This is an open letter to the Choate Rosemary Hall administration.

As students, we are the ones who will be most affected by Choate's new COVID-19 policy. Thus, it is essential for us to make our voices heard. We demand that Choate offer the option of virtual learning during this rampant surge of COVID-19 cases. This pandemic has created many challenges for Choate students. Stripping students of choice and agency over these challenges simply exacerbates them.

In the past few weeks, countless students have seen their thoughtfully written pleas for virtual learning dismissed. Even in extreme cases regarding mental and physical health, we have not been granted the choice of remote learning. 

Today, the state of Connecticut set a new record reporting a 24% Covid positivity rate. With the surge of the Omicron variant and the scarcity of reliable testing methods, requiring day students to return in-person not only poses a threat to the school community but also to their family members at home, especially those who are medically "at risk"

Choate must prioritize the mental and physical health of its students over the convenience of in person learning. We believe Choate ultimately wants what is best for their students, and so we hope this petition helps the administration to do just that.