As a parent and special educator, I have witnessed the extreme lack of consistency in the policies that school districts are able to enforce this year in relation to COVID. Proper data is not being collected or shared with the public on school exposures and positive cases and statistics haven’t been updated since June 2021. This has resulted in confusion, frustration, and ultimately several concerns from school employees and parents alike.

We are only in week 4 of many districts school year and are already seeing large numbers of students and entire classes needing to quarantine due to COVID exposure. This issue affects not only the families of children quarantining, but also the educators who are parents of students in districts other than the ones they teach in. Subsequently, parents can’t work, teachers can’t teach, and students are missing out on learning opportunities. I personally have already had to take several sick days due to exposure in my own child’s school and worry that I’m just waiting around for another call, or at worst, for my child to actually contract Coronavirus.

With our most vulnerable population at risk while they are unable to be vaccinated, we need the state officials to reinstate policies and procedures that were used in the 2020-2021 school year to ensure student health and safety. This includes masking mandates, deep cleaning schedules, remote learning options, possible reduced class sizes or hybrid schedules, and clear “stay at home” policies for sick children. Without the states backing, school officials are left to provide only guidance and hope for the best.

This is not sustainable. This is not safe. We can and must do better!