‘Lives are at stake’: A Wichita teacher weighs in on reopening schools

Over the past couple of weeks, my anxiety levels have been high due to the return to school. There have been many unknowns that I was hoping would get answered during a recent Wichita school board meeting.

Over the course of the three-hour meeting, my anxiety did not get any better; it got worse. After the meeting, I felt as if teachers do not matter at all. During the meeting elementary teachers were compared to animal trainers, with statements that we can train kids to do what is right. I am a teacher and I teach, not train; students are humans, not animals. I also did not appreciate jokes that were made about COVID-19 by calling the virus “cooties.” This pandemic is no laughing matter. Lives are at stake.

Hearing that we need to come up with our own gating numbers is disheartening. None of us are medical experts, so we need to listen to those who are. I do not want to get a phone call from my principal saying that one of my co-workers or students has died due to the virus.

I keep hearing that parents will be angry if school is remote because they must work. I get that there are jobs that must be done. I work a second job myself just to make ends meet. But the one thing I have yet to hear about are the concerns of the teachers. What about us — the ones on the front lines, the ones in the buildings? Where are the discussions regarding teacher concerns?

I am disappointed that we are moving forward with plans to have high-contact sports and activities. I am a sports-loving guy, but again, we are talking about the safety of our students, their families, and the staff. The MLB and NBA are having issues, and they made safety plans. What makes us think that we can avoid it? Sports are important, but they are not more important than lives.

I want school to be in session, I want to teach my students, but I want to do it safely. I am asking Wichita school board members to take recommendations from the Kansas State Department of Education and not make up their own numbers. We need to listen to medical professionals rather than the opinions of the parents, who may not understand the impact of the virus. I don’t want our district to be on the wrong side of the pandemic. I am hoping that by reaching out, we can further the discussion of school safety regarding the pandemic and the KSDE recommendations, so that we can find the best and safest solution.

This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 1:24 PM.