Parents, Teachers Ask: Why Reopen Now?

There is no intention to push the date back again, regardless of data. The majority was established to push the agenda favored by the Mayor and Superintendent.

I am sympathetic to their concerns but they have been closed since March and they were the only city in the state that did not open even when it was universally deemed safer. The teachers have done all that they can but its really hard to keep small children engaged. We all need to safely do our jobs and be careful. Small children need to be in school

Some great ideas expressed in the open forum. As a New Haven teacher myself, and the spouse of a New Haven teacher at a different school - I KNOW that plans are not in place, at least at two buildings.

We cannot get answers to very simple questions. What happens if a student tests positive? What happens is a teacher tests positive?

With the hybrid students, what happens if a student shows up on the wrong day? What if a remote student decides they'd like to try hybrid? Or vice versa?

We continuously ask for solutions and our questions go unanswered. Just as Dr. Tracey skirted questions from Mr. Goldson and Dr. Jackson last night, our questions are always brushed off or left unanswered.

Do they realize that the Hybrid model is going to be worse for everyone involved? At least right now in full distance learning, students have consistent and predictable schedules. Distance learning is constantly improving. Attendance is improving. Students are learning.

When they switch to Hybrid, not only will the schedules lose consistency, those families that elect to remain in distance learning will suffer. How can a teacher devote the appropriate amount of attention to their online students when they are also managing 14 kids in a room. Do we really think the students who elect to go into the buildings will follow all of the guidelines and rules? I'm not sure what would lead anyone to believe that.

Every reason that is given for "in person" learning is problematic. Students will be separated, wearing masks, and keeping to themselves. Students will still be doing distance learning, just from a much less safe space.

In terms of teaching, how are teachers supposed to teach with masks on? As evidenced during last night's meeting, Dr. Tracey herself could not keep her mask on while talking for 5 minutes, yet teachers will be expected to to do for hours on end. This decision to return to school is ill-timed and ill-fated.

The deaths that will occur on your hands Tracey.

I also have deep respect for the organized groups of parents, but I sincerely believe that they should be advocating for choice between going to school and continue working remotely instead of trying to impose their will on all of us. I also hope if Mrs. Bond does something to cancel opening schools this time around, then the Board of Education should give vouchers for day care and/or work with other towns to transfer small children. Unfortunately, most of us have to work all day to make sure that we have a roof if we are lucky, and our spouses had to stop working to attend to schoolwork. Hybrid reopening is a middle point between continue being closed and total opening, doing all our efforts to be safe and allow the parents and children some respite while giving us the opportunity to go out there and having the opportunity to provide for our kids.

The very political agenda that received a majority of votes based on personal feelings and taking sides than the matter at hand. One-sided data was reported by health officials that work for Mayor Elicker - what about including those independent of the city?

It was extremely rude and unprofessional for one of the board members to totally exclude Dr. Jackson as being a medical expert when he stated who he would listen to.

I'm quite frankly tired of people who are not teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, parents with school age children and even people who are not residents of CT telling us what and how we should feel.

And I am thankful and appreciative to all health care workers, but I'm tired of being compared to them (they have N95 masks, gowns, shields, and much stronger disinfectants and cleaning plans that are followed then will be in a bus or school building).

And most of all I'm tired of people who refuse to meet in person or attend work in person telling us that we are fussing or making a big deal out of nothing. Why don't you all take turns volunteering in a classroom every day?

I like how Dr. Jackson said you can't negate the feelings of others; that is what a majority of the board, central office and the health department are doing to school staff and families.

It's pathetic that I can't answer questions from My parents because we have not been given any details about reopening to share with them - but we are supposedly ready!

The sub headline "Questions fielded at school board hearing" is very misleading. For almost 2 hours school community members waited online to speak and ask questions. The BOE leadership decided that they would limit public participation and disabled the queue and chat function.

These questions were not addressed. In many cases the officials on the call were more interested in their phone screens than the community members that spoke before them.

It would be a powerful exercise for someone to watch the public testimony and document all the questions so they can be properly "fielded." I hope the public and our local health professionals remember the 4/3 vote and may history be gentle on them.

To go back now is not in the best interests of the health and safety of NHPS students, faculty, and staff. It is purely for money and I hope that the public remembers this.

Dr. Iline Tracy put her staff at risk by refusing to wear a mask throughout the board of education meeting, while indoors with other people. Not until someone asked her to do so did she wear a mask, and then she continued to remove the mask to speak.

What does she expect from teachers and students in a hybrid model, as teachers teach students in person and via video?

The hypocrisy is unreal.

NHVRealist, what you say sounds reasonable, but please try to understand the other side. My wife had to stop working and I am currently working 3 jobs

We cannot get answers to very simple questions. What happens if a student tests positive? What happens is a teacher tests positive?
people are sent home for the day, people affected quarantined and then in reopens. It's done locally without closing everything. This is now standard practice

Darnell Goldson is only looking out for himself, as he is entitled to do. Hybrid models work but they need to be tested and improved just like remote learning

Do they realize that the Hybrid model is going to be worse for everyone involved?
Maybe at first, but are you going to pay my bills and that of us struggling parents who have to pay taxes so that teachers get paid? Remote learning does not work for small children long term. we have to come to a middle point and this is it.

How can a teacher devote the appropriate amount of attention to their online students when they are also managing 14 kids in a room. The same way they do now. They all wait a little bit. Do we really think the students who elect to go into the buildings will follow all of the guidelines and rules? we parents have to work with you teachers to make sure of this. We were also told that they will be sent home if they do not abide, and that should happen

Every reason that is given for "in person" learning is problematic. Students will be separated, wearing masks, and keeping to themselves. Students will still be doing distance learning, just from a much less safe space. Agreed but hopefully it will get better

I have never stopped working since the pandemic began. You just have to get used to masks and find the one that fits you best. Neville Wisdom does amazing ones with one stripe. Support local business. You know what will ACTUALLY happen if this continues? the degradation of generations of children and the eventual demise of society as we know it.

Hey @NHI, when you link to a past article:

"Read about that research here."

which in turn contains links to popular press articles from Dec. 1 and Aug. 12, the actual research studies linked in those articles are older still.

The Dec. 1 Washington Post article links to other WP articles dated Sept. 27 and Sept. 11, in turn linking to actual studies from Aug. 26 and 22. That's now pretty old, considering the US has now had a whole semester to conduct its experiment on students and staff.

@Playingwithnumbers you are entirely correct. This has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with politics. In anyone believes that the 4 who voted for opening schools have teachers best interest at heart obviously don't know anything about their track records. The hypocrisy of them holding their meeting online while forcing others to teach in person is disgusting. There will be long-term illnesses and deaths resulting from this decision. Blood will be on their hands. Thank you to Mr. Goldson for ALWAYS fighting the good fight and putting the health and safety of our students and staff above all others. You rock!

Preschool teachers: you must remain six feet from your students at all times.....but also change them when they have an accident!

Which is it NHPS?

Why are there 15+ students returning to classes safe for ten?

Anyone who says NHPS is ready is lying. That simple.

After working tangentially with the NHPS Advocates I know that the inner circle is pretty elusive and I am still unaware about how decisions are made. If I took the public comments section from last night as who is making the decisions it is school teachers and parents from Hooker who leading the charge. With no structured governance body or list of members or decision making process it is hard to be on their side of decisions. It clearly feels like a group of white folks (both NHPS teachers and Hooker parents are disproportionately white) who is telling a district of black and brown folks what opportunities their children should and should not have. I did not hear public comment from parents from many of the elementary schools and this leaves me wondering why the Advocates have not made an effort to present/organize at the school my daughter attends.

I would like to point out that Dr. Mehul Dalal is a champion of great public health policy. I am a non medical frontline worker and his office has been extremely responsive in getting us the information and sometimes supplies that we need to safely function. I see hundreds of folks every week and we have not had an known exposure or transmission since the beginning of the pandemic. If Dr. Dalal is confident then so am I. He has extremely qualified for this job and while Dr. Jackson-McArthur is an accomplished pediatrician, she is not a public health expert.

It's interesting that the New Haven Board of Ed is not in person meeting , but want Educators and other school communities to attend schools. Hopefully, they will be in a different school daily and out of their offices ! It is enough of them at Central Administration to be at a different school daily . Also, as parents we haven't received any newsletters from the district or our kids schools. Parents should be receiving monthly newsletters via email or snail mail to keep us informed of schedules, C - 19 protocols, bus information . We have received nothing ! In addition, to use the term fussing when intelligent adults were having academic discourse along with social communication skills is in poor taste to say the least . NHPS is in dire need of a PR person to keep the parents, community, and students informed. In Avon, and Stratford parents receive monthly newsletters from the district and weekly newsletters from the Principals. NHPS you can do better with the salaries the Principals , Assistant Principals, and Central Administrators are paid. All hands should be on deck, our son has yet to hear from his counselor about colleges etc. Step it up NHPS !

So, just checking, you have a problem with the many white teachers and NHPSA's wanting schools to stay closed because it is unsafe for black, brown, and white students???? Should they say to send black and brown in and keep white kids home??? Whatta you want?

No , the schools should not open because there is no plan and as parents we haven't received any guidelines via emai or snail mail I took our daughter to school last month to get a book and the people in the office didn't have mask on ! Signs may be up but the people we saw were not following protocol ! We are concerned about cleaning and disinfecting. Off Wednesdays are deep cleaning why are Teachers going back on a so called deep cleaning day ! Our daughters said, the cafeteria tables were never cleaned after each lunch wave and she was afraid to eat lunch at the tables and asked a Teacher if she could eat her lunch in her class . She always bring her own lunch - will there be people to clean the tables after breakfast, and lunch. She can't eat in the nice Teachers class anymore !

Justchecking:

Good luck changing the narrative to the inner workings of the NHPSA. Completely irrelevant. Today's 15 % precent Covid 19 infection rate doesn't care. There will be death and suffering and the failure to keep our community safe will be noted. There is no popular support for opening schools at this time.

CityYankee: My point is that teachers are still getting paid and if you can afford to go to Hooker you are presumably still getting paid or the pandemic has not forced a majority of those folks into the emergency food system, like it has many other parents. I understand that teachers do not want to go back because of the risk. There is going to be risk and it is the job of Mehul Dalal and the like to help us mitigate that risk. The BOE does not meet in person because it is not necessary to meet in person. What is great about the zoom meeting is that I can be at home with my children and not have to go to a 5 hour meeting that lasts late into the night (think about who has the privilege to attend such a meeting).

TFA: See East Haven and the rest of the state, country, world. I do not think that many of you all understand how desperate the situation is. I have been in someone's apartment who is on Section 8 and they have no choice but to leave their children home alone and to "do school" by themselves, while they go work. If they lose that voucher they can never get another one and if if they could reapply there is a waiting list that takes years. Most of the time the kids do not log in and that is the reality. This is happening all over the city and I find it callous that many of the teachers on this comment section and in the public testimony believe that these children can just suck it up and take it. I think that this conversation needs a whole lot more empathy and a lot less finger pointing. Please do your part and brainstorm ways to make your school safer because it is going to open.

I am meeting with our daughter's teacher (on zoom, wow how convenient and safe) about what is happening when they do go back. There is plenty of time to coordinate this opening, but instead folks are pouring their energy into trying to stop it. Imagine what we could get done if we trusted the health professionals and leadership we elected.

I am going to keep saying this.

Take it Outside: Street Space for Schools

With the 2020-2021 school year approaching and several school districts planning for full-time in-person education, it is time to bring safe streets to schools—and take school to the streets.As a parent, I have concerns about sending my children to full-time in-person school this fall. I'm even more concerned for my children's teachers, support staff and grandparents. Yet I understand the importance of quality education, especially for vulnerable students. In-person schooling is critical for economic recovery, as well. If safer streets for outdoor classrooms become a reality in the age of Covid-19, we will cultivate the best of all possible worlds: public health protection and economic recovery alongside myriad benefits in education and child development. Certainly the global pandemic lends urgency to outdoor learning; but a switch to fresh air and sunshine can provide numerous benefits to school communities whether or not the pandemic continues for months or years to come.Outdoor education has merit in its own right. This fall, those benefits can complement public health and safety in unique and cost-effective ways. Outdoor spaces around schools serve two essential purposes in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. First: safely and efficiently admit healthy kids to school. Second: prevent disease from spreading among asymptomatic carriers at school, no matter their age

https://denver.streetsblog.org/2020/07/15/take-it-outside-street-space-for-schools/?fbclid=IwAR1rOdtAfP1tAYn5e_sXH7zSb3VUiBum69DorNTDejYVJHXL2nKCjRFuVls

New Haven is the outlier. It is about time to behave like the other school districts.

As a New Haven PS parent [and someone who teaches on-the-ground] I welcome the reopening of the schools. Since my kids are at Wilbur Cross, I hope that high school students will be eligible for the hybrid as soon as possible. Yes, it was wrong - VERY - wrong not to open the schools back in September. But those who wanted to see all possible dangers and wanted 100 % guarantees prevailed.

The strongest arguments for an in-school start in September besides the then low infection rate were: 1) low transmission rates among younger students, and 2) the growing achievement gap. Since all public schools in CT reopened in one form or another for on-the-ground instruction, New Haven needs to follow. Have we heard about a mounting death toll due to Covid-19 infections caused by open schools in other towns? No. So, why should New Haven be different? The achievement gap - we will get to that in the following YEARS when statewide testing will reveal what was lost during 10 months without being in school. One factor to look at will be New Haven as a whole compared to other districts, the other one will be within the district. Who got educationally stunted most by staying home? Even our priviledged children struggle.

P.S. I am not sure whether all who post here have children in NHPS or live in New Haven. Remote attendance is down. With regards to PR, NHPS does a fine job. We do get regular emails and phone calls. Also, given the financial situation of New Haven, I do not see how we can pay more for administrators as someone proposes here.

Why are teachers considered a different class? Workers in grocery stores must go to work. Medical workers must go to work. PD & FD personnel must go to work. These people do not have the option of working remotely.

Remote learning is simply not effective. The NHI has written stories about students not signing on to remote sessions. Many distractions take place at home. Concentration is extraordinarily difficult. Cheating is inevitable.

Students caught in this quagmire are about to lose a full year of in person learning.

Proper santiizing, PPE, mask wearing and good ventilation are essential but it is definitely time for students to return to the classroom.

@Rocks

I'm glad you "hope" in-person learning will get better, but I am not ready to risk my life, my wife's life, or any of the lives of my colleagues based on your "hopes," especially when we already have a perfectly safe alternative in place - distance learning.

I am glad that you have been able to keep working since the pandemic began. My wife and I are both New Haven teachers and contrary to popular belief, we have not stopped working since the pandemic began either. It is insulting to insinuate that teachers are not working.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, workers in all sectors have been urged to work from home if possible to do so. We have proven that it is possible to teach from home - and we should do so until there is a better, safer alternative. Right now that alternative does not exist.

Your arguments amount to "we need schools to open so I can go to work." I'm sorry, that's not a good enough reason for me. This may sound rude, and I do not mean any disrespect: teachers are not your daycare providers. The government needs to step in and provide monetary aid to those that need it so that our institutions can remain closed while it is unsafe for them to be open.

No teachers are advocating that schools remain closed forever. We are simply asking that we wait until it is safe to do so. Vaccinations may take a few months - that's fine - we can wait! Switching to a hybrid model right now at the height of the pandemic is not the right decision. Anyone that cannot see that cannot be reasoned with, as evidenced by last night's meeting.

NHV Realist,

I'm appalled by your response. My son has an IEP and needs assistance. All my sisters work in Pre K to 2nd Grade both here and Florida and I know that teachers have not stopped working since the pandemic began. I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for actual teachers.I am yet to have a bad experience with a New Haven teacher because they have been awesome so congratulations, you are my first bad experience! I don't expect the school to be a daycare but we all live in a society and we all contribute to it. No one is forcing you to work in a school and this is the land of opportunity. I hope this never happens, but if you are walking down the street and something happens and I'm the closest police officer around, do I go assist you pandemic or not, because that's what I would do, or do I throw an iPhone at you, say, connect in google classrooms and then let's talk about what's going on. If you go to a hospital and you have a fractured bone, do I take you in, or do I have you log into myhealth and tell you: well your bone is fractured; send me a pic and then I will tell you how to create a cast... I hope you see the point that some things have to be done in person, including teaching small children. If public schools do not work as society intends them to, then we should not pay for them and send resources elsewhere. You should talk to your union about fmla or paid/unpaid leave. This may be rude, but my taxes are not your daycare, sir.

As you stated, some people cannot be reasoned with and you had 10 months to figure this out, just like we did.

I just hope that my children never have the misfortune of landing in your classroom. Your argument amounts to "let me ride this to get my pension" instead of sincerely caring for your students and the trying to better their situation instead of making it worse.

If you don't understand the difference in risk between large public meetings with adults and small elementary school classes, maybe this quote from today's article by Yale public health professor Nate Grubaugh will help, "Unlike closing bars and restaurants, closing elementary schools has not been shown to be an effective method for reducing community COVID-19 cases. Thus, I believe that closing schools will not help to prevent the variant from becoming more common in our community. Rather, the focus of our efforts should be on reducing contacts among adults." https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/new_covid_variant_what_you_need_to_know/

This advice is not coming from a nefarious group of government leaders; it is coming from public health professionals in our community who have been immersed in studying and responding to covid for a year now. We are lucky to have some of the best minds in this field around, and I really hope we can do more to listen to them. I applaud the board members for attempting to do just that.

The BOE leadership decided that they would limit public participation and disabled the queue and chat function..

Classic New Haven move. Transparency in action.

Just Checking it's great that your child/children attend a school where the teacher is knowledgeable about what a day will look like. There are some teachers who have received NO INFORMATION from administrators about reopening and are told not to ask questions regarding operational items. This is part of the reason why some teachers and families are concerned about returning.
Edgewood Arc - that is great for the teachers and students at Edgewood. Maybe more teachers would feel comfortable if all teachers/schools had a public health expert personally working with them to have the safest reopening plan.
Rocks, the purpose of school is to educate children, not to babysit them. The city shouldn't have to pay for your daycare if closed due to health and safety reasons. School is not respite care.
And telling teachers and other concerned individuals to stop finger pointing! People have been pointing at teachers this entire time that we are lazy, selfish, should lose part of our pay, etc. because we aren't working. We have been working harder than ever on top of doing everything we can to help families with academic, social/emotional and even basic needs. We are people, too. We have children who we don't want to expose to illness, we have high-risk spouses/parents/other family members that we don't want to expose to illness. We have lost a lot of time with our families because we are working late hours preparing digital lessons, giving students feedback, having meetings with parents/caregivers. We don't finish our day at 4 and put work out of our minds until the next day.
And I would put a lot more trust in the public health experts that weren't on the city payroll supporting Elicker's agenda. I honestly don't believe that any of the city officials or NHPS administrators are considering safety at this point. It's become personal - regardless of the numbers, they aren't going to let those who truly have health and safety in mind 'win'. It's really sad!

We do not know who is behind the comment posted under the screen name "EdgewoodARC." The Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC) at Edgewood organizing team is not associated with said comment.

• Julia Miller on behalf of the ARC at Edgewood organizing team

"Wilcox said. "If things aren't ready for Jan. 19, if local conditions change, Dr. Tracey or Director Bond, will you use authority to push off the date?"
Yes, absolutely, Bond responded."

Just how bad do local conditions need to get? Has the Mayor's medical experts consulted with their colleagues at YNHH. Do they not believe the lines of people in the hallways waiting for oxygen and care.

What are the metrics that Director Bond will use to measure changing conditions? Every indicator ever presented by the local, state, and federal level has indicated closing schools. Has the Mayor given up
on science and is relying on hopeful thinking? We have an over 15% infection rate!

Mr. Wilcox please follow up with Director Bond. Do what is right for your neighbors.

PlayingWithNumbers : You have a fanciful imagination regarding protections afforded healthcare workers. Yes, YNHH workers working directly, and in full contact with unmasked, patients with full-blown CoViD-19 had one N95 per day, shields, and gowns. Many healthcare workers developed CoViD-19 themselves. How many were infected is unknown because there was, and is, no regular testing of workers. (In my wife's ward, both nurse managers got CoViD-19. Due to irregular shifts, it was not apparent how many others did, too.) Workers over 65 were pulled off the line, but that was the extent of accomodation. Workers with 72 hours asymptomatic after CoViD-19 were put back to work, regardless of two week quarantine, and no negative tests were required. Today, workers in clinics are given one surgical mask per week, are unable to distance from each other, often work with poor or no ventilation. Yet, they do their jobs. Same, of course, for private school teacher. Both sets of workers depend on fees for service to stay employed. Police and firefighters are continuing to work nearly as normal. Police deal with uncontrolled people with no distancing. Retail workers, restaurant workers, and others all show up to work in less than perfect conditions, because no work means no revenue for their their employers and no income for them. Public school teachers, on the other hand, expect tax payers to continue to pay them, but don't want to do their job, and want to shift much of the burden of daycare and education onto the parents who have their own jobs to do.

NHVRealist: Nearly every other district, and almost all private schools, including All Saints in Fair Haven, have dealt with those issues and are continuing to do so even with the current disease levels.

I am currently working in a school and district that is capable of safely educating students in person, but have worked in several NHPS schools in the past and assert that the district does not have the systemic capacity to do it. There are many talented educators across the district that will provide pockets of safety and sanity as they have always done, and hopefully central office will not disrupt them too much. NHPS doesn't need a PR person to promote their plan, it needs leadership capable of creating and implementing one.

The headine is wrong - it should read: Why Not Open followed by a sub-headline, Why were we ever closed?

The evidence, the research showed there has never been a reason to shutter schools. Like blocking access to our beaches, our parks, roads - there has been zero data or evidence to support closure and treat these venues as super spreader theaters.

There will always be zealots to pander in conspiracy theories about the pandemic - and claim that small children will infect their teachers etc. They can peddle that theory without evidence, but what makes it worse - is this feckless NHBOE's inability to lead on this issue, to educate themselves and to quit pandering to the mob.

When a third of our students are missing from class or are attending only sporadically, it is clear the NHBOE is failing students and their families. These students will lose more than a year of school unless these schools are opened and in class learning returns or some other hybrid form that requires some level of attendance.

When will the BOE start leading?

1644 - one of the arguments against teachers' push for remote learning is that health care workers work everyday with COVID patients and didn't catch it - now you are claiming that so many health care workers caught it - so what is the truth?

And you mention that we really don't know how many health care workers have it because there isn't regular testing. The same goes for schools - there isn't regular testing of students and staff so we don't know how many have it and whether or not it is spreading in schools. We only hear about he symptomatic cases or what a district or the state chooses to share.

And teachers have been working hard - we are NOT childcare.

PlayingWithNumbers: The level of risk for healthcare workers working directly with highly infectious patients cannot be compared with school teachers dealing at a distance with children who are likely not infected and are bad spreaders. You are not spoon feeding them, you are not intubating them, you are not, with the exception of some SPED students, cleaning their butts. I do know there is an antibody study being done at YNHH to ascertain the level of infection, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, in healthcare workers, but the results have yet to be made public.
https://news.yale.edu/2020/04/14/hundreds-ynhh-health-care-staff-covid-19-patients-given-antibody-tests
Early on, some healthcare workers decided the risks were not worth the rewards, and quit or retired. Teachers are free to do the same, as are grocery store clerks, waiters, etc. For the most part, they do their jobs, as are teachers throughout the state, the country, and the world. If NHPS cannot figure it out, it is past time to shut the district down and give parents vouchers they can use at schools that are open.
And like it or not, you ARE childcare. Millions of families have structured their lives with the expectation that their school-aged children will be in school during school hours.

Dear 1644, you are mistaken. Teachers went to school to TEACH; not BABYSIT. You would have to pay much more for a full time daycare for your child.
Brave Hospital workers have taken many, many risks and teachers are not to be compared to them.
But, on the hospital floor or unit, will the medical personnel be surrounded by 1600 students, 100+ teachers , and dozens of staff all day as they are at Wilbur Cross? Or 1300 students at Hillhouse? I think not.
The risk to these people is real. If you think it so safe, 1644, I encourage you to sign up to sub in NHPS. You have to start on the 19th; without a vaccine. They are paying $100 a day! No degree required anymore. Let us know how it goes for you.

Just a simple question, which I honestly don't know the answer to. Has there been a difference in COVID 19 related mortality and morbidity among all age groups between New Haven and other Connecticut districts of similar demographics, who opened their schools this autumn?

While we can argue back and forth and point fingers at the wrong people, it should be understood this is a systematic racism issue in plain sight.

IF we had leaders in New Haven who understood this, they would have fought for New Haven Public Schools to be as well equipped for the reopening as the surrounding suburban schools. Those districts find their predominately white students worthy of a higher level education, so they equipped the schools with all of the proper PPE, protocols, etc to open. New Haven has not done this in the 10 months they have had. So what has happened...

Students of color who are not as valued as the white students do not receive the same education (we know in person is best). Some parents of these students are scared to send their children back because they understand the diabolical systemic racism that exists. Other parents are in desperate need to send their children back because they need to be able to provide for their families. Parents of white children, however, have the privilege to say, "hold on, it's not safe to open!" White teachers have the privilege to say, "I don't want to put my family at risk!" Typically we have many white educators who fight against systemic racism, but, ultimately, recognize it's a huge battle to fight. However, now that this plague is going to affect them and their families, they are not backing down (making it seem like teachers don't want to go back.) They do. I assure you they do. However, they want to go back with all of the securities the suburban schools have.

This is an issue of systemic racism and shame on the leaders of New Haven for not fighting harder for our students to allow them a safe education equal to its suburban peers.

To fight parent vs parent, teacher vs teacher, parent vs teacher, etc is to put our efforts in the wrong place. Let's fight against our poor leaders who uphold systemic racism in our education system.

All is well when well is for all!

NHPS is not ready for in person learning for students ! As parents we haven't received any newsletters from our kids schools, the district, no virtual tours for parents which should be up on NHPS website for the community and parents to view ! What has the the Principal and assistant Principals been doing these past ten months ! It is well known fact in the community that Hill House has a rodent problem ! Has that been addressed ? If NHPS has been super cleaning on Wednesday it seems as though they would do something about it ! Who's going to monitor mask on the bus, is their a system wide protocol for mask breaks, who's taking temperatures at the school ? Will there be a supply of mask available for our kids in the teachers room ? Who's going to clean the filthy parking lots ? I agree, with twenty two thousand students it is not like suburban schools ! We have mostly Black and Brown children . Believe me I bet everyone at Hooker, Davis, East Rock, Nathan Hale have what they need ! That's why my wife and I work with our kids academy and socially because we know there schools are lacking ! The district should have a district newsletter and every school to keep parents informed every step of the way ! Parents and Teachers are not fussing but want the best for our students/kids ! We have intelligent questions and comments that should not be labeled fussing ! I just hope Central Administrators will be out in schools on a daily bases to actually see how things are working in these unclean buildings and no windows to open from our observations !

HBCU5-- you would be wrong to think any schools in NH are not filthy.
Generations of mice make many buildings in NH their home and that is not race-based. It is dirt based.

well4all: NHPS's leaders, both the BoE members and the executives, are predominately people of color. Are you saying their racism kept NHPS closed while every other district opened in some fashion? That the white leadership in towns like West Haven, Hamden, East Haven, and Branford did a better job of providing for their many students of color than the black and brown leadership of New Haven? (For the record, Branford's superintendent is Hispanic.). Our white and very privileged governor and our Hispanic Education Commissioner pressed NHPS to open, at least hybrid.

There has been much discussion as to whether NHPS should reopen or not. For this post, I am going to leave my opinion out of it. What I would like to discuss are the conditions students are returning to. As a parent/teacher, here is the reality:
-Students taking the bus MUST wear their masks the ENTIRE time both to and from school
-Students and teachers must wear masks (teachers can also be wearing face shields) the entire day except when eating and during scheduled "mask breaks"
-Everyone in the school community is to stay at least 6 feet apart
-Upon arriving to school students go DIRECTLY to their classroom/space and sit at their desks (there are no lockers, cubbies, etc...)
-Classroom space is limited due to what is considered "safe." If there are too many children to fit in one classroom some will be moved to an "alternate space" where students will be sitting at a desk looking at a computer for the WHOLE DAY. An adult will be assigned to monitor students.
-Students WILL continue to work INDEPENDENTLY ON COMPUTERS/DEVICES at their seats (devices need to be charged and brought to school every day)
-There is no getting up and down out of seats; there is no sharing of materials
-Breakfast/Lunch is in the classroom. Students will NOT be going to the cafeteria. Students can ONLY have their masks off when eating. There is NO talking when eating.
-Teachers rotate to different classrooms if needed. Students STAY in ONE classroom/space, in the SAME seat for the day.
I recently heard about a comment a reporter made stating that at least students won't be looking at a screen. Unfortunately, that is just not true. Students WILL be on devices the same way they were at home. The only difference now is location and VERY limited movement. These are the facts. I have been in many meetings and have been part of the planning for re-opening at my school. I WISH we were returning to school as "normal" but sadly that is far from the reality.

@sdublin, some of what you are describing varies from school to school. Our principal (not at any of the schools HBCU5 mentioned) shared that they are trying to limit screen time as much as possible and that students will not be on devices throughout the day. Parents should check in with their children's teachers to understand what the day will look like, but there is some variation across grades and schools even while following the district level regulations.

I agree with everyone who says the communication needs to improve, but the district and individual schools do have plans in place (I cannot comment on the status each school's plan, but they did have to be inspected and submit a lot of paperwork to be approved to reopen.) From my conversations with parents with children in other whiter, more privileged districts, New Haven's plans are more cautious than theirs not less (which they should be since we have a higher proportion of vulnerable students).

@beaverhills

I agree that there may be some variation from school to school but what does remain true is that the "school experience" is going to be VERY different than what has been in the past. We are not returning back to "normal." Things such as number of students in a classroom, alternate spaces, 6-ft spacing, full-day mask wearing (except when eating or during "mask breaks"), limited movement within the classroom and school, etc... are an adjustment for all and will definitely take some time to get used to.

I also agree that New Haven, when it comes its regulations of what should happen within the building, does err on the side of caution to ensure the safety of everyone in the school community. Although I do find the timing of our return a little on the puzzling side (will not elaborate on that).

I know the staff at my school has been working very hard in ensuring a safe return and we have clear plans and procedures in place.

And I know, as always, teachers will rise to the occasion to provide the best school experience for our students, despite the difficult circumstances.

@1644
Systemic racism goes way beyond the color of leaders' faces. Everyone can push for NHPS to go back, but funding, safety protocols, and proper assurances for a safe opening are a different story. NHPS could not open because those things were not in place. Why were they in place for predominantly white schools and not ours?

Well4all Hamden and West Haven are not majority white, yet they opened. Hamden's student body is 35% white, and West Haven's 32% white. West Haven spends less per student than New Haven. The other urban districts also re-opened. If there is a leadership problem preventing re-opening, it resides in New Haven. New Haven's leaders of color are failing New Haven's students of color.

@1644
Agreed. Their lack of regard for our students of color (who are most at risk) is despicable. I stand by my point that we need not argue amongst each other, but band together and demand more from our leaders.