As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak spreads rapidly around the world, the paranoia and concern for its effects does, too. Washington State, particularly Seattle and its surrounding neighborhoods, are at high risk as WA has the highest number of confirmed cases in the nation (174 cases, 22 deaths at time of publishing). Besides sending a series of vague emails to frantic parents assuring them that they are "taking additional precautions when disinfecting surfaces," ISD hasn't done much to prevent the spread of this virus. 

As we well know from the news, 4,000+ people have died from this disease. It is highly contagious. Upon visiting ISD's website, I found that the reason no Issaquah schools have been cancelled due to COVID-19 is for this, and I quote:

"We want to reiterate that there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the Issaquah School District at this time. Public Health – Seattle & King County continues to recommend that schools remain open."

Though it is comforting to know there aren't any confirmed cases, we have to step back. Is ISD waiting for a student to fall ill with Coronavirus to cancel the schools? With a disease this deadly, there is no time to wait. We have a small school district here being faced with a global crisis, obviously the worst of its time, and it is important that ISD make the right choice to benefit students and their families. This is also considering that many students may live with a person of respiratory problems, a senior citizen, or a child 0-4 years old, all which are defined as 'at risk groups' by the CDC. This means that though a healthy adult or an older child may be able to recover fairly resiliently from coronavirus, those groups have a potentially deadly threat unlike any other when COVID-19 just marches closer. And ISD is allowing that to happen. 

COVID-19 is also unique in the sense that it is nothing like many of the other reasons ISD has had to cancel school or has been coerced to cancel in the past. In a State of Emergency, which the CDC has defined COVID-19 as being, we will not have to make up any of the 180 days we miss. It is also important to remember that it is not a time to be considerate of lesson plans and school curriculums. Though curriculums would be disrupted with a school cancellation, such things are no longer a priority when the threats of Coronavirus make themself known. And schools are just the perfect place for a virus to grow, as many schools are packed with over 1,000 kids and hallways not designed to give each student 6 feet away from each other (the CDC recommends that distance when in contact with a person infected with COVID-19). For the citizens of Issaquah, Sammamish, and all the areas in-between, this is no longer a story that has no effect on us other than trumping the headlines. It's a community issue. This can and will effect you, your family, your neighbors, and your friends if we don't work to stop it. And, as history has shown, the solutions to big problems almost always involve our community's children. In this case, there is no difference. We must protect our children to keep our community secure and healthy.

Please sign this petition if YOU know the effects of COVID-19 and want to do everything in our power to stop it. Thank you for helping us keep our children and people of the community healthy.