‘I’m terrified’: Texas teachers worried about schools reopening. Here’s what they say
When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced plans to reopen schools in August amid the coronavirus pandemic, teachers began to ask questions.
Then Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said public schools must reopen for in-person instruction in August in order to continue receiving state funding.
“It will be safe for Texas public school students, teachers and staff to return to school campuses for in-person instruction this fall,” said Morath according to the Texas Tribune. “But there will also be flexibility for families with health concerns so that their children can be educated remotely, if the parent so chooses.”
But as Texans continue to struggle to control the virus — the state’s two-week COVID-19 death toll is up 99 percent from the previous two weeks, NBC news reports — some teachers are now terrified.
The fear of what lies aheadis so gripping, some educators have made plans to write their wills out of fear of catching the virus, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Executive Director of the United Educators Association Steven Poole said in a letter to Abbott that the governor’s decision to reinstate in-person learning makes it “impossible to maintain social distancing protocols,” Newsweek reported.
Poole also touched on worry that teachers are exposing themselves to the virus.
“Many of our teachers, staff, or their family members have underlying health conditions that would place them at severe risk of the contract COVID-19,” Poole wrote to Abbott, as reported by Newsweek. “While parents are given options to send their children to school or stay home for virtual instruction, teachers and staff do not have that option.”
A recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that 1 in 4 teachers are at risk of having a serious illness if they catch COVID-19, according to CNN. The analysis says that about 1.5 million teachers in the U.S. have diabetes, heart disease, obesity or other conditions that put them at higher risk.
“It’s so scary. You don’t feel a sense of peace in your school,” Alief school district teacher Gabrielle Gardiner said the Chronicle. “Alief decided it would start virtually. That put my mind at ease.”
Even though the state’s public schools will offer both online and in-person learning this fall, teachers are worried about how they, students and other staff will remain safe. For instance, while teachers will be required to wear masks, students are not, Frank Ward, a spokesperson for the Texas Education Agency, told the Tribune.
This isn’t sitting well with teachers, some of whom are taking to social media or turning to loved ones in order to air their frustrations and fears.
“It’s pretty atrocious that in preparation for returning to school this fall, teachers are writing wills, getting medical power of attorney established, and taking out extra life insurance,” tweeted out @Schwinnjessica. “This country has chosen its priorities. It’s money over people.”
It’s not just Texas teachers who are worried.
“Absolutely true,” said one Twitter user in response to an article in the Houston Chronicle. “I just spoke with a teacher in FL yesterday. She said she and others are writing wills. I cannot believe that anyone in our country would back an administration that puts its people in such grave danger. I never thought I would ever be witness to a time like this.”
While some are pouring their support to concerned teachers, others are tweeting about other industries who are at risk.
Others have stressed the importance of everyone having a will.
Cases in Texas continue to surge. On Tuesday, Texas added more than 10,000 cases, according to CNN.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 6:20 PM with the headline "‘I’m terrified’: Texas teachers worried about schools reopening. Here’s what they say."