There were 547 new COVID-19 cases in Colorado on July 26.
Colorado teachers who are part of the nationwide "Refuse to Return" movement staged a virtual protest on Monday, July 27, urging the governor, the State Board of Education, and local school boards across the state to keep schools closed until there have been no new coronavirus cases in Colorado for 14 days. Refuse to Return is a national effort of educators advocating for full-time in-person learning until the coronavirus pandemic is under control.
The Monday "day of action" consisted of an online push to get parents and educators to leave voicemails and write emails to Governor Jared Polis and other decision-makers. Teachers in some districts even planned car parades.
An online petition by the group lays out a detailed list of demands, and states:
"We are educators, administrators, school support staff, students, parents, guardians, and concerned individuals. We refuse to return to campus this fall until our counties report no new cases of COVID-19 for at least 14 consecutive days. Let it be known that this is not simply a petition, but a statement of intent, a pledge not to return until it is safe."
There were 547 new COVID-19 cases in Colorado on July 26. Since March 20, the number of new cases per day has not fallen below 86.
Asking schools to remain closed until there have been 14 consecutive days without new infections would likely mean there would be no in-person classes for at least a year. Arguably, such a decision would also have a massive effect on our communities, one for which lasting consequences remain unknown. Children attending school from home longterm would require parents to be at home, too, potentially risking employment and the ability to provide for their family.
Every school district across Colorado is working on rolling out its plans for fall learning. Some districts have announced 100-percent in-person learning (at least temporarily), some have announced 100-percent online learning, and some are going with a hybrid of the two. Still others are offering parents the choice of in-person or online learning for their individual family. Many districts have announced a delayed start to the school year as they work to prepare teachers and curriculum, as well as give the more virus time to run its course.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement last week titled "The Importance of Reopening America’s Schools this Fall," laying out multiple reasons why schools should reopen.
Where do you stand on this issue? Are you an educator? A parent? Tell us what you think in the comments.
