D.C. Public Schools advisors stood Monday in solidarity with other parents and teachers concerned about reopening plans, just hours after the District delayed its plans to return to in-person instruction next week.
The afternoon rally hosted by Local Schools Advisory Team (LSAT) members outside Schools Without Walls at Francis Stevens in Northwest had been scheduled before the school system’s decision to scrap its reopening plans.
DCPS Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee sent an email to parents Monday morning stating that elementary school students will not return to in-person instruction on Nov. 9 as originally planned.
The change came as some Washington Teachers Union (WTU) members took a mental health day on Monday. The union last week cast a vote of no confidence in the reopening plan after DCPS was ordered by a labor board to “commence bargaining” with WTU on the plan.
“I know that there had been negotiations between the [union] and [DCPS] even going on this weekend, so it was shocking that they waited until Monday to make that decision, but I’m glad that they did,” said Nikisha Winston, chair of the LSAT for Bard High School Early College.
“I don’t think that they engaged parents and families enough. I mean, I don’t think parents had enough information to make decisions about whether they wanted their children to go back into the classroom or not,” said Ms. Winston, whose child attends Bard High.
LSATs are made up of elected parents, staff, community members and sometimes students who help advise school principals.
“We were compelled to come together because this reopen plan was void [of] our input as LSATs,” said Sherice Muhammed, chair of the LSAT for McKinley Technology High School. “The overall plan, I think, just needs to be trashed and we start again. You can’t salvage this plan, it just doesn’t make sense. I think it’s convoluted and I don’t think it’s fully planned out.”
Under DCPS’ “Reopen Strong” plan, randomly selected students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade were to have the option of returning to school in-person starting Nov. 9. The process prioritized students who are designated as “at-risk,” experiencing homelessness, enrolled in special education, English language learners or siblings.
Those chosen would have been given two in-person instruction options, including being taught in-person by a teacher or virtually in a Canvas Academics and Real Engagement (CARE) classroom supervised by a staff member. One teacher per grade level would teach classes of up to 11 students in-person.
Students in middle and high school were set to continue with online instruction “with a possible transition” to in-person learning on Feb. 1.
Critics of the plan argued that it failed to accommodate students who need the most support and some virtual classes will be overcrowded with up to 40 students. They also said it would negatively affect schools as staff are reassigned to CARE classrooms.
LSAT members sent Mr. Ferebee and Mayor Muriel Bowser an email Monday reiterating their call for schools to remain virtual until “at least” term 3 next year. They cited concerns about the “inadequate” facility readiness plans, the “major” disruption to middle and high school staff, and “elusive” coronavirus testing protocols.
The chancellor’s email states that the revised plan will begin with opening CARE classrooms “as soon as staffing plans are confirmed.”
“We have heard feedback from many in our community about #ReopenStrong plans, and we will use this moment to adjust our timeline and staffing plans for reopening,” Mr. Ferebee said.
DCPS and Miss Bowser will hold a virtual community town hall on return plans at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
