To the Officials of Guilford County Schools and the Guilford County Schools Board of Education Members,

While we have already started back with students for in-person learning, the employees and teachers of Guilford County Schools (GCS) are concerned. We are concerned about the COVID-19 metrics in the state of North Carolina and specifically in Guilford County. 

Pre-K-2 students in the county already have had the option of coming for in-person learning. Adapted Curriculum students, regardless of age, across the district have been in-person since November.  3-5 students will have the option to return on January 5th. 6th grade students will begin returning January 7th. 7th and 8th grade students will start their return to in-person learning on January 11th. Finally, high school students will begin returning on January 20th. 

UPDATE: The re-entry dates for middle school students has changed- The first group of sixth graders was originally scheduled to return on Thursday, January 7. Instead, those students will start on Thursday, January 21. Middle school students originally scheduled to return for in-person learning on Monday, January 11 will now return on Monday, January 25.

In September, the Board of Education voted on two primary factors for returning to in-person learning. One of those factors was for the positivity rate in the county to be below 5%. The other primary factor was to see a downward trend in hospitalization and ICU rates. We, the employees, are concerned due to the fact that neither of the factors have been met. 

As of December 31st, the 14 day average positivity rate in Guilford County has been above 10% according to the Health Department. This is double the agreed upon positivity rate! 

Additionally, the current number of hospitalizations in the county has been quickly rising according to the Heath Department website. Our county hospitalizations are four times what was agreed upon in the September vote, which does not represent the downward trend. As of December 31st, the website lists the number of hospitalizations at 220. On September 20th, when the GCS Board Members voted, the number of hospitalizations was in the low 50s. 

In November the Board considered additional metrics when making re-entry decisions. They considered studies that showed children under 10 were less likely to transmit the virus to other students and adults. They also considered the effects that long-term closures could have on students’ academic outcomes, social-emotional well-being and mental health as part of its reopening metrics. However, the CDC website states this: “...the best available evidence from countries that have reopened schools indicates that COVID-19 poses low risks to school-aged children – at least in areas with low community transmission. That said, the body of evidence is growing that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, contrary to early reports, might play a role in transmission.” The North Carolina County Alert System has Guilford County as a “red” county, which means that community spread is critical in the county. The severity of community spread coupled with the evidence that all children can transmit Covid-19 emphasize our concern of being in-person with students when virtual learning is a safer option. 

The employees of Guilford County Schools love and adore our children. We want to be in the classrooms and schools with them. We want to be teaching and interacting with them in person. However, the metrics in our county and state are worrying. We are dedicated to providing the best virtual learning that we can. We have many resources and the county has been getting lots of new technology to aid the teachers and students in remote learning. 

Please help us slow the spread of COVID-19 as a community. Virtual learning will be effective and safe. We are concerned about the spread and effects of this virus. Let's get our state and county metrics back to lower levels or perhaps the levels voted upon by GCS board members before we return for in-person learning. 

We ask that teachers, employees, parents, community members of Guilford County, and anyone worried about the spread of COVID-19 sign this petition!