The pandemic has uprooted all of our lives. The best way for us to get through this time is to support each other and stick together as a community. This includes the community of teachers, parents and students that works together to create the best, and safest, possible educational opportunities for our children.

Forcing teachers into school buildings to teach remotely will not meaningfully address the shortcomings of remote learning. It will only increase the likelihood of teachers contracting and spreading Covid-19, and create personal difficulties for teachers with children at home who do not have access to child care while schools are closed. It also eliminates the opportunity to use school grounds for alternate uses like child care or required in person services for students with IEPs or other interventions. Furthermore, doing this in the name of "accountability" sends an unambiguous signal from the board that they do not trust teachers to do their jobs without supervision - a feeling that is not shared by the community of parents who fully believe in teachers' ability and dedication to their work. 

If our kids are not going to be returning to in-person learning in the fall because the danger of the pandemic is too great, then we must support our teachers and give them the option to continue remote teaching from home for the same reason. 

Please add your name so that we can send a united message to the school board and the administration that they need to join us in trusting, supporting and respecting our teachers' ability to educate our children from the safety and convenience of their own homes until it is safe for everyone to return to school.