Our daughter has taught in the Davis County School District for the past 24 years. She loves teaching and has had a fulfilling career. This summer, she was faced with a difficult employment decision. She has Type 1 diabetes and with the COVID-19 pandemic, her doctor instructed her that it was unsafe for her to return to her classroom. Because she loves teaching, she spent hundreds of dollars of her own money on plexiglass and other supplies to make her classroom safer for her and her students.
As DSCD was on a hybrid schedule, half of her students were physically in class daily. DSCD stated when they adopted the hybrid plan that it would be in effect until Christmas break, by which time it was hoped there would be a reduction of cases and/or a vaccine. Recently, the DCSD reversed course, making the inadvisable decision to return to full days for all students to placate a minority group of vocal parents.
This decision was made when other districts were adopting the hybrid system in order to provide a safer environment for their students and teachers. The majority of our daughter’s classes have more students enrolled than there are available desks. With that student density, it is impossible to provide for social distancing.
We invited each of the DCSD members to substitute teach for a day in our daughter’s class so they can see firsthand the impact of their decision. We all know they will decline that invitation. We are extremely disappointed that the DCSD has chosen to alter their earlier decision which was made based on statistical data, with the intent to protect students and teachers. Their decision puts the entire community at risk.
We have already buried one child. We don’t want to bury another.
Keith and Carole Merrell, Bountiful
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2020/09/28/letter-were-disappointed/
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