WASHINGTON — With a deadline quickly approaching for DC Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools staff to decide whether to return to the classroom for in-person learning, teachers voiced concern with possibly going back to schools and frustration with the short timetable for making a decision.
Teachers at both school districts have until Tuesday afternoon to decide if they will commit to in-person teaching.
On Monday, DCPS Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee announced that phased reopening will begin with elementary school students on Nov. 9.
“Learning at home is not working for every student," Ferebee said. "We particularly know that our youngest children are most challenged."
Following the announcement, teacher David Ifill said the debate over whether to return to the classroom continued to bring plenty of stress for staff.
"There is a lot of anxiety with the deadline," he said. "Should we? Shouldn’t we? As teachers, we want to go back but we also want to make sure that we don’t bring the sickness back home to our families.”
Ifill currently teaches music at Brookland Middle School. While virtual teaching has presented challenges during the pandemic, he said that students and staff were being kept safe by staying home.
"Being a music teacher right now is really tough, but I also know that my health and the kids' health are extremely important," Ifill said. "You have to have schools back, but you also have to have teachers that are alive to teach it.”
Ifill and other teachers protested the reopening of schools while outside Mayor Muriel Bowser's home on Saturday.
Multiple teachers who spoke to WUSA 9 voiced frustration with needing to complete a survey about whether or not they could return for in-person teaching.
Some expressed concerns about needing to share medical information with the district, while others believed leaders were rushing the reopening.
Teachers in Fairfax County face a similar situation.
Tuesday will mark the last day staff can decide whether to accept an in-person position, submit an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) request, take an unpaid leave of absence, apply for leave under FFCRA for childcare reasons and then return for in-person instruction, resign or retire.
Last month, Fairfax County Public Schools officials passed a motion that would allow students who are struggling with virtual learning to begin in-person learning in October to get the help they need.
For preschool assistant Verika McIntyre, the decision to reopen schools had her questioning the district's motives.
"Are they saying that teachers are that expendable?" she asked. "It’s disheartening. It really scares me.”
McIntyre told WUSA 9 that she has a preexisting medical condition that would require her to wear to a full PPE suit, mask, face shield and gloves while in the classroom during the pandemic.
Some teachers added that small classroom sizes, aging HVAC systems inside the facilities and a lack of windows in some classrooms added on to concerns.
"It is not going to happen at six feet distance to try and walk in the hallway with these kids, absolutely not," McIntyre said. "I’m feeling like we should all absolutely feel safe. Virtual seems to be the best place.”
Both Ifill and McIntyre said they would feel safe returning for in-person teaching only when a vaccine for coronavirus becomes widely available.
Until then, they hoped the school districts would delay reopening.
"Teachers don’t get into this profession to not be in front of the classroom," Ifill said. "We want to be there. We just want to do it when it is safe.”
