Dear Superintendent Bang-Knudsen and BISD school board members Smith, Hulet, Spence, Emerson, and Pal:

We the undersigned parents, students, and concerned community members, having reviewed the two instruction models proposed by BISD for the 2020-21 school year, and having taken into consideration the current and projected status of the Covid-19 public health crisis, as well as the health and well-being of our children, our families and our teachers, find that we cannot in good conscience vote for either option as proposed.

The Hybrid Learning Model unreasonably jeopardizes the health and safety of our teachers, students and community.

The 100% Online Home Learning Model unfairly penalizes students who are high risk or otherwise feel unsafe resuming in person instruction six short weeks from now.

Neither model, as proposed, fully addresses the equity issues facing children who do not have access to adequate technology, whose guardian(s) are unable to be present in the home during the school day, or whose IEPs require in person services.

We believe that BISD should begin the 2020-21 school year with all students in a BISD-based remote learning model, with on-campus accommodations for students who lack adequate technology, whose guardian(s) are unable to be present in the home during the school day, or whose IEPs require in person services. This approach will ensure that all BISD students have access to the same BISD-based education regardless of health status, family circumstances, or risk tolerance in the face of a global pandemic. With so few students on the school campuses, it should then be possible to locate all students, teachers and staff in the facilities with the best ventilation and to maintain significant social distancing. With so few teachers and staff on site, our hope would be that no teacher or staff person who feels uncomfortable returning to the classroom will be required to do so.

While this is our first choice – not forcing teachers and students back into the classroom on September 2nd– should the district proceed with it’s plans to reopen with a hybrid approach, we believe that equity demands that a BISD-based remote option be providedto those students who will not, or cannot, attend in person to ensure that all students have access to the same BISD-based education regardless of health status, family circumstances, or risk tolerance in the face of a global pandemic. This can be accomplished by allowing students to attend live classes remotely via Zoom, or a similar platform. We have researched this option and feel confident that each classroom can be outfitted with a good quality webcam and microphone for less than $300. This would allow all students to stay on track with their peers so that all students can transition together to distance learning in the almost inevitable event that schools are required to close at any point during the school year.

It is becoming increasing clear that the public health data needed to support reopening our schools on September 2ndwill simply not be there. Please focus the district’s energy on improving the quality and equity of the BISD-based remote learning model you currently view as a contingency plan, and let our families and teachers focus on staying healthy and preparing for the challenges ahead.