Dear Cook County Parents and Community:

Not every teacher is in support of a distance-learning model for the 2020-21 school year. COVID-19 has presented almost every decision-making group with a “lesser of two evils” decision. We believe the decision to go to an immediate distance-learning model is the greater of two evils. 

Governor Walz, based on the data in Cook County, gave our school district permission to go back to school. Of course, this plan involved creating a controlled environment, implementing safety measures and social distancing to protect students and those at higher risk. He spelled out a data-driven approach to our return. We were looking at a great opportunity to get our kids back in school. 

As is stated directly on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Extended school closure is harmful to children.  It can lead to severe learning loss, and the need for in-person instruction is particularly important for students with heightened behavioral needs”. Additionally, the CDC provides evidence as to why COVID-19 poses a low risk to children, “The best available evidence indicates that COVID-19 poses relatively low risks to school-aged children.  Children appear to be at lower risk for contracting COVID-19 compared to adults.  To put this in perspective, according to the CDC, the United States reported that children and adolescents under 18 years old account for under 7 percent of COVID-19 cases and less than 0.1 percent of COVID-19-related deaths.  Although relatively rare, flu-related deaths in children occur every year. From 2004-2005 to 2018-2019, flu-related deaths in children reported to CDC during regular flu seasons ranged from 37 to 187 deaths.  During the H1N1 pandemic (April 15, 2009 to October 2, 2010), 358 pediatric deaths were reported to CDC. So far in this pandemic, deaths of children are less than in each of the last five flu seasons, with only 64”. (The Importance of Reopening America’s Schools this Fall, CDC.gov). 

According to a research article from Johns Hopkins University titled The Ethics of K-12 School Reopening: Identifying and Addressing the Values at Stake, “What children lose by not being in school is enormous; school attendance is a life-defining experience that is critical for educational, social, and emotional development.” The article goes on to say, “The prevailing view is that returning to the classroom poses minimal direct risk to the health of children. ...most children do not get seriously ill from COVID-19 and very few deaths have been reported.” (The Ethics of K-12 School Reopening: Identifying and Addressing the Values at Stake. Johns Hopkins University).

So what we have done to our children is shut down their right to a quality education. That does not sit well with us. And it shouldn’t sit well with you. We have compromised the basic experiences every child so very much deserves. The opportunity to be in the same room as highly qualified and skilled teachers. The opportunity to see their friends everyday. The opportunity to get sent to the principal’s office and learn from the mistake. The opportunity to be involved in sports and extracurricular activities. The opportunity for those little moments in the hallway- the smiles, the funny interactions, all the experiences that make school great for kids. For all of that to be taken away due to irrational reasons is an offense to our students. 

We took jobs in the field of education because we love kids. And we will never stop advocating for their best-interests. Students: we will always be there for you and your needs. Parents: we will always do our very best to give your kids the best school experience we possibly can.

Sincerely, 

• Andy Feddema, Social Studies Teacher   
• Marly (Wester) Zimmer,Physical Education Teacher
• Steven Anderson, Math Teacher
• Kayle Hielscher, First Grade Teacher
  
  The opinions expressed above are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Boreal Community Media, its staff and Board of Directors