Education association asks to begin with virtual classes

The Elyria Education Association’s Executive Advisory Board members, in the interest of the safety of students, staff and community, are recommending that the 2020-2021 academic year begin virtually and remain so for all students and staff at minimum for the duration of the first semester, which ends Jan. 22, according to a letter to the community they released Aug. 11.

Members were surveyed prior to and after the release of the district’s reopening plan, according to the letter.

Seventy percent of those surveyed stated they do not feel safe going back to classroom instruction at this time, the letter said.

With serious consideration, we make this recommendation for the following reasons:

• The spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, state and county is increasingly unpredictable and without a sustained downward trend.

• COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus and community spread will occur if infected students or staff return home and transmit the virus to family members.

• If self-screening results in an infected student or staff member entering a school building, there is potential for viral spread to others.

• Students and staff with pre-existing medical conditions will be at greater risk for potentially serious long-term health complications from contracting COVID-19.

• Numerous recent studies — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, posted an article July 24, 2020 — have shown that the economically disadvantaged as well as Black and Hispanic children are more susceptible to COVID infection. And once infected, are much more likely to require hospitalization.

• The list of substitute teachers is less than 20 for over 400 teachers. Teachers could be absent due to: self-quarantine for 14 days and waiting for COVID test results in two to 10 days. The absences these mandatory protocols require will be compounded across the district for every exposure or suspected exposure.

• With the onset of flu season, and the similarity of symptoms between flu and COVID-19, the student and staff self-screening feature will result in a reduction of student and staff attendance at school.

Health and safety of students and staff is foremost in the recommendation to delay in-person instruction, according to the letter.

Until a time that sciencebased research can support the overall safety of that format, the Elyria Education Association’s Executive Board recommendation for beginning 2020-2021 is through virtual instruction.