Fort Worth school board, don’t flip-flop on returning kids to the classroom in October
Fort Worth ISD students, parents and teachers have been tentatively tracking toward an Oct. 5 return to the classroom. And the district’s board authorized it last week, on a 5-4 vote.
But over the weekend, it appears, at least one trustee had a change of heart and requested a new vote on delaying in-person instruction. Families, put your plans on hold yet again.
The coronavirus situation in Tarrant County, while far from perfect, is fairly stable. Barring a sudden spike in cases, it’s time for Fort Worth kids to go back to school, if their families choose that over the distance-learning option.
We’re not being cavalier about safety. The district needs a robust plan to protect students, faculty and staff from the virus. And Tarrant County public health director Vinny Taneja’s warning of the potential for a broader outbreak must be heeded.
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But getting children into classrooms isn’t a decision that can be made considering only virus safety. It’s a balancing act against the very real health and emotional damage done to kids spending month after month at home.
The school board’s potential flip-flop has prompted a group of civic and business leaders, led by Mayor Betsy Price, to weigh in. In a letter released to the Star-Telegram Editorial Board late Monday, they said, enough is enough.
“It is no secret that school closures pose their own threats to our children, [including] increases in child abuse, food insecurity and negative academic outcomes,” the group wrote. “Now, more than ever, we must put aside politics. The current instability in leadership is pitting parents against teachers and attempting to divide our community.”
Those signing the statement include the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce; Leah M. King, president and chief executive of United Way of Tarrant County; and Rick Merrill, president and chief executive of the Cook Children’s Health Care System, an institution that knows something about keeping children healthy.
The group praised the district’s plan to return with masks, distancing and wellness checks, as well as “clear protocols for all potential COVID-19 exposure and plans to mitigate COVID-19 spread in schools.”
Some will say we can’t expect children to comply with mask and distancing rules. Not 100%, no; we can’t get adults to do that. But enough kids will, and faculty will be able to instruct others and improve their behavior.
And schools aren’t likely to be full or even close. Nearly half of parents responded to the district’s survey that they prefer distance learning.
For teachers, the calculation is different. Individuals may have to decide, based on their own health and that of those they love, whether to go back at all. Many face a tough choice, and they deserve to have their concerns heard and considered. The district should do everything it can to accommodate as many as possible, and some should be allowed to sit out the academic year without losing seniority if they choose.
Everyone has a different definition of the acceptable level of risk. It’s the cruel reality of the virus until a vaccine or better treatments are available.
Board President Jacinto Ramos Jr.’s definition, for instance, allows for attending Sunday’s Dallas Cowboys game. The stadium’s capacity was limited, and masks were required. So, Ramos took his son, five days after voting to keep schools closed. He was roasted on social media for it.
Ramos should have known better. He’s a prominent community leader, and if he thinks the risk is grave enough to create havoc for thousands of families who need schools to reopen, he should be more circumspect about his own activities.
That said, some of the criticism was over the top. After all, he proved the point precisely: Coronavirus risk can be calibrated according to the importance of the activity.
Ramos and his colleagues need to trust the superintendent whose contract they just extended to handle opening schools. When Dr. Kent Scribner and his team present their plan Tuesday night — the same plan the board already approved — the trustees should support it and make sure the administration has the resources it needs to implement it.