To Indian Prairie School District 204,

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the school board has navigated the pandemic with consideration and care. That being said, the decision to forgo the option of remote learning this fall requires serious reconsideration.

After the board meeting on August 9, too many uncertainties were left unresolved:

How effective will distancing be in protecting our students during lunch?

How will children under 12, who are unvaccinated, be affected by the delta variant?

How many more variants are yet to come?

As of now, the only thing that is certain is the uncertainty that lies ahead.

In precarious situations like these, it is prudent to err on the side of caution. The state of the pandemic is different from what it was in May, in good and possibly bad ways. Our students and teachers should not be on the front lines to test the waters. Who will take responsibility if they get in harm’s way? And in the discussion of this situation, it seems that every possible data point has been used to support the case for full in-person learning. Since when did real people become just a statistic? Even one is one too many.

It is undeniable that remote learning has adversely affected our students’ mental health and education. I can fully empathize with those who would like to return to in-person learning. As a high school student, I cannot wait to talk with my friends, sit in the classrooms of my teachers, things I have been waiting to do for over a year. I would like to go to school in person as much as anyone else, but for me and probably many others, the concern for the potential dangers of in-person learning unequivocally outweighs any reason to return to school in person.

I do not oppose those who would like to return to school in person, nor do I think the school district should scrap their plans for returning to school. Lowering the population of students in person would help schools achieve better social distancing. 

I am asking the IPSD 204 Board of Education to reconsider their plans for returning to school this fall and offer the option of remote learning for those who would prefer it. As difficult as this change may be, it is the responsibility of the school board to fully consider the wishes of all their constituents. Representatives must represent. And to my fellow constituents who agree with this cause, please sign and share this petition, for I believe that we all deserve a choice.

Sincerely,

An IPSD student