Open Letter to America from a Teacher

July 06, 2020

Open Letter to America from a Teacher - in loco parentis

Teachers miss being in the classroom with the children more than you can imagine. We want to get back to teaching in person. Many of us have kids at home while we work too, and we agree, it is brutal. However, a lot of us have had it with our voices being kept out of important decisions that directly affect us, and our students. We are not the nation's babysitters. We are not the babysitters for the economy. We are not in the business of child care. Our unions have not amplified our voices or advocated for our health. And we are speaking up.

If you don't already know it, let me assure you that most teachers are rule followers. They aim to please their employers, and if something is good for children, we will often do it for free. We buy school supplies, snacks for kids who are hungry, and sometimes we take a bullet for your kids. That said, the corporate model of education has put us in the back of the proverbial bus. We are #NotSafe.

One of the big controversies right now is the American Academy of Pediatrics push to reopen schools in person. Like so many things today, groups we trust are often not what they appear. Why should we take advice from a group who lists Pfizer as their top supporter? If there are any others, they weren't listed. Why should big pharma have voice under the guise of the AAP?

Interestingly, doctor's offices are being very strict about how many people they see, and many are having patients wait in their cars until their turn. What's good for the goose doesn't seem to be good for the gander.

In addition, we are still learning about COVID-19 and children. While people post and tweet about how safe they believe children are, we just aren't sure. The YMCA shared this on their website on 7/4/20:

The debate isn't just k-12 either. Colleges and Universities have to ask themselves some big, ethical questions, like should they return to sports as usual, even as professional sports will have teams play without fans?

In this piece in The Atlantic, a college president shares, "During the present health crisis, administrators at colleges and universities should harbor no illusions. In the absence of a vaccine or much more widespread testing, our institutions are the perfect environment for the continued spread of COVID-19."

The President of the Federation of American Scientists, Dr. Ali Nouri, tweeted the following visual & video of micro-droplets from ONE cough:

Watch the video HERE.

Wearing masks helps limit micro-droplet emissions, but we are working with children and teens.

This TikTok imagines just the tip of the iceberg of what teachers will have to deal with regarding masks.

Click HERE to watch.

Another important point to consider is when states use wording for reopening guidelines, such as, "to the extent possible." It is a safety loophole. Read about one community's vocal push back here.


See more classroom design thoughts at this blog.

Some people are pushing to reopen schools in person, due to to the "learning gap" from the digital divide. Instead of lighting a fire under cable corporations and tech billionaires to provide free internet and devices to all schools/children in need, they are pushing Black and Brown children into school buildings where they will be even more likely to bring the virus home to elderly family members and those with pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes & heart conditions. Communities of color already are burdened by disproportionate numbers of COVD-19 cases. Read more here.

Teachers miss our students & our classrooms. There is something magical that happens between students and teachers within those four walls. However, school staff, teachers, children, and their family's health must come first. Our Federal government has failed us during this global pandemic, and as those charged in loco parentis, it is our ethical duty to say returning to school in person is #NotSafe.