No Arizona school should be holding in-person learning yet, according to state health officials. However, the J.O. Combs Unified School District’s governing board decided Monday in a 3-2 vote to offer it anyway starting Aug. 17.
The decision to reopen schools was not taken lightly and was driven by the tremendous feedback from community members who expressed a strong need for their children to return to the classroom, the district said in a Tuesday statement to KJZZ.
“While a contentious issue for many, the vote to reopen our schools on Aug. 17 reinforced the notion of parent choice for our community, the district said.
It goes against recommendations by the Arizona Department of Health Services. No county has met the three public health benchmarks the department set to guide school reopenings during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The San Tan Valley district noted in its statement that those recommendations are optional.
“Because local districts were empowered to make these decisions using the optional recommendations, the board felt that it was necessary to return Aug. 17 for the safety and social and emotional needs of our students,” the district said in its statement.
Parents who want their students to continue learning virtually will have that option, the district said.
The district's students began the school year with distance learning on Aug. 10. The district was presented with a recommendation to delay in-person learning until Oct. 6, but the majority of the board ultimately voted against this.
Governing Board President Shelly Hargis and members Steven Ray and Chad McLeod voted in favor of offering in-person learning starting Aug. 17; members Patricia Pinckard and Bob D'Elena voted against it.
The decision came as a surprise for David Nelson, the president of the Combs Education Association.
“I’m extremely disappointed, extremely concerned for my colleagues and my friends, extremely worried about the kids,” Nelson said. “We don’t know how this is going to affect them.”
He’s worried about what the decision will mean for teachers.
“A 1% mortality rate means that one to three teachers on this campus where I work will die and who’s it going to be,” Nelson said.
Nelson said some teachers are considering resigning and he’s also weighing that option. Certified staff who choose to end their contract have to pay the district $1,000 in damages. Administration staff must pay $2,500. At its Monday meeting, the governing board considered waiving the penalty given the COVID-19 crisis but did not.
Nelson and other teachers have a week to decide if they will report to their classrooms next Monday or resign.
