Fort Worth district to move forward with in-person learning on Oct. 5, school board votes
In a split decision Tuesday night, the Fort Worth school board voted to move forward with the district’s plan to begin optional in-person learning on Oct. 5.
The school district had initially planned to start in-person learning on Oct. 5, but the FWISD board called a special session on Tuesday to discuss whether that date should be pushed back by four weeks.
The board trustees made the decision to not push back that start date after a seven-hour meeting in which they heard from Tarrant County Health Director Vinny Taneja, Superintendent Kent Scribner, district administrators and members of the public. The 5-4 vote was finally called at 1 a.m.
Trustees Tobi Jackson, Daphne Brookins, Anne Darr, C.J. Evans, and Norman Robbins voted against the measure to push back the start date. Board members Quinton Phillips, Anael Luebanos, Ashley Paz, and President Jacinto Ramos Jr. were in favor of continuing online-only learning.
As they voted, some trustees talked about how difficult the decision was.
“I absolutely think we ought to be asking for more time, see where the numbers go,” Ramos said. “We heard from the public health expert, and that’s just where my heart’s at.”
Paz said she went into the meeting “expecting to phase in children back to school,” but said after listening to Taneja, she could not “in good faith vote to reopen schools.”
Brookins said she also was extremely concerned about coronavirus, but was worried about the children who were being left behind by virtual learning and wants to give families a choice of returning to school or not.
Taneja was the first person to address the board Tuesday night, and he recommended the school board closely monitor the county’s COVID-19 data over the next few weeks in regards to their decision. He warned the county could see a spike in cases in the next few weeks due to Labor Day.
“We need to be very gradual and cautious about changing our decision,” he said. “What that means is, make a plan, but also make a plan B.”
While the number of positive cases in Tarrant County had been trending downward over the past few weeks, a recent uptick in coronavirus cases could hint at an oncoming surge. Each major holiday has caused a surge in cases, and Taneja does not expect Labor Day to be any different.
“The data is showing there is trouble brewing,” he said.
The board members asked Taneja questions about Tarrant County’s data, possible coronavirus testing options, whether the virus is less severe in children and other questions about COVID-19.
Taneja walked through data in the school data dashboard, which uses various metrics to suggest what learning scenarios are appropriate for different school zones. As of Tuesday, most Tarrant County schools were in the “yellow zone,” indicating the district could consider a hybrid method of in-person and virtual learning. However, if cases rise, those zones could move to the “red zone,” in which online-only learning is recommended.
From about 7:45 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. parents, teachers and members of the community called into the meeting for public comment. Speakers passionately argued why schools should begin in-person learning or urged the trustees to continue virtual learning.
The back-to-school plan
FWISD Superintendent Kent Scribner also spoke at the meeting and presented a proposed plan for in-person learning to start on Oct. 5.
In the proposal, teachers would have the option to start teaching virtually from the classroom on Sept. 21, and then would be required to teach virtually from the school on Sept. 28. During that time, they could bring their school-age children with them. On Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, certain children — those in special education, Pre-K through first grade, 6th-graders and freshmen — would have the option to return to the school for in-person learning.
On Oct. 5, all children on FWISD campuses would be able to return for optional in-person learning.
Trustees asked Scribner and other FWISD administrators questions about the plan and shared concerns, including how lunchtimes would work, if students would have the same teacher if they switched between virtual and in-person, if the district would tell the campus community when a student tested positive and how teachers’ schedules would work.
Trustee Brookins said she thought she knew how she was going to vote Tuesday night, but was concerned after seeing the county’s data.
“I pray that whatever decision we make, our children be safe,” Brookins said.
Trustee Darr said she felt like she needed more information before making a responsible decision about schools reopening. For example, she said a FWISD-issued survey showed 52% of families want in-person learning and 48% want virtual learning, but those numbers are not broken down by campus and only half the district has filled out the survey. She also asked if there was information on how teachers feel about returning to school.
“I feel like I am being asked to make a decision tonight with incomplete data,” she said.
Darr voted to move forward with the district’s Oct. 5 start date.
FWISD staff explained various plans for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools. For example, if a child tests positive for COVID-19, a notice will be sent to the campus community and the child must be quarantined. Those the student came into direct contact with will also quarantine. And if the school is unable to figure out who the student was in direct contact with, the school will shut down for 14 days.
In terms of COVID-19 safety, students and staff will be required to wear face masks, according to FWISD’s safety plan. Those who can’t for medical reasons will need to wear a face shield. Staff will take students’ temperatures every day, and students who have fevers will not be allowed inside.
Desks will be spaced out for social distancing and sanitization stations will be placed around the schools, according to the district’s plans. Similar guidelines will be placed for bus rides and physical education activities, among other things.
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
