To Superintendent Martirano, Vicky Cutroneo, Antonia Watts, Christina Delmont-Small, Yun Lu, Jen Mallo, Jolene Mosley, Chao Wu, and Peter Banyas:

COVID-19 is surging. Cases are higher than they have been at any other point so far in this pandemic. As of January 3rd, we've had 14,251 cases and almost 200 hospitalizations in the last 24 hours in Maryland. There are 2,746 Marylanders in the hospital and 43 of them are kids. 9 people in Howard County have died in the last two weeks. Our hospitals are overwhelmed, and we're one of the worst COVID-19 hotspots.

We are HCPSS students, and we're telling you that it's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

We welcome students, staff members, and parents in the HCPSS community to sign and share this petition.

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The Digital Education Center, the virtual option this school year, was only made available for K–6 students; students in grades 7–12 have been forced to return to in-person learning. Moreover, families who are concerned with the latest surge in COVID-19 cases as a result of the Omicron variant have no option to transition into the DEC.

Students should not be forced to get sick, even when it is 'mild'. And in many cases, it's not.

Tell the student who is immunocompromised and gets hospitalized that the effects are mild.

Tell the student who spreads COVID-19 to a loved one who passes away that the effects are mild.

Tell the student who faces long-term effects of COVID-19, including neurological, organ, and vascular damage and fatigue, muscle weakness, and memory problems, that it's all mild.

It's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

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Prince George's County announced virtual learning from January 3 to January 14. Students in D.C. must show proof of a negative COVID test before returning to school from winter break.

HCPSS is doing nothing. In fact, they're facilitating the spread by reducing the quarantine period for students who test positive from 10 days to 5 days.

Dr. Martirano is deflecting by citing guidance from the state education department, while completely ignoring the fact that we have our own authority, the same authority that PGCPS exercised.

It's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

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Don't let the Board of Education get away with deferring responsibility to Dr. Martirano either. They have the authority to overturn his decisions and move us to virtual learning, as they did last year.

It's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

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In the Superintendent's message to the community on December 31, he wrote, "Keeping schools open for in-person instruction remains our top priority, and it is important that we all do our part to keep school communities healthy."

Think about that for a second. In-person instruction is Dr. Martirano's TOP PRIORITY, but staying healthy is also 'important'. We think he should re-consider the order of the items in that list.

It's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

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Think we aren't representative of the student population? Check again.

Dr. Martirano and members of the Board of Education: If even a single student in HCPSS ends up in the hospital, faces long-term effects of COVID-19 for months or years, spreads COVID-19 to a vulnerable loved one, or dies: it'll be your fault.

We are HCPSS students, and we're telling you that it's time to go virtual until this surge is over.

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If you sign this petition and want to take a step further, send emails to the Board of Education (boe@hcpss.org) and Dr. Martirano (superintendent@hcpss.org).