The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging America. It has affected almost 4 million people, 144,000 of which have died. This problem is not going away or slowing down. In fact, a second wave is predicted. Unit 5 is putting students, staff, and their families at risk by allowing schools to reopen for in-person learning. 

For middle & high schoolers, the student body will be divided into only two groups with no guarantee that class sizes will be evenly balanced. The truth is that teens are not social distancing and they will likely not social distance when given a chance to reunite with friends. Unit 5 high schools and junior highs do not have the staff capacity to ensure that all students are following safety protocols at all times.

Additionally, high school students who choose to keep themselves and their families safe are being punished by having extremely limited course options through a program called Edementum (which does not follow Unit 5 curriculum either). Many students do not have a single class which they intended to take included on the online option. There are no AP, dual credit, or honors courses which is extremely unfair for those who want to challenge themselves and prepare for their futures with these courses. If there was no in-person learning option, remote learning would be taught through Unit 5, allowing everyone to participate in their chosen courses. 

For Pre-k and K-5, children will be going to school all 5 days of the week, potentially exposing themselves, their peers, and staff to the virus each day. Young children might not fully understand why they have to take these precautions and it will be difficult to ensure their safety. They also require more attention from the teacher, making it harder to avoid contact. 

The plan on paper does not reflect the reality of what will happen when the plan is actually in motion.

The District argues that in-person learning is the best and we need to have as much of it as possible. Most of us agree but this in-person learning is not the same as it would be without pandemic safety measures. Students will be distanced from each other and teachers with no interactive learning methods. This is especially counterproductive for young children. There is no proof that in-person learning with these measures is more effective. 

Remote learning is a temporary solution until we can guarantee safety from this highly transmissible, harmful disease. Instead of sending kids back and shutting down once the problem gets worse, we should do our best to prevent the spread in the first place. We have plenty of technological resources available to us nowadays, making remote learning a feasible possibility. If the District has the means to hire new janitorial staff and purchase an abundance of safety equipment, surely they have the means to provide wifi to students without access instead. It might not be better than true, in-person learning but it's what is necessary for the safety of all.

The District approved the plan despite staff and student requests for them to reconsider. In fact, teachers, who are such a vital part of our District, were not given the chance to assist in making the plan. So far, the District is not listening to the people this plan affects the most - students and teachers. Their plan is neither safe nor fair. As a school board, their duty is to provide a quality education, and putting students and staff in harm's way is the opposite of that. I encourage you to sign and share this petition to fight against this plan and push for an option that will better keep everyone safe and healthy. I also encourage you email the superintendent and board members with your concerns, do not let your voice be silenced.