"Please Stop This Madness"
Illinois high school teacher begs her Board to allow mask choice
Sent February 9, 2022 . Published with permission of sender.
Dr. Leaks, Mr. Bridges, District 203 Board of Education, & Building Administration:
I know this has been nothing less than a crazy day for everyone. I wanted to speak with you, Dr. Leaks, Mr. Bridges, and the District 203 Board of Education, as today was the first time in my 17 year teaching career that I witnessed the discrimination of students in an educational setting that was promoted by District 203 employees and a policy that we have the power to change. A policy that is causing this chaos in our buildings which is taking away from an equitable learning experience for all. How in the world is this being justified? Please explain this to me.
Based on our district and school policy, I was told I needed to identify and then send unmasked students out of class today. I had two particular students who arrived to class unmasked and were more than respectful. They took their seat and were ready to learn. However, because of our district's choice to continue mandating a rule that has been proven "void" by law, I had to isolate both students from the learning environment. These students are not breaking any law. They are not a behavioral concern. Nor are they creating a distraction to the learning environment. Our policy is. Why then am I being forced to go against
everything in my being to isolate these kids?
Additionally, what our district's masking policy did was force me to go against everything our district's "Diversity and Inclusion" statement is about. We are creating a marginalized group of students in all of our buildings and they are being treated like criminals. By law, ALL of our students are entitled to the same educational opportunities. This is not happening for students who are being forced to isolate because they are going against policy; this is not a law they are breaking. Yet your continuation of this policy is forcing teachers to break a law through discriminating against students who are exercising their rightful freedoms.
We are choosing to isolate students who are ready and willing to learn while managing their personal risk for Covid but we are enabling those who feel learning cannot happen without Covid mitigation. The data is available. We need to invest in all students ability to manage learning and life with Covid. We need to allow choice and provide guidance as so many neighboring communities have decided to do. We are ruining rapport with so many good students and our school communities. This ripples into our shared community. Why are we NOT considering the risk and benefits of choice in mitigation of Covid?
Teens see through this. They do not understand it because it is not logical. Their leaders are being forced to act based on a rule that you impose that goes against a law that makes their teachers break. You are making some teachers feel safer
but you are crippling the conscience of many more.
I am begging you to please stop this madness and allow for choice in masking.
Your choice in continuing this policy is causing teachers, students and this community to break. We need to teach and students need to learn. All of them. Masked or Unmasked.
[Teacher, Name Redacted, Naperville Central High School]
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