The LCPS School Board has voted for a return to school for all students in January if they choose to do the hybrid model. Currently, cases in Virginia are increasing. While no one can predict the future, if cases follow a similar trend, January may not be the safest time for a return to school. While LCPS has standards in place for when they consider closing schools, overall, a return to school in January seems a bit unsafe.

This petition is to request that instead of choosing hybrid or distance for the entire second semester, LCPS instead gives us a choice for third quarter and again for fourth quarter. While this may cause some logistic issues, cases by the fourth quarter will hopefully be lower(though again, we can’t predict the future). Fourth quarter currently seems like a much safer time for a return to school.

The reason why the idea of choosing for the entire semester does not seem the best is because while January does not feel safe, later on does. Additionally, the idea of continuing distance learning for the entire school year, as the decision is for the entire second semester, is also unappealing. The time period given for a decision also puts pressure on this decision as I, along with many students I believe, are split between choosing the chance of danger due to COVID but getting to do hybrid for at least part of the semester, or being safe but having to continue distance learning for the remainder of the school year.