Might have a few tweets about the LPS board of Education meeting going on right now. It’ll just be a thread from here...

Dr. Joel mentioned the good discussion with LEA and @ritagbennett. Asked Dr. Rauner to speak. Compared our country reopening schools to Sweden and Singapore.

No decision on fall sports. “We see ourselves as different than Omaha” says Joel. Zero tolerance on masks in buildings. After Friday we will get feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

First speaker understands why school was canceled in mid-March. Complains about grading system for 4th quarter. Kids could keep their grade. Has no idea why we need until Monday for remote learning to start when we had six months. He says “shame on you” to every board member.

He’s very upset as a tax payer. Says he doesn’t trust the boats or LOS. He says they failed the taxpayers. He says his daughter is going to be a junior at LSW, and we have failed her. She wants to do her best but she can’t (whatever that means). He’s ANGRY!

Next up is @ritagbennett. LEA president. She thanks the board and Dr. Joel for a productive meeting yesterday. She knows it’s not perfect, but she’s received thanks from many teachers in response to pushing back remote learning to Monday.

Rita says we all still believe 100% remote learning is the best and safest. I agree!

A teacher of 12 years brings up that the board has no idea all the things teachers won’t be able to do now because of all the new plans they have to do.

Next speaker mentions the 3-5 minute mask breaks for students are required by the district. It’s not feasible to do this and socially distance she says.

An LPS parent speaks highly of the board, but she wants to stand up for teachers tonight. The only thing they are more terrified of than covid is speaking up and losing their jobs.

A young girl is speaking because her mom is a teacher, and she is scared she will lose her mom. She says “I know there are haters that will hate on me, but I don’t care.” She wants to keep all teachers safe. “Please listen to me and do 100% remote learning.”

Her mom(?) asks how many staff members is the board willing to lose? She also wants 100% remote learning.

Public speaker 8 is a former LPS para. Her son has asthma. She says one death is not worth any number of educational hours. She also scolds a few higher-ups in the room for being on their phones while people are offering public comment.

Public speaker 10 has been an LPS educator for 20+ years. Her mom was president of the school board. Wysong Elementary named after her. You need to watch this speech later. Very powerful. Mentions attending a funeral and feeling bad we didn’t clean a chair better...wow...

“We will be dealing with anxiety, guilt, and trauma.......when attending funerals.” She tells the board her mom (former LPS school board president) would be brave and make sure kids are safe.

Public speaker 11 says our educators are not cannon fodder and our students are not lab rats. Not one dead student, teacher, or principal. She wants 100% remote.

Second straight board meeting where a speaker has pointed out the podium hasn’t been sanitized between speakers.

Public speaker 12 is speaking for a teacher. She says none of the transportation staff (bus drivers) are wearing masks. They are breaking LPS and Lincoln’s mandate. “How are we able to take you seriously when an entire staff department is violating protocol?” she asks Dr. Joel.

Public speaker 13 says we’ve watched these deaths happen for months. She’s a UNL professor of education. She doesn’t know how to sell the profession when LPS is reopening schools irresponsibly.

She wants the board, the mayor, and the governor IN SCHOOLS with the kids if they’re going with this plan.

Public comment 14 is from a teacher. She’s reading a paper from an 8th grader. The 8th grader is concerned about cafeterias and lunch. No masks in there while eating. Wants to keep teachers safe. Says the district plan isn’t safe.

She mentions there are so many teachers afraid of speaking out of fear of getting punished or fired.

Public comment 15 played a clip from her phone of Dr. Rauner comparing covid deaths to school shooting deaths. She’s a teacher. She says the board lacks courage for leadership. She says we all know we will eventually go 100% remote. This is another speech you should watch.

She says “what you are asking for is a meaningless sacrifice.” I don’t know how you could be a board member and not be moved or swayed by these speakers. They won’t budge.

Public commenter 17 (I work with her) is a media specialist for LPS. She explains the contact tracing plan LPS is using does not align with the CDC guidelines.

She brings up the BIGGEST concern my coworkers have mentioned. Why are high schools doing the 50/50 plan but not middle schools?

Real quick timeout to share personal opinion. I don’t know how these board members remain in solidarity after some of these incredible speeches. They are real stories with facts. So raw. Humanized. All packed into 5 minutes. LPS board won’t budge. They believe in “the plan”

Speaker 19 is an LPS teacher and parent. She took an unpaid leave of absence for the safety of her own family. Reads several quotes from teachers fearful of losing their jobs. Calls out district for being “secretive.” No training on how to properly sanitize.

No spray bottles yet. Hand sanitizer without pump handles. From a 1st grade teacher: She’s never worked harder and never felt less respected by her employer.

Public commenter 22 tells the board it seems like they’re just sitting there absorbing all these speeches and not responding. She asks them for 100% remote learning and says it’s a tragedy they’re making teachers work in a dangerous environment.

“I really wish you would make some better choices because to just keep pushing forward is harmful.”

Commenter 23 is a Lincoln High teacher. She’s audibly crying. She doesn’t want her students or their families or her coworkers to die.

She wants her special education students in school. She knows their remote learning is difficult for them. However, she thinks remote learning is the education we need to get used to right now. “It’s the only option moving forward that guarantees that all are safe.”

She mentions her face shield and N95 mask aren’t available for her on day one as she has a condition. She says the district is not ready. Items are on back order.

Commenter 24 is an early childhood special education teacher. She is pregnant and reads concerning statistics about pregnant women getting covid. They are more likely to be hospitalized. She is required to attend in-home visits and would potentially be exposed.

Commenter 25 is an early childhood family educator. She wants to be a voice for vulnerable families she works with. Her husband is a doctor and from his medical perspective, we should have head to toe PPE if we want to guarantee safety.

I couldn’t speak tonight. Gave it a shot two weeks ago. I’m snuggling a new baby boy. We just got home from the hospital. But yeah, I don’t know how you can watch these speeches and not think 100% remote learning is the best option. These humans >>>>>

Commenter 26 says LPS isn’t following the science or research. She can’t get to work at 8:00 and expect things to stay the same by noon because the district is so inconsistent.

26 loves her students and wants to make them feel welcome, but she can’t. She can’t tell them they are safe because she would be lying.

27 is the community coordinator at Lincoln High School. She says she was at school today, and we are not prepared. We haven’t made accommodations for high-risk students and staff. She says they haven’t been engaging the community.

She says she doesn’t know how the message isn’t getting through to the board. They haven’t engaged LPS staff or listened to them.

She says LPS staff hasn’t all bought into the plan, and that’s going to look bad tomorrow when schools open up.

She asks the board to show students how to listen. They should show students how to admit a mistake. She says we don’t have to open schools tomorrow. There’s still time.

I did this tonight because I was unable to speak. Hopefully this thread gives you an idea how LPS staff feels about reopening. Apparently there are 70+ speakers tonight. I’m gonna stop tweeting for now. Head to http://home.lps.org/board  to watch.