The Teacher’s Nightmare with COVID-19
According to statistics in the New York Times, there are currently 3,864 COVID-19 cases reporting within the last month for Prince William County, accounting for approximately 20% of the overall population. Among the many industries that are being forced to deal with this pandemic head on, there is one battleground that has become an even greater risk: the classroom.
On Tuesday, January 5, the PW Perspective met with several Tier 1 teachers and staff via a virtual forum. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, they shared several of the difficult challenges they have faced as public schools are set to open in greater capacity this month.
Over the summer, teachers were required to fill out Americans with Disabilities Act paperwork if they are in a higher risk category for COVID-19. One teacher informed us that despite submitting the documentation, they were not eligible for virtual learning: “I am a Kindergarten TA at a Prince William County School,” the teacher stated. “I have an autoimmune disease and am at high risk for contracting the Coronavirus. My doctor recommended that I work virtually, he also filled out the proper ADA paperwork that I submitted to the office of benefits in August. My principal is aware of my health concerns and has been supportive in allowing me to work virtually. Recently I received a letter from the Office of Benefits stating that I have been allowed to work virtually because of my health condition, but it is not an ADA accommodation.”
“The letter also states that the ‘ADA does not require PWCS to eliminate an essential job function or to excuse an employee from performing an essential job function as an accommodation.’”, they continued to state. “The letter goes on to say that the County is allowing me to teach virtually for the time being but may require me to come back to school as they work to reopen the schools. This is a huge concern for me and my family because I may be forced to quit in order to protect my health and as a result losing our family health insurance benefits.”
Another teacher, a member of the music department, states that the guidance they have received for their students has been unable to play their instruments due to the conditions set forth, “We are currently in Phase 2 which means that band should only have instruments if we are outside…in January!”
(According to the instructions, those who play wind/brass instruments must be outdoors and be 10 feet of physical distancing).
One of the counselors shared an emotional story of how they’re struggling to speak with the children while maintaining social distancing, “It’s gotten so difficult that I am unable to work with children who want to come to you, but they can’t. How can you possibly tell a 5-year-old child to maintain social distancing in this environment?”
While upwards of twenty teachers have wanted to share their story, all have feared retaliation for speaking out.
“I have been approved telework since September., but I have never met with my Principal or Human Resources once. My paperwork says we met, but it didn’t happen. He announced at our last faculty meeting that everyone is supposed to return regardless of status. We have been told to give our PPE needs to the secretary and he would see what can be done. My PPE needs have been outlined by my doctor as necessary if I am forced to return. My doctor has asked me to consider resigning because he is fearful I will die even if I contract a minor case. I don’t want to speak because I have witnessed retaliation of people who have spoken up.”
Another teacher, who is currently pregnant, stated, “It is only my second year in a public school system and PWCS. I fear retaliation and as much as I have tried to advocate for myself, my voice isn’t being heard. I am currently pregnant, high risk due to an autoimmune disorder. Both pregnancy and my autoimmune disorder leave me at an extreme risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, birthing a stillborn, and death if I contract COVID-19. My life, and the life of my unborn child are at risk. But I have been flat out denied the option of working 100% virtual even though I have ADA paperwork from two medical specialists stating I should not be entering school buildings.”
“My life is in the hands of people that seemingly couldn’t care less. My life…and an unborn child’s life. I cannot afford to not work. That would put the livelihood of my family at risk of not having food or shelter. I cannot afford to simply take leave because I need leave in the later part of this year to cover the unpaid maternity leave. I am being told to risk my life, my unborn child’s life, or not be able to afford to live/not have a job. I also know of other people in my exact same role across the county that HAVE been approved to stay virtual (when I was told it is not an option) which leads me to believe that there is also a lot of nepotism being used in making these decisions. There are more than enough students staying virtual to warrant that same opportunity to employees that need it, even though they have received multiple recommendations from doctors not to return to school, those calls have gone unheeded.”
What about substitutes? As another teacher put it, “They can’t put in substitutes because they haven’t been trained and fitted for N95 masks. In some instances, when the teacher isn’t there, administration will take over the classroom.”
One Special Education teacher talked about the frustrations they have had in staying virtual. “As a Tier 1 employee with seven life-changing autoimmune disorders, a kidney transplant, and a chemotherapy patient, I cannot fathom as to how any proposed accommodations would protect me from contracting the deadly COVID- 19 virus. I say deadly because with my condition(s) germs are not my friend in any capacity. I teach students with severe and profound disabilities. I am that teacher who tends to all my students personal daily living needs.”
“They require hands on instruction, physical supports, and maximum assistance to participate in ALL class and school activities. The accommodations described by PWCS or any other accommodations, will be safe enough to protect me from COVID 19. Therefore, I am fighting to stay virtual to not only protect myself, but those 11% of students who are currently in-person receiving instruction within my classroom.”
Have the parents been helpful in advocating for the teachers to go 100% virtual? “Not really,” says one teacher. “Yes their children are entitled to a free and proportionate education, but they are not entitled to put our lives and the lives of others at risk by demanding we open the schools.”
Teachers are also frustrated due to the lack of transparency from outgoing Superintendent Steven Walts and the School Board. “There is no metric to determine when it’s safe to close down the schools,” said another teacher. “Teachers, parents and students have been lied to by an administration that claims things are safe by claiming the dashboard numbers are correct, when in reality they are not. There are at least three schools that we know had to shut down due to COVID-19, and at the Kelly Leadership Center they don’t want that information to get out. Lives are being put at stake here, and for what? How much higher will the numbers have to be until they do what’s best for everyone?”
Oveta Scott, who has been perhaps the strongest voice for protecting teachers and staff during these times, talked about the sharp disparity between what the school board is presenting versus the reality of the situation.
“Schools are not providing a true reality,” said Scott. “For instance, some elementary schools principals were not even notified that the school day would be changed from 10:30 am – 5:00 pm. Also, there would only be two bus runs per school; that is not going to work.”
She describes the classrooms as a shell of what it used to be. “There cannot be any posters on the walls, and we’re not allowed to make copies, so we have to go with whatever paper we have. Another problem is that there’s a vast distinction in who is allowed to remain home and teach virtually as opposed to those who are forced to come in.”
While news of the vaccine has created hope for many across the country, some teachers are not as optimistic. “We have had zero conversations about when we will get vaccinated,” said one teacher. “At the Hill, a worker in the video department was given the option of taking the vaccine before the teachers. When it’s all said and done, the administrative staff is treated much better than the teachers and cafeteria staff who has to deal with close contact each day.”
According to the Virginia Department of Health, teachers will be in the Phase 1 vaccine rollout, occurring at the end of January.
It’s not just the teachers in the classroom that are being impacted, the cafeteria workers are experiencing a painful battle of another kind. As one worker put it, “We are not supposed to talk about it. I know of at least three different cafeterias that have had a case of COVID. They did not close the kitchen even after the people that were there were exposed to the person that had it. They only sent home the person who tested positive.”
“To make it worse,” the worker continued, “on Mondays and Thursdays we have to be outside for six hours straight in the parking lot no matter the weather to hand out food to the parents.”
We asked if there has been any attempt at a compromise, and the cafeteria worker offered the following response, “The only way to report something is to email Food Services. Of course none of us can do that without knowing who it is. There have been a few parents that come and say that they are going to complain about us being in the cold without any protection or heat.”
Maggie Hansford, the resident of the Prince William Education Association, released the following statement:
“PWEA continues to advocate for the safety of our students and staff. County transmission rates have risen unchecked, our schools lack adequate substitute teachers, we have problematic inaccuracies with COVID-19 tracking in our schools, and the division remains unwilling to accommodate employees with disabilities. Given these mounting risks, it is imperative that school board and division leadership act to protect staff and students. PWEA renews our call for all-virtual learning and for a transparent, clear plan to vaccinate staff prior to requiring staff return to school buildings.”
The school board will be meeting on Wednesday, January 6 and perhaps this time the stories of so many preventable tragedies will be heard.
