Mahomet-Seymour Education Association releases statement in support of Task Force Re-opening Plan
Editor’s Note: The Mahomet-Seymour Education Association has released the following statement regarding In-Person Instruction in the 2020-21 school year. The task force plan, which they promote, is included from the July 6 school board packet.
Mahomet-Seymour Education Association Statement of Belief on Safety as we return to In-Person Instruction in Schools
The Mahomet-Seymour Education Association, IEA-NEA believes, as do health experts, that it would be best for students to be learning in an in-person school environment when at all possible. In these times of global pandemic due to the novel coronavirus, however, the health and safety of our students and staff should be the primary concern and focus of all communities throughout our state and across the nation. No one wants to return to school more than those who have chosen education as their profession, but it is also professional educators who understand better than anyone, the impact a contagious disease can have on a school population. We here in Mahomet have witnessed first-hand how quickly this virus can spread among our students as a result of one incautious decision. So we must act with the clear-eyed assumption that COVID-19 will show up in our buildings. We are willing to accept that risk to our health and safety, but only in a context where all reasonable mitigation of that risk has been undertaken.
We believe the health and safety interests of Mahomet-Seymour students and staff will best be met by following the re-opening task force plan presented by District Administration, at the July 6th School Board meeting for the following reasons:
· The task-force plan was developed by district administration and a team of educational professionals who work in this field day in and day out.
· The task-force plan follows expert guidance as provided by Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Pediatricians for the safest way possible to reopen based on epidemiological research.
· The task-force plan considers the safety of both our staff and students.
· The task-force plan is in the best interest of the community who trusts us as educational professionals to balance the educational and safety needs of their children.
· The task force plan allows a day for teachers to remote plan, in case we are thrown into a situation where we are asked to shut down and go completely remote again. Public Act 101-0643 requires that school districts “adopt a Remote and Blended Remote Learning Day Plan” and the task-force plan makes these provisions.
· Mitigating the risk of viral infection requires adequately addressing the proximity of students and staff to one another, the size and ventilation of the space they are in together, and the length of time they are there. The task-force plan reduces our exposure in all three of these areas.
· Like most district plans, the task-force plan errs on the side of caution. Given the stakes, why would we make our community the guinea pigs for a five day a week plan?
Therefore, MSEA insists that the only safe, reasonable, and carefully considered course of action for the Mahomet Seymour School District is to adopt the re-opening taskforce’s plan as presented and not attempt to prematurely return to full days of school, five days a week with all students present together.
