DPS Staff Should Have Access to Vaccines Before In-Person Learning Begins
The Issue
We the students of Denver Public Schools (DPS) do not feel safe coming back to school, especially with staff members not yet having access to the COVID-19 vaccines. Although online learning is still an option, students who chose to stay online aren’t aware of what online learning will look like. Teachers have not been offered adequate support to continue online learning. The idea of teachers having a google meet open with online students while teaching students in person will put a lot of stress on teachers and decrease the quality of instruction and learning. Students since the beginning of the pandemic have fallen behind and struggled immensely during online learning, some haven’t begun their search into higher education and are at risk to not graduate.
DPS must first focus on making online learning a viable option that will ensure students won’t fall behind and support teachers before offering both hybrid and online learning to students. As DPS has prioritized its elementary students and its students with disabilities, it must do the same with students who are struggling academically. Middle and high school students who are failing and/or at risk not to graduate should be allowed to come to school to do class to receive more support to improve their academics.
DPS currently has a total of 100,000 child cloth masks and 190,000 adult masks and an average of 8 gallons of hand sanitizer, and 67 disinfectant spray bottles for each school in DPS, and an average of 4 face shields per teacher. With around 92,331 students and over 4,780 teachers and school staff, the sanitary resources available to DPS schools isn’t nearly enough to ensure that hybrid learning in schools will remain clean and safe for a long period of time. DPS must focus on getting more sanitary resources to ensure schools are kept clean before welcoming students and staff in-person. In addition, charter and alternative schools should be provided sanitary resources by the district.
We the families, staff, and students of DPS value well-being and safety of all our entire community. Ensuring teachers have access to vaccines before in-person learning, making online learning a successful option, and finally ensuring that every person has access to the necessary sanitary resources and protocol is key to a healthy and safe return to school.
The Issue
We the students of Denver Public Schools (DPS) do not feel safe coming back to school, especially with staff members not yet having access to the COVID-19 vaccines. Although online learning is still an option, students who chose to stay online aren’t aware of what online learning will look like. Teachers have not been offered adequate support to continue online learning. The idea of teachers having a google meet open with online students while teaching students in person will put a lot of stress on teachers and decrease the quality of instruction and learning. Students since the beginning of the pandemic have fallen behind and struggled immensely during online learning, some haven’t begun their search into higher education and are at risk to not graduate.
DPS must first focus on making online learning a viable option that will ensure students won’t fall behind and support teachers before offering both hybrid and online learning to students. As DPS has prioritized its elementary students and its students with disabilities, it must do the same with students who are struggling academically. Middle and high school students who are failing and/or at risk not to graduate should be allowed to come to school to do class to receive more support to improve their academics.
DPS currently has a total of 100,000 child cloth masks and 190,000 adult masks and an average of 8 gallons of hand sanitizer, and 67 disinfectant spray bottles for each school in DPS, and an average of 4 face shields per teacher. With around 92,331 students and over 4,780 teachers and school staff, the sanitary resources available to DPS schools isn’t nearly enough to ensure that hybrid learning in schools will remain clean and safe for a long period of time. DPS must focus on getting more sanitary resources to ensure schools are kept clean before welcoming students and staff in-person. In addition, charter and alternative schools should be provided sanitary resources by the district.
We the families, staff, and students of DPS value well-being and safety of all our entire community. Ensuring teachers have access to vaccines before in-person learning, making online learning a successful option, and finally ensuring that every person has access to the necessary sanitary resources and protocol is key to a healthy and safe return to school.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on January 13, 2021