New Trier parents divided on approach to in-person classes

When dozens of parents gathered for a rally last weekend at New Trier High School, the crowd shared a united message about the impact of COVID-19 on their families: Kids are struggling, and in-person learning should be happening five days aweek.

But their growing discontent with the high school’s COVID-era hybrid learning plan is not the only view shared by parents. Others, some of whom say they represent the “silent majority” who did not attend the Nov. 14 rally at the high school’ s North field campus, say a full return to school goes against public health considerations.

“I didn’t attend the rally, but if I had heard about it in time, Iwould have gone as a counter protester, because I think it’s insane to be asking to bring more kids together into the school at this time,” said Northfield resident Amy Richmond, whose daughter is a junior at New Trier.

Richmond’s daughter has elected to enroll in the high school’s all-remote learning platform.

“I think a lot of parents feel like I do, that science needs to rule these COVID-related school reopening decisions, but we’re a silent majority,” said Richmond.

Dr. Eric Hungness, a physician and parent of two students at New Trier, was among the speakers at the Nov. 14 rally. Others speakers included Chicago radio personality and New Trier dad Mancow Muller and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.

Hungness implored officials at the high school to provide, “a safe daily and in-class option for our Trevian students.”

He said data show that the rates of COVID infection for teachers and students in school buildings is, “extremely low when basic precautions are taken … reopening schools can be done safely.”

“Our students need to be in the classroom every day, and our teachers need to be in the classroom every day,” Hungness said, adding that parents with concerns and teachers with significant medical issues should still have the choice to learn and teach from home.

Many parents at New Trier, including Richmond, are in agreement that the remote instruction and limited or zero in-person classroom learning for the past eight months has presented formidable challenges for their families.

But while parents gathering at rallies like the event at New Trier and others across suburban Chicago in recent months have become increasingly vocal in their demands that schools expedite their efforts to bring students and teachers back into the classroom, some parents, like Richmond, say they support school officials taking a more cautious approach based on data and metrics.

With COVID-19 rates surging across the state and nation heading into the holiday season, some parents say while they understand the frustration of protesters, they believe school district officials have overall been doing a laudable job making painstaking decisions during the pandemic.

“I think the vast majority of parents at New Trier are comfortable and grateful for the amount of choices we have for remote and inperson learning,” said Anne Stevens, a Wilmette resident whose son is a junior at the high school.

Stevens, an educator at a Chicago area university, said while her son decided that 100% remote learning was the best fit for him this fall, he still has participated in extra-curricular sports that are allowed by the state, like track and field, as well as performing arts.

“I’m puzzled by what some of these parents are asking for, because it’s not aligned with what the school is already doing, which is a block schedule,” Stevens said. “There’s a group of very vocal parents who have created awebsite, but I’m wondering, what is their intent, and why are they trying to malign the school?”

As one of around 100 parents who volunteered to assemble kits for the high school’s new $1.3 million saliva screening program, Stevens said she is perplexed why some parents have become increasingly critical of the high school’s 25% hybrid program.

“As a district, we’re very privileged to have the resources to offer students some in-person learning, so why are parents standing outside the school, saying we need to be back?” Stevens said. “I’m in complete agreement with those who say this is not ideal learning for any of our kids, but the school is doing the best they can to provide options for all students.”

Like Stevens, New Trier parent Ted Dabrowski, who helped organize the Nov. 14 rally, said he applauds the high school for launching its new voluntary saliva screening program as a tool to safely facilitate in-person instruction.

But Dabrowski, a Wilmette resident and public policy expert, said given some data show only low rates of virus transmission at schools, and considering the relatively expansive COVID safeguards in place at New Trier, officials should bring students and teachers back into the classroom for a half-day of school, five days aweek.

“I think what we saw at the rally was heartfelt beliefs from so many parents that their students just can’t learn this way anymore,” said Dabrowski, who like many parents, is disheartened that his son has only had a handful of days of in-person learning since the arrival of the virus last March.

“I know these are difficult decisions, and our rally happened to coincide with a rise in cases.

But the school has been closed all year, with the exception of one week in October, and now two weeks in November,” Dabrowski said.

Nevertheless, New Trier parents like Richmond remain wary of any rush to expand in-person instruction when COVID rates across the region continue to rage.

“With the high school’s new saliva testing, I’m optimistic that maybe I can get my student back in school during the third quarter,” Richmond said, adding: “But as for increasing the number of students in the building, this isn’t the time. The community spread right now is exponential, and students and teachers are still interacting with the community.”