning technology.
- Provide necessary technology for EVERY student in the state of Texas. This includes laptops or tablets, charging cables, and headphones.
3. Cancel standardized and benchmark testing, including STAAR, TELPAS, and COGAT.
Action: After signing this petition, what else can we do?
Contact the TEA and Governor Abbott’s office via phone, email, or letter and tell them that we do not stand for re-opening schools in the fall (Contact information has been provided below).
Stay informed and up to date on the pandemic data.
Share this petition regularly on all of your social media platforms.
Have discussions with family, educators, students, anyone and everyone. Encourage them to sign this petition.
If you are a teacher, become active with your teacher union.
Contact Information:
Texas Governor: Greg Abbott
(512) 463-2000 - Office of the Governor Main Switchboard
(office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST)
Email: There is an online form to submit an email to the Governor
https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact/opinion.aspx
Address:
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Texas Education Agency:
Website: https://tea.texas.gov/
Commissioner of Education: Mike Morath
Email: commissioner@tea.texas.gov
Phone: (512) 463-9734
Sources:
TEA Guidelines for Re-opening
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/covid19-SY-20-21-Public-Health-Guidance.pdf
Texas Mandate to Wear Masks
Physical Limits of Schools (Social Distancing)
Corona virus and Childcare Centers
382
The Issue
Issue: Lives are at risk. The lives of students, teachers, and their families are being put at great risk for exposure to Covid-19. People have been dying, the numbers of cases are rising (including in child care centers), masks have been mandated in Texas, and many hospitals (especially in Houston) have or are close to reaching maximum occupancy.
Despite all of these details, Governor Greg Abbott and TEA Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, are choosing to force our teachers, staff, and administrators to return to school in August of 2020. They are giving parents the choice as to whether or not their child will return physically to school. The TEA Guidelines for opening schools safely have been released. Their “suggestions” are nothing short of reckless endangerment.
While we miss our students and teaching face to face, the number Covid cases and deaths in Texas are skyrocketing, especially in Houston. Our state has mandated that everyone wear a mask. The Texas government has asked us to be vigilant about social distancing, to stay away from gathering places such as restaurants, and to only go out when it is absolutely necessary. Due to this “2nd wave” of the pandemic, many of the teachers do not feel comfortable or safe physically going back to school. The voices of teachers are not being heard. We are not being given a choice in the matter. Parents have a choice, but we do not.
Why are we uncomfortable with returning to school?
Physical Space: Many schools do not have the space resources to maintain social distance of 6 ft. Especially in urban areas, schools have “temporary” buildings that are the equivalent of a poorly maintained, single wide trailer, with inadequate AC and heating (this is true for my classroom). There are many school buildings that have not been updated or expanded in decades. Our classrooms are tiny. There are minimal restrooms that house sinks/soap. Most classrooms do not have a sink to wash hands.
Mask Requirements: The mask mandate says that children under the age of 10 do not have to wear a mask. Some schools are not requiring masks at all, especially at the elementary level (most of the student population at the elementary level are under 10). This greatly increases the chances of contamination.
Exposure & Gathering: If the state wants us to social distance away from places such as restaurants and parties, how does it make sense to ask us to gather in a building that will literally have 100s of people (students, teachers, specialists, administrators, maintenance). Many schools have over 1000 students. The government seems to think that because they’re giving parents the option to attend school virtually or physically, this will decrease class sizes a little.
Did you know that the many Specialist teachers (Music, Art, Theatre, Dance, PE, and Technology) at the elementary level teach 100’s of students in one week? Some have 500 or more students. In my own school, Specialist teachers have 30 separate home room classes to teach. That means in the span of 5 days we have taught about 700 students. At semester, we switch schedules and have a new round of 30 classes. By the end of the year, we have had the majority of the school population come through our classroom.
Even if the predicted class sizes are smaller, those teachers and students are being asked to take a huge risk with their lives. Sometimes, there are only about 2-5 minutes between each class, sometimes there is not any time given at all. This leaves no room to sanitize, wash hands, use the bathroom, or even transition safely between classes.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. Again, we want to be back in the classroom, but not at the expense of human lives. Contamination can easily happen. It can also be carried home to families. The number of covid cases and deaths will only rise if we allow this to happen.
Demands: We are demanding the following of Governor Greg Abbott and Commissioner Mike Morath:
1. Revoke the order for students, teachers, staff and administrators to physically return to school for the 2020-2021 school year until one or more of the following has happened:
- Less than 100 new cases of Covid-19 in the state of Texas are maintained for at least a 3 month period.
- An adequate vaccine for Covid-19 is ready and made available to the public.
2. Allow ALL students to continue their education through virtual learning technology.
- Provide necessary technology for EVERY student in the state of Texas. This includes laptops or tablets, charging cables, and headphones.
3. Cancel standardized and benchmark testing, including STAAR, TELPAS, and COGAT.
Action: After signing this petition, what else can we do?
Contact the TEA and Governor Abbott’s office via phone, email, or letter and tell them that we do not stand for re-opening schools in the fall (Contact information has been provided below).
Stay informed and up to date on the pandemic data.
Share this petition regularly on all of your social media platforms.
Have discussions with family, educators, students, anyone and everyone. Encourage them to sign this petition.
If you are a teacher, become active with your teacher union.
Contact Information:
Texas Governor: Greg Abbott
(512) 463-2000 - Office of the Governor Main Switchboard
(office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST)
Email: There is an online form to submit an email to the Governor
https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact/opinion.aspx
Address:
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Texas Education Agency:
Website: https://tea.texas.gov/
Commissioner of Education: Mike Morath
Email: commissioner@tea.texas.gov
Phone: (512) 463-9734
Sources:
TEA Guidelines for Re-opening
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/covid19-SY-20-21-Public-Health-Guidance.pdf
Texas Mandate to Wear Masks
Physical Limits of Schools (Social Distancing)
Corona virus and Childcare Centers
382
The Decision Makers
Petition created on July 10, 2020