Hyper_Wave

I am 26 years old and taught 10th grade physical science and 12th grade Earth systems.

Side note: I had my Earth systems students conduct a project in the spring in which they chose any type of natural hazard and put together a presentation of their choice. I had "disease outbreaks" on the list, but no student chose that option. I never could have imagined how important that would become.

There was some communication about this, but the answer is it is a little bit of both. I genuinely felt that my principal and co-teachers have been doing everything in their power to mitigate spread of the virus. Unfortunately, those mitigatory actions just aren't enough when the state and district are pushing for normalcy.

I voiced my concerns about my district's reopening plans in an email sent at the beginning of July. My number one request was that information I shared, most of which included cited sources, would be shared somehow. I was explicitly told that the superintendent had decided not to share that information with the district's stakeholders.

Edit: grammar

This is the big debate among parents, it seems. My district did, in fact, offer some accommodations for both in-person and virtual students, which would be planned on an individual basis in IEPs and 504 plans. I think the effectiveness of accommodations through virtual learning is what has been in question, however. I heard some talk about students who "just can't learn on a computer". That may very well be the case for some students. They are put in a very tight place.

That said, I think it's important for special needs students to have as much distanced learning as possible. When they do need in-person accommodations, it's important that everyone wears masks and talks from a distance.

That is correct. All students had chosen their natural hazards well before March.

Thank you all for your questions. I have enjoyed sharing my experience and stance on the issues surrounding school reopenings during the pandemic, and it has been somewhat cathartic. I cannot express crucially enough how important it is that this pandemic becomes controlled. Above all else, students should be learning about the scientific and social problems facing the world this year, particularly this pandemic and its effects. Part of that is knowing how the virus spreads and that it is best to stay home.

More than a month before I resigned, I let my supervisors know my concerns and provided information with cited sources on the virus's spread in asymptomatic carriers and ability to spread quickly in indoor environments. I asked them to make this information public. They refused. They responded that the school district did not intend to publish the information with their stakeholders.

I resigned because I do not believe in the job that I would be required to do under these conditions. I know that other teachers across the country are in the same position. I am fortunate that I have other means for a career and some financial stability.

I will be checking periodically for any more questions.