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LETTER ON SCHOOLS: Dear @MayorBowser @DMEforDC @DCPSChancellor @ChmnMendelson @charlesallen @RobertWhite_DC @marycheh @tweetelissa @cmdgrosso @AnitaBondsDC @CMBrookePinto @BrianneKNadeau @kenyanmcduffie @VinceGrayWard7 @trayonwhite,
On my mind this AM: “opening” non-plan, teachers, and how much I value and need them in my life, and the eerie silence of our elected Councilmembers. We are not 45. WE ARE AFRAID OF COVID. We need your help.
Caution. As you step forward, these are not small decisions about small groups of kids. Decisions today have implications for our teaching profession now and in the future. Decisions have implications for health & life for families across our city.
You have the power to hold up the teaching profession as one that is a critical support & resource in our society – one that must be at the table because they know what kids need and what they need to teach well.
You have the power to send a message to young people who want to be teachers and to teachers in training that our city will protect, honor and support your work and voice when you join us in our mission to help all children thrive.
You also have the power to do real damage to the teaching profession: driving people out of the profession; making newcomers scared to come; and devaluing the profession to the point that our young people don’t find it a viable goal. Your actions have big consequences.
I want youth to continue to value and look up to their teachers – it’s a mixed message when the city leaders say they don’t value them. (Remember: kids see, hear and know so much of what you are doing)
When you tell the public to stay home, wear masks, distance & limit interactions in groups; it is “asynchronous” to tell teachers w/out their input: but for you, we don’t need data that we have protections in place (ppe, hvac, training, resources first)-just go out there
And when you say you will send teachers into that unsafe situation – when you have not asked them first and made them part of the decision, then you say: we are ok with experimenting with your lives and the lives of your students and families.
There is no question learning virtually is not ideal. There’s no question that teaching virtually is not ideal. There is serious inequity in learning virtually. There is also potentially greater inequity putting teachers and students at risk in potentially life-threatening ways.
I can’t understand how anyone can make this decision without the teachers-those most affected by this decision-and do so in the name of equity. You don’t have equity when you send people to the front lines unprepared and unprotected.
You make this decision not knowing if you have the air quality, PPE, training and resources in every single school.
You made this decision without commitment to full reporting all COVID-related data in schools publicly and how it will be communicated quickly.
You made this decision without evidence that in the real world the quality of teaching will be better in person than virtually; that teachers won’t just spend their time managing mask placement, social distancing and cleaning and re-cleaning the materials in spaces in their rooms
Today, teachers and principals are reeling with fear and confusion. That is not a plan – it’s a dehumanizing, destabilizing pressure cooker.
If we look at New York City, we see schools opening and closing and opening closing due to spread. That instability is worse for children - we remember the instability of March – May. We don’t want to go back there.
In this non-ideal world, we should commit to stability and value the work teachers have done to make virtual lessons and structures – let’s let them work! They have spent over a month helping children adapt. They have built relationships.
For children who are not adapting or can’t engage, city should put all other resources to help. It’s not binary: either virtual or what we used to have (just add masks.) The pandemic requires you use every tool: funding, tutors, non-profit partners etc, to support every child.
Instead, you propose a confusing plan that ignores teacher will & puts communities into harm’s way. It’s not the people at 1200 1st St NE or the Wilson bldg, making their Zoom decisions, who will bear the risk. It will be teachers & students who shoulder the risk.
And we know the latest research is that young people get the virus and they carry it to each other and to adults. So, we know that you are inviting spread into our schools and communities.
There’s not a single day that is easy for our families or teachers in virtual learning. But during a pandemic, we all look at each other on our video screens and say thank goodness I can still see you and you are still a support and care for my child. You are here for us.
I have heard that some leaders say this "plan" is a concrete and thoughtful approach. It is not. Full stop. Look here in this thread for just some of the questions that remain unanswered. https://twitter.com/betsyjwolf/status/1313180699558662150?s=20
A concrete and thoughtful approach would be (ready? multi-tweet plan):
-Bring principals and teachers to table first
-Put health and safety first
-Don’t make any decisions until every building is inspected, all ppe in place, and training is ready to go...
-Bring principals and teachers to table first
-Put health and safety first
-Don’t make any decisions until every building is inspected, all ppe in place, and training is ready to go...
-Be clear that all school related COVID data will be publicly & quickly communicated
-Devise a plan with teachers and principals that make sense & doesn’t rush to destabilize
>have all ppe/hvac/resources in place...
-Devise a plan with teachers and principals that make sense & doesn’t rush to destabilize
>have all ppe/hvac/resources in place...
...If demand from parents/teachers, start small: focus on small set of schools with small groups with willing families & educators for ESL & special education
> keep current virtual core teachers in place – don’t further destabilize relationships and systems...
> keep current virtual core teachers in place – don’t further destabilize relationships and systems...
