Parents, teachers in COVID debate feel ‘shut out’ of Fort Worth ISD’s reopening revote
An online petition and a rally planned in response to a Fort Worth school board meeting on Tuesday reflect the widening gap between those who believe children should immediately return to in-person classes and those who think the district should continue virtual learning.
Last week, the Fort Worth ISD school board voted 5-4 against a plan to extend virtual learning for another four weeks and instead voted to start optional, in-person classes on Oct. 5. On Friday, the board announced it would re-evaluate the decision and revote on Tuesday. The trustees will vote on a motion that would extend the transition from online-only learning through Oct. 30, with in-person learning resuming by Nov. 2.
Some parents are frustrated by the revote.
Joy Blocker and 14 other FWISD parents started a petition Saturday for FWISD to move forward with an in-person learning option for students. In Blocker’s community in Benbrook, she said, many parents and teachers are ready to go back to school, and they think they should have the choice to do so. Blocker was surprised by how quickly the petition took off.
The petition had nearly 3,000 signatures and hundreds of comments as of Monday afternoon; the petition description said organizers plan to share the comments with the school board at Tuesday’s meeting.
“We felt a little helpless. It felt like our voices weren’t being heard,” said Blocker, who is a part-time preschool teacher in Fort Worth. She has three children at FWISD schools and said virtual learning is not working, especially for her kindergartner.
She and other parents respect teachers who are not ready to return to school, but Blocker said she would feel safe sending her children back to the classroom.
“We don’t want to push our agenda, but we want the ability to have the choice,” she said. “You hit the wall of how long can we do this. It’s almost October. (Gov. Greg) Abbott is starting to open Texas.”
Teachers and staff have their own plan for Tuesday’s meeting. The United Educators Association — which supports the continuation of online learning — planned to rally in front of the school board meeting in a “Support our Staff Rally.”
“Recent decisions by the school board and administration have compelled many to speak out regarding the district’s return to in-person plans and the additional work pushed on to the back of teachers,” said the press release for the event, which starts at 4:30 p.m., an hour before the meeting.
“Fort Worth needs more time,” Steven Poole, executive director of UEA, said. “There are a lot of people, parents and staff who are ready to get back in the classrooms, but they want a plan that is well thought out and safe. And right now, Fort Worth has not laid out that plan yet that makes people comfortable to return.”
Teachers with underlying health conditions have asked for accommodations to make them feel safe to return to classroom learning, but administrators have not provided a plan for them, he said. Teachers are also worried about optional in-person learning because they may need to teach classes online and in the classroom, creating an overwhelming work load. The district needs more time to create a plan that keeps teachers safe and does not place the burden of hybrid learning on their shoulders, Poole said.
“Teachers are just frustrated,” he said. “They feel they have been shut out of this conversation.”
About 100 people had RSVPed to Tuesday’s rally, but Poole thinks more will attend. Over the summer, the UEA sent out a survey to teachers and 35% said they felt comfortable returning, while others were not comfortable doing so.
Community leaders weigh in
On Monday night, Mayor Betsy Price sent a letter to the Star-Telegram’s opinion editor in which she urged the FWISD board to allow the district to return to optional, in-person learning. The letter was signed by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the CEO of Cook Children’s Medical Center and other community leaders.
“The current instability in leadership is pitting parents against teachers and attempting to divide our community,” the letter says. “Parents should be given the option of whether to place their kids back in the classroom or continue ‘distance learning’. It is time for leadership to step up and do the right thing for our kids.”
In the letter, Price and the other community leaders say FWISD’s reopening plan will allow students and teachers to safely return to school.
“The FWISD’s plan was carefully developed over several months and incorporates best practices of social distancing, mandatory masks, wellness checks, daily cleaning and sanitizing protocols, along with clear protocols for all potential COVID-19 exposure and plans to mitigate COVID-19 spread in schools,” the letter says.
“Keep in mind, parents and families will still be given the choice of whether to place their child back in a classroom learning situation,” the letter continues. “Virtual learning will still remain an option for families that wish to continue ‘distance learning.’ Furthermore, FWISD’s back-to-school plan also accommodates educators with validated health risks, ensuring that they are given the option to remain remote as needed.”
In a survey sent out by the FWISD administration, parents appeared split down the middle about whether they felt safe sending their children back to school or not. Out of the 36,767 replies, 52% of parents said they would send their kids back to school when in-person learning started, and 48% said their children would continue virtual learning.
At the Sept. 15 FWISD meeting, board members heard from Tarrant County Health Director Vinny Taneja about the county’s current and projected coronavirus cases. Taneja said the data indicated an upcoming surge in cases, most likely due to people gathering over the Labor Day holiday.
“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.”
If the public wants to address the board during the virtual meeting, they must contact Amanda Coleman at 817-814-1956 before 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The public can watch the meeting via Zoom or listen in by phone. Meetings also are televised live by EdTV, the district’s TV station, on Spectrum/Charter Cable Channel 192 or AT&T U-Verse 99, and can be watched via live streaming video through the district website’s video on demand. You may also watch on the Fort Worth ISD Live YouTube channel.
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 4:00 PM.
