Demand Transparency for CSD's COVID 19 Reopening Plan
The Issue
As Decatur's parents, educators and taxpayers, we express concern over the reopening plans submitted to the public by David Dude on 9/18/2020.
The plan lacks clarity and seems devoid of consideration of the results of surveys sent to parents, faculty and staff prior to 9/18/2020. Surveys shared with the public in the previous weeks showed a clear preference for virtual learning to continue indefinitely from both parents and teachers.
The plan allows parents to choose in person or virtual instruction or face to face. Teachers are given no choice. In New York City, 2,000 resigned in the wake of its reopening plans. New York's positive rate is currently at 1 percent of testing, significantly lower than Decatur, Dekalb or statewide rates.
The plan calls for teachers to teach simultaneously to a live in person class and a live virtual class. This model is failing across the country. From system to system, teachers, parents and students are reporting that the teacher cannot pay equal attention to both cohorts. The virtual students are left behind.
The plan considers that community spread is not high in Decatur, ignoring the fact that our community spread is lower in part due to shuttered schools.
The plan ignores the potential impact not just on students, teachers, staff and families but on City of Decatur taxpayers as a whole. Increased community spread due to school reopening means increased risk to our friends and neighbors who do not have children in our schools, many of whom are seniors.
The plan as it stands ignores the clear preference of 82% of teachers and 65% of parents. It is an all or nothing approach, kicking off in the midst of flu season and the predicted second wave of Covid-19, and seems to only reflect the preferences of Dr. Dude and his immediate reports.
We, as CSD parents, teachers and Decatur residents respectfully demand an open town hall from Dr. Dude and an additional report containing all survey data, public health data, rationale and logic models used to design this plan. We further demand a full review and approval of this process by the elected members of the school board. We request that no plan be implemented until these measures have been satisfied.
The Issue
As Decatur's parents, educators and taxpayers, we express concern over the reopening plans submitted to the public by David Dude on 9/18/2020.
The plan lacks clarity and seems devoid of consideration of the results of surveys sent to parents, faculty and staff prior to 9/18/2020. Surveys shared with the public in the previous weeks showed a clear preference for virtual learning to continue indefinitely from both parents and teachers.
The plan allows parents to choose in person or virtual instruction or face to face. Teachers are given no choice. In New York City, 2,000 resigned in the wake of its reopening plans. New York's positive rate is currently at 1 percent of testing, significantly lower than Decatur, Dekalb or statewide rates.
The plan calls for teachers to teach simultaneously to a live in person class and a live virtual class. This model is failing across the country. From system to system, teachers, parents and students are reporting that the teacher cannot pay equal attention to both cohorts. The virtual students are left behind.
The plan considers that community spread is not high in Decatur, ignoring the fact that our community spread is lower in part due to shuttered schools.
The plan ignores the potential impact not just on students, teachers, staff and families but on City of Decatur taxpayers as a whole. Increased community spread due to school reopening means increased risk to our friends and neighbors who do not have children in our schools, many of whom are seniors.
The plan as it stands ignores the clear preference of 82% of teachers and 65% of parents. It is an all or nothing approach, kicking off in the midst of flu season and the predicted second wave of Covid-19, and seems to only reflect the preferences of Dr. Dude and his immediate reports.
We, as CSD parents, teachers and Decatur residents respectfully demand an open town hall from Dr. Dude and an additional report containing all survey data, public health data, rationale and logic models used to design this plan. We further demand a full review and approval of this process by the elected members of the school board. We request that no plan be implemented until these measures have been satisfied.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on September 21, 2020