WHEREAS, a pandemic due to COVID-19 is still impacting the United States, 

WHEREAS, cases nationally are exceeding 100,000 daily and Orange County, NY continues to see increases in cases and in local public schools,

WHEREAS, New York State guidelines to reopen schools require districts to make accommodations for teachers with documented medical needs that make them or someone they live with at risk for serious illness or death according to the CDC, 

WHEREAS, the denial of a remote work accommodation and offering an unpaid leave of absence is not an accommodation and enhanced PPE may not be enough for certain medical conditions,

WHEREAS, many of the teaching staff in the ECSDM have been teaching students remotely since March and continue to effectively do so,

WHEREAS, students have developed relationships and rapport with the experienced teachers they presently have in the 2020-21 school year,

WHEREAS, teachers who are forced to choose between their health and their family's health may be replaced with inexperienced leave replacements or, in some cases, uncertified individuals,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that we the undersigned parents, community members and students request that the ECSDM permit teachers with documented medical need to continue teaching our children remotely and that the ECSDM undertake whatever costs are necessary to continue a model that allows these experienced and dedicated professionals to continue teaching the children of the ECSDM.