At the Quaker Valley school board meeting on 8/13/2020, it came to the communities' attention that our most at risk teachers have been denied their request to teach remotely due to the hardship it would cause the district. The teacher who spoke on behalf of himself and 9 other teachers in this position was Dr. Mariano. "Doc", as he is known to his students, is a beloved Computer Science teacher at Quaker Valley High School. He has changed the lives of many kids and has been a mentor to many as well, including my son. Doc's room is where you will find kids eating lunch, chatting about life, playing computer games, talking cars, etc. 

He has also had a transplant. This puts him at extremely high risk for adverse outcomes if he were to be infected with COVID-19.

Can you please take a moment to read his words below and support him and our other teachers?

Certainly these teachers' lives shouldn't be put at risk due to a "hardship" on our school district.

Dr. Mariano's letter to the board:

Dear School Board Members:

My name is Darren Mariano and I am the high school computer science teacher.

It is with great angst and sadness that I speak this evening to make you aware of the administration’s decision to disregard the accommodation request of 10 employees including myself.

As many of you know, I have had an organ transplant and pacemaker to fix a congenital heart disease defect. The C.D.C. classifies my condition as high risk and in consultation with my team of doctors, they have instructed me to telework to avoid exposure to COVID-19. Upon my application for accommodations, I was sure that the administration would value my life.  I was shocked to hear that my requested accommodations were denied.  My team of physicians is equally baffled by the decision and suggested that perhaps the gravity of the situation is not understood.

The district’s decision states that I may work remotely for 3 days but require my presence 2 days, citing undue hardship as the rational. The administration has placed me in an untenable position of utilizing any and all leave in order to protect my life. What has happened to the moral compass of Quaker Valley and the personal relationships we used to pride our self on?

As a 20 year employee, I have given my all, from writing the digital school grant in 2000, to acting as an online learning administrator, and partnering with Carnegie Mellon University to develop a boutique computer science curriculum for our High School students.  I believe I have earned the respect to ask frankly, is this a decision the Quaker Valley School Board supports?

I have taught online at the university level for more than fifteen years, and I hold a doctorate in Instructional Technology, making me well equipped to provide instruction remotely five days a week. To force employees to exercise their rights to utilize any/all leave policies available, will not only be more costly to the district but will also result in interruptions to the continuity of instruction. This accommodation is the worse-case scenario for both the students and employee.

This is not my formal response to the district’s request to accept the accommodations but to make each of you aware of how our most vulnerable employees are being treated within Quaker Valley. The administration will receive a formal reply after consultation with the Equal Opportunity Commission, the American with Disabilities Act and the grievance procedure provided by the collective bargaining unit.

Surely this is not the culture that the Quaker Valley School Board supports.

Thank you kindly for your support!!

-Tina Bower