Keep Carroll County Schools Virtual
The Issue
After tonight’s Carroll County Board of Education meeting on 11/11, the decision was made to continue with plans to reopen high schools on 11/12, as well as to to keep middle and elementary schools open indefinitely. This is in spite of recent health department data which shows that the Carroll County Covid-19 positivity rate was at 4.18% as of 11/9, with 38 new cases having been added as of 11/11, as well as a prediction that by 11/12, we will have surpassed 15 covid cases per 100,000 people, going beyond the metrics the board previously set to reopen safely. In fact, even county health officer, Ed Singer, explicitly advised against reopening high schools, given the state of the pandemic in this county (Carroll County Times).
This decision not only puts the safety and wellbeing of students at risk, but likewise adds yet another layer of anxiety onto teachers already struggling with the stressful transition to the board’s “Hybrid Model”, which forces educators to teach two classes simultaneously: one online and one in person. Despite desperate pleas from teachers, students, and community members over the last few months, begging the board to reconsider reopening, the board has willfully and blatantly ignored their voices.
We as a community must come together and speak out against the board’s overtly reckless decision. It’s irresponsible to send children to school given the recent surge in cases. It’s irresponsible to needlessly gamble the lives of our teachers in a pandemic. It’s irresponsible to ignore science and the explicit advice of our health professionals. Therefore, I’m calling on the entire Carroll County community to speak up and make their voices heard, to tell the board that our educators and our children’s health and well-being is more important than their desperate desire to reopen schools.
If you’re opposed to the board’s current plan, please sign and share, in order to make it clear that we as members of the community, either directly or indirectly impacted by this decision, will not stand idly by as the board continues to gamble the lives of some of the most vulnerable among us. Thank you.
The Issue
After tonight’s Carroll County Board of Education meeting on 11/11, the decision was made to continue with plans to reopen high schools on 11/12, as well as to to keep middle and elementary schools open indefinitely. This is in spite of recent health department data which shows that the Carroll County Covid-19 positivity rate was at 4.18% as of 11/9, with 38 new cases having been added as of 11/11, as well as a prediction that by 11/12, we will have surpassed 15 covid cases per 100,000 people, going beyond the metrics the board previously set to reopen safely. In fact, even county health officer, Ed Singer, explicitly advised against reopening high schools, given the state of the pandemic in this county (Carroll County Times).
This decision not only puts the safety and wellbeing of students at risk, but likewise adds yet another layer of anxiety onto teachers already struggling with the stressful transition to the board’s “Hybrid Model”, which forces educators to teach two classes simultaneously: one online and one in person. Despite desperate pleas from teachers, students, and community members over the last few months, begging the board to reconsider reopening, the board has willfully and blatantly ignored their voices.
We as a community must come together and speak out against the board’s overtly reckless decision. It’s irresponsible to send children to school given the recent surge in cases. It’s irresponsible to needlessly gamble the lives of our teachers in a pandemic. It’s irresponsible to ignore science and the explicit advice of our health professionals. Therefore, I’m calling on the entire Carroll County community to speak up and make their voices heard, to tell the board that our educators and our children’s health and well-being is more important than their desperate desire to reopen schools.
If you’re opposed to the board’s current plan, please sign and share, in order to make it clear that we as members of the community, either directly or indirectly impacted by this decision, will not stand idly by as the board continues to gamble the lives of some of the most vulnerable among us. Thank you.
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on November 11, 2020