2021/02/28 7:27:49 AM EST Anonymous Cornwallis Rd 27713

The BOE should have kept the learning centers opened and continued with virtual learning. Teachers and staff aren't fully vaccinated. And the school year is almost over. DPS motto needs to be come to work or we will force you to resign. The schools aren't ready and dps isn't being honest with their teachers, students, or parents.

2021/02/28 7:36:06 AM EST Anonymous Duke Street 27704

Open the learning centers back up and have all dps staff and principles go by the learning center to see how they operate. The learning centers were working for families who aren't able to be home assisting our children with virtual learning. And the BOE members had them closed in order to force students and teachers back in unsafe buildings. Will the learning centers open back up if the date is pushed back? Principals should have been visiting the learning centers in order to see how to effectively get the students and staff back in school safely.

2021/02/28 10:20:22 AM EST Katie Rudd 4600 Carlton Crossing Drive Durham, NC 27713

I am very disappointed to hear that the board is considering changing the return to school YET AGAIN. My family was so hopeful to return to school March 15 after nearly a year at home. I made arrangements with my employer, cancelled camp and lost deposits, and negotiated my daughter's visitation with her father to get ready for March 15. Now we hear that the start date could change again, just two weeks before we are scheduled to return. This is not a game. Parents and children need follow through on the existing plan, not a political stunt.

2021/02/28 11:03:49 AM EST Elizabeth 27705 27705

Your inability to commit to a plan for in person instruction is actively harming my family, our mental health and well being.

2021/02/28 7:23:25 PM EST Britany Lopez 11 pony court Bahama NC 27503

My sons school, as well as his teacher is ready for March 15th being the start date. Not only is he so excited he is slowing being drained from only being online, he is in kindergarten. I think if we delay for three move weeks instead of good it will do harm. My son has an IEP and the sooner he can get in person resources the better for him. Please keep March 15 the start date.

2021/02/28 7:28:17 PM EST Chris Flannagan Oakland Ave Durham 27705

Will the BOE please stop playing with this decision like a yo-yo? It is time to make a decision as to when school will resume. If you cannot see fit to bring students back this school year, please ensure the public that you are committing to in-person for the 21/22 year. However, It seems that it will be possible to return In April after break.

2021/02/28 7:49:55 PM EST Bonnye Richards Anthony 604 Wellingham Drive DURHAM, NC 27713

Please allow parents, family and friends to attend outside sporting events to support our student-athletes.

2021/02/28 9:29:23 PM EST Amy Askew W. Piedmont Avenue 27707

I urge the Board not to give up on Spring in-person learning. Hiding behind the claim that it is not safe is not acceptable. Many teachers have received their first vaccine dose - and science shows that even one dose is upwards of 80% effective against severe Covid. Science from classrooms around the country that have reopened even before vaccines showed that it was safe for teachers and for students. It is imperative that we come together to make this happen. We have plans, we have parents and our community ready to mobilize to help schools with screenings and other protocols and procedures. We need the spring reopening to pilot how this all works, and we cannot wait any longer. Please hold the course and help our innocent children - who have become collateral damage to politics and posturing.

2021/02/28 9:31:23 PM EST Charles Wood 2013 Wilson Street 27705

Thank you for your courage in voting to reopen for in-person learning on March 15th to address this emergency. It’s clear the risks of staying home far outweigh the diminishing risks of in- person learning, especially as our essential educators are being vaccinated. By sticking with your plan to vote to provide services in person, you show courageous leadership and give voice to children who are so often left voiceless by our society.

2021/02/28 9:46:57 PM EST Girija Mahajan 817 Burch Avenue Durham, NC 27701

It's time to meet the needs of 38% of Durham County families that requested an in-person option for their DPS student(s). Since February 24th, I've seen photos and social media posts of hundreds of educators in Durham roll their sleeves up for students and get their vaccines. My child's principal led a town-hall with families to share what an in-person schedule would look like; and talked about the risk mitigation strategies for students and staff onsite. I've told the school leadership that my child is flexible and can adapt to new classroom assignments, public health protocols and learning expectations. My husband, a former healthcare professional, signed up with the grassroots, DPS parent led Durham Volunteer Medical Corps to volunteer at our child's school with symptomatic monitoring for morning building entry. My child is ready to be in the school building on March 15th.

2021/02/28 9:58:39 PM EST Patricia Lovell 801 Lakewinds Trail Rougemont, NC. 27572

Please stick to March 15 start date for elementary grades. Do not delay getting these children back to their classrooms. Do not wait until after spring break to start back. Every day you delay is harmful for these children.

2021/02/28 9:59:11 PM EST Sarah Miller Academy Ridge Drive Durham

As a biologist and parent of elementary students, I urge the board to maintain the March 15th date for elementary school re-opening. Teachers are being vaccinated quickly, and new data show that vaccines are highly effective after even a single dose. Also, Durham hospitalization rates are now within the range shown to be associated with safe school re-opening* even WITHOUT vaccinations. Many families have terminated childcare arrangements beyond March 15th in response to the board’s prior decision; changes to this timeline present substantial stressors for young families and a potential child safety issue.

*Reference for safe re-opening: A recent study by Tulane researchers (explained and linked to in the NPR article below), took the approach of framing safety metrics around COVID hospitalization rates rather than rates of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, as the latter can be easily skewed by changes in testing frequency/population/etc. The authors found that hospitalization rates did not increase after schools reopened (either in 100% in-person or hybrid mode) for communities in which the hospitalization rate was less than or equal to 36-44 per 100,000 people. "In fact, in many of these communities, hospitalizations appeared to go down after schools reopened — perhaps because of rules and norms around social distancing and wearing masks that kids may not be following at home." The current hospitalization rate in Durham county (as of 2/28/21) is approximately 38 per 100,000 people and, therefore, within the range noted in this publication. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live- updates/2021/01/07/953961009/where-is-it-safe-to-reopen-schools-new-research-offers- answers

2021/02/28 10:08:55 PM EST Millie Rosen Walltown 27705

Please keep all DPS staff by allowing us to be fully vaccinated (both shots and waiting period) before any of us are required to be in-person. Those few short weeks will make the world of difference for both staff safety AND morale - something that is sorely needed these days. We love our kids so much and want to be able to teach them without putting our own lives at risk. Thank you for keeping us safe.

2021/02/28 10:14:36 PM EST Rafe Mazer Knox Street Durham NC 27705

I am writing to ask you to please not change the start date for elementary from March 15. We cannot keep moving things around each and every week. Vaccines are rolling out, families have made plans, and delaying a few more weeks does not bring significant benefit if you follow actual science on child to teacher transmission in any study done so far.

2021/02/28 11:10:26 PM EST Charles Askew 119 W Piedmont Ave Durham, NC, 27707

All the data indicate we can safely open schools to in person instruction, which is what private schools have been doing this entire time. Our kids must be given the same opportunity by the public system. Vaccines are prioritized for teachers right now, look for them from anywhere they're available and not just from what's being set aside for the district.

2021/03/01 8:18:56 AM EST Ed McLenaghan 1212 Sedgefield St Durham, NC, 27705

I believe the available evidence clearly shows that it is safe to open schools for in-person learning under the Board's current plan to allow elementary and specialty high-school students to return to schools on March 15th. However, I understand that there's widespread concern about returning to in-person learning until more educators have the opportunity to receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Although I still support the March 15th return date, I would also support delaying the return for all students to no later than the week of April 5th if it would significantly ease concerns of educators and their families.

2021/03/01 9:05:41 AM EST Alex Smith 405 HARRIER COURT DURHAM, NC 27713

I was very disappointed that the board initially voted to send the children back to the classroom even before the fate of SB 37 was known. Now that the governor has vetoed it, I strongly ask that you consider pushing the date of reopening back until after spring break. Not only does that give our school staff time to get fully vaccinated which i think at this point is the least you could do, but it also gives schools more time to plan and get ready for the return of students to the classroom. Planning for a full return with just 3 weeks is a logistical nightmare and I think our schools deserve more time so they can best serve our students.

2021/03/01 9:13:30 AM EST Parent of High School Freshman Jordan attendance area Durham, NC 27705

Many of us who selected the option to "remain virtual" did so with broken hearts and waning reserves of hope and resilience, both personal and collective. We are grieving.

Please choose a course of action tonight with the 2021-2022 school year in mind. Take a moment to envision all DPS students, PreK-12, attending school 5 days per week, with sports, arts, and extra-curriculars intact. Please act with this simple goal in mind and heart.

2021/03/01 9:38:05 AM EST DPS School Employee Forest View/Githens/Jordan attendance area Durham, NC, 27705

Before COVID, school safety focused on lockdown and severe weather. Schools have to keep classroom doors closed throughout the day in case of intruders. For lockdowns, we huddle in a corner out of view from doors and windows. For tornadoes, we crouch shoulder-to-shoulder in inner hallways, away from doors and windows. No social distance, no adequate ventilation.

Educators will risk their lives to protect students. Fully-vaccinated educators would protect everyone. Please reopen schools when educators have been fully vaccinated. We can't wait to get back to school safely.

2021/03/01 10:40:15 AM EST Rachel Freyer 1805 VALE ST DURHAM

Please reopen the public schools as planned on March 15th. School reopening and vaccinations can occur at the same time. Many Durham schools have remained safely open throughout the pandemic without the benefit of vaccination. The CDC and administration have provided expert guidance to ensure teacher and student safety. Our vulnerable students, especially our Exceptional Children, should be in the forefront of the conversation. They need the schools back in-person now. Many parents have elected to remain remote specifically so that the students who need it most can return to in person asap. There is no perfect solution, but there is also a lot of science showing that we can protect our wonderful teachers with robust protocols and provide the educations our vulnerable students have needed in-person. Please choose to reopen the schools March 15th. Thank you.

2021/03/01 11:03:04 AM EST Stephanie Poley 1601 Timber Wolf Dr Durham

Please update the rules and begin allowing parent attendance at outdoor high school athletic events. Multiple factors have changed warranting reconsideration of this particular issue.

First, COVID metrics have been trending in a positive direction over the past few weeks and more and more members of our community are being vaccinated every day. Second, Governor Cooper’s Executive Order was modified last week, easing restrictions for spectators at outdoor sports in North Carolina. Third, other local school districts have been allowing parent spectators without COVID outbreaks already this year. Fourth, the NFHS Network, virtual streaming, has been a very disappointing and inconsistent option for watching our kids compete (especially outdoors); the few games that were made available were very poorly filmed/broadcast and the last three games were not even offered on NFHS Network. Lastly, per the DPS Board decision in February, kids will be returning to classrooms in the coming weeks. Surely if we think that it’s safe for kids to be inside schools and on school buses for 6+ hours per day, it should be possible for adults to sit socially distant in the bleachers with masks to cheer for them on the fields?

With only a few weeks left in the season for several sports (including my son’s sport, men’s lacrosse at Jordan), I implore you to consider and amend the rule swiftly. This change can be made safely with proper guidance and would be voluntary for parents, and the board can look to other local districts for information about effective protocols. It would be so nice to have the opportunity to support and cheer for our kids, who have had such a tough year, in the last few weeks of their sports seasons. Thank you for your time and consideration.

2021/03/01 11:27:18 AM EST Anonymous Anonymous 27712

Dear Durham Board of Education, + I write to encourage you to remain steadfast in your decision to reopen schools on March 15th.

+ Please note that the squeakiest wheels right now may be the ones simply with the most energy. Those of us struggling to make it through each day meeting our families' needs do not have a good deal of excess energy to devote to presenting our perspective and children's needs. I can only imagine how many parents simply do not have the luxury of spending time to follow the BOE meetings/decisions and offer their input. Families are struggling and we need our kids' education restored for their benefit.

+ Teachers are very, very, very important. At the same time, we must give children's needs priority in this conversation. It has seemed at times that they are overlooked in favor of a small group of loud teachers' preferences. You all have worked very hard to put thorough plans in place to meet teachers' needs and to protect them. Please now center the needs of our city's children in your decision-making.

+ There are over 6000 educators and staff in DPS and yet at last week's meeting you reported that only 1841 were signed up through DPS to receive vaccines. Why the discrepancy in this number? WIth 1000 vaccines/week available in partnership with Duke Health, additional available in partnership with Lincoln, and Durham County Health Department reporting yesterday that they had excess appointments available for today there is ample availability for educators and staff who want them. It is concerning that perhaps securing vaccinations is being used as a smokescreen for pushing the date back. Research and practice show that your current plans are robust and sufficient to safely re-open and vaccinated teachers are only upside. We know that the first vaccine dose alone provides 80%+ protection. We have to accept that risk will never be at 0% with covid19, or the flu or other risks.

+ Please do not interpret the breakdown of families' decisions to keep their children in online learning as indicative that they do not feel it is safe. Many parents elected to keep their kids at home specifically to make as much space as possible for students who most need in-person learning, and you all are aware of the parent-shaming that has pressured many families to keep their children home. Options are critical here, please keep them in play.

+ Many many teachers are eager to return to school. Let's not overlook their wishes in this conversation.

+ I appreciate your strong advocacy for teachers to have access to vaccines, PPE, cleaning supplies, and anything else they may need to feel as safe as possible. Our teachers are incredibly important.

Thank you for your hard work in this incredible difficult time. Please open schools on March 15th as previously decided, for the health, safety, development, and education of our city's children.

2021/03/01 11:38:27 AM EST Infuriated Parent 123 School Lane Durham, NC 27707

If the board decides to now keep schools closed and plan for a robust summer and fall, the amount of ridicule and damage will be near impossible to recover from. Your teachers jumped the vaccine line, ahead of people who are actually in public doing their essential jobs. They will be targeted, and DPS will become the laughing stock of NC. What a way to work the system! No one will want to send their children to a district that flip flops so much, has no concrete plan, and does not have the students best interest in mind. Let our children who want to be back come in. Or return our tax dollars.

2021/03/01 11:41:44 AM EST Jessica Mcclellan 4902 Tapestry Terrace Durham, NC, 27713

We need to start March 15 as was originally stated. I understand teachers need time, but they have had since the beginning of the school year plus numerous work days and every Wellness Wednesday to prepare classrooms for use. School days are several hours shorter so there really is no excuse for them to not have their rooms ready.

Science has already shown teachers don’t need to be completely vaccinated to be safe in school openings.

The excuses provided once again show the incompetence in planning and the ineptitude of DPS in providing a quality education for its youngest and most fragile learners. It would have been better to have started with an April opening then gives us all the false hope of starting March 15. Those two extra weeks are so needed and will provide critical instruction to these young students! Please do not delay any longer! You are failing my family and thousands of other families by delaying opening schools even two weeks later.

2021/03/01 11:45:30 AM EST Mary Barzee 1014 Onslow Durham

Please keep the March 15 student start date for elementary school children who have elected the in-person option. Our community is preparing, teachers and school staff are getting their vaccinations. Some families, like mine, have hit a breaking point with virtual learning and every week that goes by adds more stress to children and parents for whom the format is ineffective and age/developmentally inappropriate. Thank you.

2021/03/01 11:59:40 AM EST SARAH WILLIAMS BURCH AVE DURHAM

Vaccines are being distributed with utmost haste, locally. Messaging from principals about public health practices and schedule have been clear--and data from surrounding districts (and the country) are promising. I’m comfortable the district can and will mitigate risk for student and staff to the best of their ability and that our community can come together to make in- person school an OPTION for families that are interested in this. My child is ready to be in the school building on March 15.

2021/03/01 12:58:18 PM EST Taylor Mcclellan 4902 tapestry terrace Durham nc 27713

It is imperative that the school board does not push back the start date into April. Schools should open on March 15 as planned. Two extra weeks of in-person learning is critical to these young elementary school students. Research and science has shown that schools are capable of opening safely without having teachers fully vaccinated. There is no time to waste in opening our schools and getting our kids back in the classroom. Please listen to reason and science in regards to opening our elementary schools as soon as possible. Let us not hold back our students any longer. They are already suffering.

2021/03/01 1:32:34 PM EST Chelsea Skoff 5 Burgess Court Hillsborough, NC

Superintendent Mubenga and many of your school principals have crafted concrete, thoughtful, and safe plans for reopening. You have a significant percentage of families and teachers that are on board. Upholding your decision for Plan A beginning March 15, 2021 allows the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. It allows those students, families, and teachers that are eager, excited, and confident to return to in-person instruction the opportunity to do so. It also allows those that still express fear and concern about their safety in a face-to-face setting the opportunity to remain virtual. If tonight you go back on your 5-2 decision and keep schools closed, you strip choice from all those that are ready to return. In a time when you are trying to do the most good for the most people, it seems that the only logical option is that which allows everyone a choice. Plan A - without delay accomplishes this.

2021/03/01 2:00:56 PM EST anonymous anonymous Durham

It has been shocking and devastating to see the amount of mis-information provided by the DPS board members to their staff and families regarding COVID-19 transmission and school safety spread. Listen to the governor who is asking you to open. Listen to the ABC Collaborative and the CDC who say it is safe to open. Listen to the children (who have no voices) who need to be in school. Everyone else is back and working in society. We needs schools to open. Commit and vote to open schools.

2021/03/01 2:14:02 PM EST Vikki Vilcek Longwood Drive 27713

My children are ready to return to school March 15th. Countless parents are ready to help their kids’ teachers and school staff by volunteering, offering financial support, presenting creative ideas, and more. Please put the children firmly back in the center of this conversation. If you delay reopening… again… there will be yet another rising call to wait until August. That is unacceptable. There are more voices within your constituencies than just the couple of loud organizations, and they vote. Trust me, we will vote.

2021/03/01 2:43:42 PM EST Neil Khaner 3004 Deerchase Wynd Durham

I have enjoyed being a substitute teacher. That said, I am concerned about being a sub in a school that has not had its air filters replaced. Is there a more granular view of the Covid-19 Data Dashboard. Thank you very much.

2021/03/01 2:43:59 PM EST Neil Khaner 3004 Deerchase Wynd Durham

I have enjoyed being a substitute teacher. That said, I am concerned about being a sub in a school that has not had its air filters replaced. Is there a more granular view of the Covid-19 Data Dashboard. Thank you very much.

2021/03/01 2:48:23 PM EST April Rhew Broomsedge Way 27712

The lack of respect you have shown to the teachers, staff, parents and students this past year is unbelievable. You flip flop. You are not leaders. We are all waiting on you to make decisions so we can plan our days and weeks. Stop playing politics. We can not continue to be in limbo for the remainder of the school year. I prefer in person learning because my special needs daughter continues to regress. I’m not a teacher, I’m a mom. There is no reason at the very least you have not opened schools for children with IEPs. You’ve had a year and you still don’t have a plan. It’s an embarrassment.

2021/03/01 4:02:47 PM EST Robyn Fehrman Norton Street Durham, NC 27701

Please continue to plan for offering some level of in-person school for all DPS students based on the timeline provided by DPS administrators using the best available science we have. After tonight's meeting, please limit any further changes and disruptions.

2021/03/01 7:41:37 PM EST Emily Daly 908 West Knox Street Durham, NC, 27701

Like many parents, I was excited and encouraged by your decision to begin reopening schools March 15. Like many, I was surprised when you revisited your decision at Thursday’s board meeting. As a former public high school teacher and librarian, I sympathize with teachers’ current concerns. I listened to Thursday’s board meeting, and I heard and value your deep concern for teachers, staff, families, and students. I respect your desire for as much information as possible before you decide when to reopen schools. I ask that you include in this information the science that indicates that we can serve the students who desperately need to return to in-person learning *and also* keep our teachers and staff safe. Like you, I have followed the data and listened to public health experts. Study after study demonstrates the effectiveness of masking in schools, even when adults are not vaccinated, and recent articles include interviews with dozens of pediatricians who indicate that it is indeed safe to reopen elementary schools before all educators are vaccinated.

I respect that not all families are comfortable with in-person learning, and those families should continue to have the option for their children to learn online. However, over half of DPS families indicated a preference for their students to learn in a DPS classroom this spring. Please do not let these students down. Delaying a reopening to later this spring (or worse, to fall) will be detrimental to students who have already fallen behind and will increase the risk of losing even more families to charter and private schools. I am a staunch advocate for public schools, but my sons need more than just the public – they miss and need their *schools,* and they are not alone.

Board of education members, I urge you to listen to the experts, follow the science, advocate for PPE and COVID vaccinations for all educators, and resume your plans to reopen schools beginning March 15. Now is not the time for yet more confusion and chaos; now is the time for decisive action and leadership.

Thank you for your hard work and commitment to DPS students, teachers, and families during this challenging time.

2021/03/01 7:46:39 PM EST April Rhew Broomsedge Way 27712

The lack of respect you have shown to the teachers, staff, parents and students this past year is unbelievable. You flip flop. You are not leaders. We are all waiting on you to make decisions so we can plan our days and weeks. Stop playing politics. We can not continue to be in limbo for the remainder of the school year. I prefer in person learning because my special needs daughter continues to regress. I’m not a teacher, I’m a mom. There is no reason at the very least you have not opened schools for children with IEPs. You’ve had a year and you still don’t have a plan. It’s an embarrassment.

2021/03/01 7:48:38 PM EST Jonathan Plesser 209 Old Fox Trl Durham

I am writing minutes after the vote to override SB 37 failed. The insistence was that our hand was forced by SB 37, and that reopening was an inevitability. That is now manifestly false. Do the right thing and insist on complete compliance with CDC guidelines. Based on the current level of community spread, schools cannot open according to the CDC.

2021/03/01 7:49:00 PM EST Jessica Tanner N Second St Mebane

Please follow all CDC guidelines when planning for any in person learning. Elementary schools are not planning for 6 foot distancing. On plan B, we could have less than 10 students per classroom, the actual numbers are much larger on A. Ask the principals how big their biggest classes are under Plan A.

2021/03/01 7:52:32 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous 27704

Please stick with the decision you all made on 2/18. The back and forth is causing emotional distress on our community and those that this school board was elected to serve. It was not ideal but it was a decision and should be honored. Do not go back on your word.

2021/03/01 7:55:18 PM EST A. Teacher 123 Main Street Durham, NC 27701

Trying to understand how DPS staff are supposed to trust our employer to provide the proper safety procedures when they prioritized themselves for limited vaccines above the staff that actually interacts with students. This is highly inappropriate and we deserve and investigation and answers and the people responsible deserve consequences.

2021/03/01 7:56:14 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

Please please please consider sending us back later. Please take teachers’ and students’ lives into consideration. We are so close to being fully vaccinated. I beg you to please wait until after spring break. Do what is right.

2021/03/01 7:58:31 PM EST Elizabeth Ryan 2051 Northern Durham Parkway Durham

Now that SB 37 has been vetoed, the school board needs to allow adequate time for teachers and staff to get vaccinated before sending students back to school. This has given us more time to safely do what is in the best interest of our students and staff. Please vote accordingly.

2021/03/01 8:03:07 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

Members of the school board and Dr. Mubenga please take the time necessary to plan for the safest reopening possible for us all, Educators, students, those who work with students and the greater Durham community. It is imperative that we follow the CDC guidelines of social distancing and cohorts and increase vaccinations.

2021/03/01 8:06:43 PM EST Megan Reed 1010 Chancellors Ridge Drive Durham, NC 27713

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE vote to allow parents to watch their children’s school athletic events in person, beginning immediately!!! We can do this safely- outdoors, masked, 6 feet apart. Several teams only have a few games left in their seasons- Please do not delay this decision. We don’t want to miss all of their games. PLEASE allow parents to attend their games in- person beginning immediately. Thank you.

2021/03/01 8:11:27 PM EST DPS Teacher Durham Durham, NC 27704

As a teacher in this district, I have never felt more hurt, blindsided, or disrespected by the decision of the school board until the vote to return to in person learning passed. I have developed a routine that establishes normalcy for my students while also creating rigorous and relevant content every day. To disrupt this plan to senselessly and in safely return to school will create massive learning loss for students as I, along with numerous other teachers, will be just trying to stay afloat. With SB-37 being vetoed and sustained, I urge you to examine the data within Durham and recognize it is in the best interest of our students, staff, and community at large to remain virtual for the school year rather than risk unsafe and dangerous conditions for a few weeks of in person education. Please instead focus the efforts on making our 2021-2022 school year better!

2021/03/01 8:11:42 PM EST Andrea Ruby 315 Dovershire Pkwy Durham

I am a DPS teacher and parent. I am tired of being told not to make parents feel guilty about needing to return to person while simultaneously being guilt tripped amd gaslit by every dps official and several board members about not wanting to return until I am fully vaccinated. I know my student's mental health is suffering and it's HORRIBLE, but they have endured for 1 year. They can endure for 3 months to ensure the return can be safe. If you cared about their mental health then you would push harder for more counselors. I am tired of being told "teachers, we hear you" while being muted and dehumanized. Reverse your decision.

2021/03/01 8:12:08 PM EST Reed Franke 8 Bryncastle Ct Durham, NC 27707

Please allow spectators at high school sporting events effective immediately. Thank you.

2021/03/01 8:14:19 PM EST Rebecca LaMaire 700 Laurel Springs Drive Durham NC 27713

Thank you for considering postponing the reopening date for in person instruction! I urge you to push this date into April or later. A few more weeks will be enormously helpful in getting teachers vaccinated and giving our bodies time to gain some protection from covid. A few more weeks would also allow more time for the district to gather teacher input on the reopening plan and make the plan better.

2021/03/01 8:14:33 PM EST Dr. Shawn Gomez 4045 Kelley Street Durham NC 27707

I feel you should NOT open the schools back up for in person classes at this time. It would not significantly change the quality of education and just provide needless extra exposure between students, teachers and all of their associated family members. It would be much better to stop changing things all the time and let teachers (and students) get in a long term rhythm that would let them be able to steadily improve on what they are already doing. At a minimum, classes shouldn’t be in person until teachers get their full vaccinations. For everyone to have sacrificed so much for the last year to just have it thrown away for a few extra weeks of being next to your friends would be a real travesty.

2021/03/01 8:14:50 PM EST Beverly Tatum Holston Drive 27704

Thank you for reconsidering your previous vote to reopen on March 15th. Now that SB37 has officially failed, please give our schools a more realistic timeline. A March 15th reopening would ensure that staff and students are put at risk.

2021/03/01 8:16:37 PM EST Melissa Trachtenberg 107 W Lavender Ave Durham, NC 27704

I am a parent of elementary students. For the well-being of everyone in Durham, including children and their families, I do NOT want to see DPS school buildings reopened until the majority of teachers and other staff are fully vaccinated."

2021/03/01 8:18:06 PM EST Anonymous N/A Durham, NC

So can we get the last two weeks of our lives back when we were all unwitting players in this political theater? The clever maneuvering now has us risking life and health and disrupting student learning to offer a tiny amount of in-person instruction to the 25% or less of high school students who chose that option. SB37 was never going to be enacted and you all knew it. We all, DPS staff, parents, and students deserve better than our current leadership.

2021/03/01 8:18:21 PM EST Paul Bendich 902 Arnette Avenue Durham, NC, 27701

As progressives, you all know that our public schools are under constant attack by the privatizers in the GA. And you also know that as a result, there is not sufficient funding to execute your current plan while adhering to the guidance for safe-reopening given by the CDC. As a DPS parent, I have always felt that our teachers and school staff are our staunchest allies in the fight to defend our public schools. they have always found ways to make horrible situations better, and to solve problems creatively, all while earning far less than they should. I plead with you to adapt your plan so that schools can be opened safely with the expert advice and then enthusiastic consent of vaccinated teachers and staff. Despite the premature statements by one board member, it is not at all clear that SB37 will go through. You thus have an opportunity to make a safe and well thought-out reopening plan that follows your values, not your fears.

2021/03/01 8:18:38 PM EST Megan Reed 1010 Chancellors Ridge Drive Durham, NC 27713

Please delay the return to in-person school until educators have the chance to be fully vaccinated. We want to be back in our classrooms with our children when it is safe to be there. A delay would allow educators to be fully vaccinated and for solid plans to be put in place to ensure that a return to in-person learning is safe for all.

2021/03/01 8:20:00 PM EST Kayla Clyma 812 Turmeric ln Durham, NC, 27713

It is necessary that the board push back the re start dates until they use plan B. I hope our board, choose to prove that they value teachers and their employees, by following the CDC guidelines which states that schools Should NOT return at Plan A and that 6 feet distance is still necessary, but also follows the judgement of our Governer, State Law makers and Dr. Fuaci, who state that we are not ready to move to plan A in ANY school much less elementary schools. We need to remain virtual or come up with a Plan B that follows safe practices!

2021/03/01 8:20:26 PM EST Shari Wilson 3506 Ridge Road Durham, NC 27705

In light of Governor Coopers new executive order, please allow parents to attend their children's sporting events effective immediately.

2021/03/01 8:20:39 PM EST Dyonne Diggs 800 falls pointe drive Durham nc 27713

The reopening plan isn't equitable. How do you dedicate a month to be "BLM Month" but don't make decisions that prove you have the best interest of Black and brown students at heart. More BLACK AND BROWN children have died from COVID-19 than any other demographic. The schools these students attend aren't properly ventilated. HR is walking back approvals given for health accomodation form. This is not ok in any sense of the word. The district stated if the positivity rate was above 4% we would not be reopening yet here we are with a HIGHER positivity rate and being either forced back, health accomodations taken away or encouraged to resign or retire. Do you know or care about the impact of students experiencing their teachers dying? It is INHUMANE and I'm disappointed in this district.

2021/03/01 8:22:21 PM EST Chris Williams 5 Misty Morning Ct Durham, NC 27712

The Durham Public School Board owes it to our community to listen to medical professionals and the data from peer reviewed studies when making the decision on whether to reconvene in-person schooling for younger children. If the data shows that children and our teachers can safely gather for in-person schooling, then we must consider the benefits to the children and our Durham families.

2021/03/01 8:22:55 PM EST Anon-prefer not to disclose 1341 Sweetclover Drive Wake Forest

As a DPS parent and educator, I think it is appalling that our BOE has moved the goal post. SB37 has not been passed and is likely to be vetoed in its current form. Disrupting students current routines with new teachers and schedules this late in the game is unfathomable and unproductive. This paradigm shift is not one that supports student or learning.

The limited in-person days are not worth children getting switching teachers or doing more asynchronous work. My children will struggle mentally, emotionally, and perhaps physically if I am forced to return--as my once, twice, and thrice approved accommodations to work at home are revoked, with the expectation I work in the building. While I am thankful that vaccination may be an option before the proposed return, I may carry the virus home to my high-risk husband. I just got married, and I do not want to be a widow. I, too, am at high risk and have severe reservations about returning before the Fall once re-entry plans receive the utmost thought. The decision to vote during an emergency meeting with no public comment was, in short, wrong. The main focus should be on returning everyone safely in the fall.

2021/03/01 8:24:12 PM EST Anonymous Durham Durham NC 27705

In a few short weeks, we can have all willing teachers and staff vaccinated. Risking the lives of teachers, school workers, and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Please keep buildings closed until we can reduce risk through widespread vaccination. Students will suffer more at the hands of this hasty plan rather than focusing our efforts towards making the 2021-2022 school year even better as they will not be returning to the school that they know. I am deeply disappointed in the board's action and vote from last week and these actions will inevitably cause many talented and passionate educators to leave DPS or the profession.

2021/03/01 8:27:52 PM EST N/A N/A N/A

Ok, maybe we can't go back to school now. But, can we go in April? Can we please provide something for our kids to look forward to? I fully support vaccinating the teachers, so can we go back when most of them have been vaccinated?

2021/03/01 8:28:00 PM EST Courtney Frankel 8 Bryncastle Ct. Durham, NC 27707

We appreciate the Board’s earlier decision this year to allow return to sports for the current season using a cautious approach. This has been done safely without significant issues related to Covid. I am writing now to ask you to Please allow spectators at DPS sporting events effective immediately. Attendance at outdoor sporting event while masked and socially distanced can be done safely in accordance with Governor Cooper’s recent policy update. Since the board has approved in person schools and bus transportation (both indoor activities), then it stands to reason that families should be able to attend outdoor school sporting events to support their children. There are only a couple weeks left in my sons’ senior and junior lacrosse season, so I urge you to act immediately so that we may be able to see our sons play and cheer them on to show our support. The NFHS streaming service has been horrible, when available at all. Several games have not been streamed period, so Durham parents have been effectively shut out from any viewing.

Surrounding counties have been safely allowing spectators at outdoor sporting events. The Durham board can look to their examples for guidance for safety protocols. Please do this quickly so that we may cheer on our sons before the season ends. Thank you for your consideration.

2021/03/01 8:28:26 PM EST Anonymous 1607 Caliper Way Durham, NC 27713

Durham board now is the time to create the Bull City Plan for return. The veto has been upheld and we are no longer beholden to the NC legislature for our reopening plan. We can decide what's best for our community and the many board members indicated that they were open to doing just that if the governor's veto was upheld. I ask that you push back reopening for all schools in the district to match the April 8 reopening date that has been on the table for middle & high schools with the onset of this plan. This will allow the time needed for all staff that want to be fully vaccinated to be able to do so, as well as the time needed to ensure all safety measures are in place. Thanks for your consideration and let's Do It Like Durham!

2021/03/01 8:28:43 PM EST Elizabeth Lindquist 901 Clarendon Street Durham, NC 27705

Students are suffering in so many ways. Families are suffering. Opening schools must be a priority in Durham. Schools can and must be opened safely as soon as possible!

Please set the goal now, on Durham’s terms, to re-open schools for in-person learning for the entire 4th quarter.

Stop empowering the privatizers and show that our public schools are just as capable of being open safely as all the private schools in Durham (not to mention the other public school districts surrounding us).

DPS has received, and will continue to receive, Federal and State funds to support reopening safely - put that money to good use now and re-open our schools without delay!

2021/03/01 8:35:30 PM EST Becky Bonchick 4003 Wynford Place Durham, NC 27707

Now that the Senate has failed to override SB-37, I urge the School Board to push back the opening of school until it can be done more safely, certainly not on March 15th as originally proposed. It is also probably not wise to begin the week after Spring Break since some families may elect to travel. Ultimately, I urge the board to listen to our teachers and our surveys and not rush to open. Why change everything this close to the end of the school year?

2021/03/01 8:35:32 PM EST Maggie Radack 130 Forest Oaks Dr, 27705 Durham

Dear School Board Members, I am a science teacher at Northern HS. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning. Please push the proposed reopening date back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff. Sincerely, Maggie Radack

2021/03/01 8:40:24 PM EST Sara Mannone 4212 Cobscook dr Durham nc 27707

Please allow parents to attend high school sporting events .

2021/03/01 8:43:46 PM EST Dedicated Teacher Durham Durham

As a DPS teacher who has given my all, I felt really disappointed by the discussion of the board. I am a single mom, with a child who has asthma, my child is also a DPS student. If I am forced to go to school and it’s not safe, what do I do? I felt unsupported as an employee.

2021/03/01 8:46:31 PM EST Kara Taff 7 Morgans Ridge Lane Durham NC 27707

Follow the science and get kids back in school!! Give the 50% of families that responded to your survey saying they want to send their kids to in-personl learning the option to do so. Please also allow spectators at outside sports, again aligned with the science and the Governor's lifting of restrictions.

2021/03/01 8:55:31 PM EST Jules James 806 FANNING WAY DURHAM NC 27704

Thank you all for waiting to see the outcome of Gov. Cooper's actions and the legislature's response. It seems that with last week's meeting, the Board got a greater sense of exactly what kind of chaos had been wrought by quick and not quite fully considered actions. I'm not sure whether today's vote to sustain Gov. Cooper's veto will bring us back to previous plans which weren't perfect but were stable. If nothing else I urge the Board to seize this opportunity to bring teachers and staff more directly and transparently into a planning process and push back any reopening of buildings until April at the earliest, allowing the most time for those who want vaccines to have gotten them and to calibrate resources towards the students and facilities that have greatest need (either from continued lack of resources and from indicated % of families wanting in-building classes). If I dared to press my luck, I would also ask you to keep high schoolers *at least* fully remote as had been planned (and overwhelmingly selected by families in your most recent survey) so that at least some staff would not be juggling in-building/out-of- building chaos this spring and could be more available to think through a more collaborative plan for fall (and perhaps ready to navigate any continued legislative shenanigans regarding summer).

2021/03/01 8:57:36 PM EST Anonymous Durham 27707

Please stick to your original plan. Parents will be inconvenienced after been given a back to in- person date. Administration has already gone back and teachers are preparing to go back in less than a week. Please stay consistent and stop changing all the plans! Families need consistency!

2021/03/01 8:59:19 PM EST Jeremy Lash 174 North Point Drive 27705

Firemen, trash collectors, grocery/department store workers, policemen, etc. not to mention countless teachers around the globe have shown up to work. But in Durham we can’t seem to come up with a sensible way to get it done. You have made our community the laughing stock of the country and our kids, parents, and small businesses are paying the price.

2021/03/01 9:05:08 PM EST Anonymous Durham Durham, NC

Open schools in 2 weeks. Students are becoming less and less engaged in virtual school. More than half of cameras are turned off each class. Students are struggling. Learning centers have closed. We need schools to open!

2021/03/01 9:05:41 PM EST Stephen James 690 Hillsborough Road 27705

Your repeated lack of leadership or spine relative to reopening schools is not only a disgrace to the community you serve, but should lead to your immediate removal. You are failing our children by every statistic available. Working parents are struggling to make ends meet. Kids with special needs are falling further behind. You keep taking our tax revenue while the community that provides it suffers and looks to you to provide only what every other community and school board has shown a willingness to do.

2021/03/01 9:10:40 PM EST Brittany Del Rosario 3319 Woodland Park Road Durham, NC 27703

Dear School Board Members, I am a teacher at Northern HS. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning. Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff. Sincerely, Brittany Del Rosario

2021/03/01 9:11:51 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

Pushing the dates to go back to in person learning till fall is a good choice. That way you aren’t disrupting schedules and classroom assignments. Not only that the safety. It’s too risky to send everyone back so why not recoup back in the fall where everyone can get a good start.

2021/03/01 9:12:15 PM EST Anonymous Durham Durham, NC

Open schools in 2 weeks. Students are becoming less and less engaged in virtual school. More than half of cameras are turned off each class. Students are struggling. Learning centers have closed. We need schools to open!

2021/03/01 9:15:44 PM EST Annonymous Page Road Durham 27703

Teachers lives are literally in your hands. Please allow teachers ample time to receive BOTH vaccines and enough time for the vaccine to be fully effective. Reopening schools after spring break would allow the safest transition to in-person instruction, while allowing teachers and staff to protect themselves. I am pleading with families to look at your teachers and staff as human beings dedicated to your childrens’ growth socially, academically, and emotionally. Imagine returning to school in-person too early and having to discuss death and loss of your child’s beloved teacher(s).That is a conversation we can avoid by being cautious and valuing teacher input about feelings of safety. It is too soon to return to in-person instruction on March 15th. Please protect the teachers; they are heroes that rarely receive the recognition and support they deserve.

2021/03/01 9:19:41 PM EST Ellie Alston Ave 27707

Please push back the reopening of schools until at least after Spring Break, so we can make sure staff and students can come back in the building safely.

2021/03/01 9:21:06 PM EST Annonymous Page Road Durham 27703

Teachers lives are literally in your hands. Please allow teachers ample time to receive BOTH vaccines and enough time for the vaccine to be fully effective. Reopening schools after spring break would allow the safest transition to in-person instruction, while allowing teachers and staff to protect themselves. I am pleading with families to look at your teachers and staff as human beings dedicated to your childrens’ growth socially, academically, and emotionally. Imagine returning to school in-person too early and having to discuss death and loss of your child’s beloved teacher(s).That is a conversation we can avoid by being cautious and valuing teacher input about feelings of safety. It is too soon to return to in-person instruction on March 15th. Please protect the teachers; they are heroes that rarely receive the recognition and support they deserve.

2021/03/01 9:21:37 PM EST Eli Seed 622 S Mineral Springs Road Durham, NC 27703

DPS school board, I'm am a 25th year teacher, all with DPS, and I thank you for your work to do what is best for public school students and staff. You've further showed a willingness to revisit previous decisions and make the best decision for us. With the specter of SB37 no longer being both something you want to get ahead of and something somehow simultaneously forcing your hand, please move the possibility of any in-person schooling until after Spring Break. This will give school staff the opportunity to be fully vaccinated while ensuring we have all necessary safety protocols in place. I further ask that you reconsider recommitting to Plan C through the end of the year for 6-12. We have learned to thrive under the conditions we've had to deal with all school year and it would only result in chaos to change that routine now.

2021/03/01 9:23:43 PM EST Frank Ford Highland Lane 27704

Since SB37 will not become law, please go back to Durham's original plan to stay remote the whole year! This is the only way to ensure staff and student safety. Every staff member that wants the vaccine will be able to have it by Fall and we can safely, and happily, reopen for students! Reshuffling at this point in the year will disrupt our routine and negatively affect student learning.

2021/03/01 9:28:30 PM EST Patricia Christie 201 Brandermill Drive Durham, NC 27713

Since the NC legislature did not override Governor Cooper’s veto, please keep all Durham students virtual through the current school year. As little disruption as possible would be ideal for everyone. My kids need to keep the same classmates and teachers. Focus on opening in the fall SAFELY.

2021/03/01 9:35:09 PM EST Sarah Dacres Tattersall Drive Durham NC 27713

First, I am grateful for the many vaccination opportunities with Durham’s community partners. I am also grateful for the Board for arranging this meeting to determine a more safe, suitable reopening timeline. Will you please consider an April 8th start date for all schools—secondary, elementary and specialty?

Returning to in-person instruction is inherently risky—any contact is risky during a pandemic. However, at least April 8th would allow for increased outdoor learning, more vaccinated staff, and ample time to plan for the best teaching & learning opportunities during the transition back into buildings.

It’s not a safe date, but it’s a reasonable compromise from March 1st for those in specialty schools. Since science-based guidance and thorough planning are key to safe re-opening, an even safer return date than April 8th would be April 19th, two weeks after Easter/Spring Break. Inevitably, some people will encounter Covid-19 and its variants during Spring break and bring it to their schools and communities. Mid-April is just shy of the recommended two weeks for full immunization after the 2nd dose at the end of March for those employees who were vaccinated this week (as many were). April 19th would be a markedly better date than April 8th to ensure that the staff who contract Covid will be better equipped to survive it.

Any delay at this point will save lives as more staff become vaccinated. Thank you all for your ongoing work, time, and careful consideration.

2021/03/01 9:37:45 PM EST Brian Callaway 307 Gresham Ave Durham NC 27704

This is turning into sheer chaos. It seems to be a common theme among this Board to discuss the fear of having the State takeover elements of DPS. Well, it sure seems like the most expeditious way to invite State takeover of this entire district is by continuing down this path of pure chaos where we waste our resources by creating these wild waves of vacillation. This Board needs to govern. That means listen to your constituents and determine what is fear- driven exaggeration and hype and what is legitimate urgency and actual child well-being. You did that successfully in a 5-2 fashion two weeks ago.

Now please stop capitulating to a small but loud and fanatical group who evidently has way too much spare time and uses all that spare time to move the goalposts at every opportunity. It is impossible to negotiate with obstructionists. Open the schools—it is a simple goal. Open the schools as the CDC says should happen, as the majority of this Board expressed two weeks ago, as the Governor says he wants, as the President says he wants and most importantly as the plurality of DPS elementary school parents have already expressed they want.

2021/03/01 9:39:31 PM EST Michelle Hartman 2100 Sprunt Ave Durham

Thanks to the Board for waiting on the results of the Governor's veto and legislative actions. I strongly encourage the Board to vote to remain in Plan C as previously agreed upon. Four metrics remain yellow- including moderate community spread. Extremely concerning are the four metrics that remain in red- especially the lack of custodial staff and nurses which are vital to decreasing the spread of COVID in schools. Metrics in red in these areas indicate that we should remain in virtual learning. In addition, only 39% of families indicated preference for in person learning. The disruption to learning that will be caused to ALL of our children will come at a vital time in our children's learning and should be avoided. Access to learning centers should be expanded to accommodate the 39% so that teachers can focus their efforts on supporting the valuable learning that is occurring in the virtual format.

2021/03/01 9:40:04 PM EST Paul Bendich 902 Arnette Avenue Durham, NC, 27701

Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of NCAE, Cooper has vetoed the silly SB37 and the veto has been upheld. You now have time to make a sensible, safe, and logistically feasible re-opening plan that truly follows the CDC guidelines. Please honor the hard work and commitment of your educators and staff by directing DPS administration to work closely and openly and collaboratively with them in getting this done.

2021/03/01 9:42:56 PM EST Sherry Franklin 4910 Highgate Drive Durham, North Carolina 27713

Dear Board Members, thank you so much for all of the hard work you have done this year. I know it hasn’t been easy. As a parent of two Jordan High juniors and as a DPS teacher, I thank you. Two things, please. I ask that you push back the reopening date until April 8th so that all teachers who want to can be fully vaccinated. I got my first on February 24th and the relief I felt was immeasurable. Just a little more time for full vaccination, and enough planning time to do this right. I also ask that you reconsider opening the high schools at all. My two children will stay remote, but CDC guidelines say that if a community is in the orange or red, high school should remain virtual. Again, thank you for all you do.

2021/03/01 9:47:04 PM EST Marsha Harrell Rougemont, NC Rougemont NC

Now that Cooper's veto has been sustained, please pass Mr. Sears' motion to push the in person start date to April 8th. This will give many teachers and staff time to be fully vaccinated. As someone who was a healthy person before nearly dying of the flu, I don't want any of my fellow teachers or staff to have to learn what the terms ECMO, training collar and speaking tube mean firsthand like I did. Thank you

2021/03/01 9:47:47 PM EST Carolyn Allen 6312 Whitt Rd Durham NC 27712

Thank you for seriously considering the concerns of so many of our parents, teachers, students, and staff. Please push reopening out until at least April 8, so that staff members can be more fully vaccinated and schools can get better prepared for a safe re-entry. Please also reopen learning centers in the interim, as they have been such a helpful resource for our community.

2021/03/01 9:55:54 PM EST Anonymous Pebblestone Dr. Durham, NC 27703

Please consider reevaluating the deadline to return to in-person learning. While you have previously made it clear that your decision is more concerned with politics than people, perhaps now is the opportunity for you to remind the people of Durham why we should trust in your ability to lead. Delaying the timeline to return to schools until (at least) the middle of April will allow educators the opportunity to be fully vaccinated and to feel more comfortable with the risks associated with returning to the classroom.

2021/03/01 9:56:14 PM EST Lisa Cheek 190 Falcon Lane Rougemont, NC 27572

Now that the SB37 veto has been sustained, I ask that you delay the reopening of all school buildings until April 8th to allow enough time for all DPS staff to get fully vaccinated and to make sure plans are in place for a smoother reopening. Reopening schools after Spring Break, and at the beginning of a new quarter makes more sense. Please also take a look at Plan A for elementary students and modify that plan to include social distancing of 6 feet in the classrooms.

2021/03/01 10:14:05 PM EST Elementary teacher Haddington Road Dirham, NC 27701

I would like to plead with the board to extent the re-opening date until after spring break so that school personnel have the opportunity to get fully vaccinated. This is the safest way to reopen our schools for students, staff and all who would interact on a daily basis within our schools.

2021/03/01 10:17:16 PM EST Nicole Brown Sawyer St 27707

Considering teachers and staff are just getting their vaccinations, and the numbers in Durham County are just below 5%, shouldn’t we wait to open schools? Also even if we are opening schools why are we requiring unnecessary bodies to be in the building? Teachers and staff that are continuing to do their work “virtually” are still being required to work in the buildings? Why? If their work can be done remotely why have extra people(essentially raising the numbers) in the buildings? Are we trying to keep the numbers low? Are we doing everything we can to help our students and our community? If we must open we must still do everything we can to reduce transmission. Please consider reducing numbers as mush as possible and delaying opening until at least mid April.

2021/03/01 10:20:51 PM EST Jackie Thomas 902 Carroll street Durham nc

Please give the teachers and staff more time to prepare. After spring break would be best for a return to in person. Give staff time to get vaccinated. Safety first my children are doing great virtually. Thank you

2021/03/01 10:23:27 PM EST Avery Wilks 2111 Orange Grove Road, Apt A3 Hillsborough, NC 27278

As a resident near Durham who works around the Triangle area and is unavoidably exposed to multiple other residents and workers throughout, I object strongly to reopening schools in any local counties until vaccine distribution has achieved enough saturation that everyone, especially including students returning to school, have been able to receive both doses and reach full effectiveness of the vaccine. Any other course at this point raises the risk of covid-19 spread within schools, and subsequently via employed or shopping parents to the rest of the community. With an end to this pandemic in sight, we cannot afford to rush reopening and extend the dangers involved for another year or longer.

2021/03/01 10:26:15 PM EST Amber Tovar Thistlerock Lane Durham, NC

Thank you for coming together to reassess the plan for reopening schools. Since you are able to make a decision based on what is best for our community, I hope you will err on the side of safety. The CDC's plan for areas with either substantial transmission or high transmission of the virus says "Elementary schools [should be] in hybrid learning mode or reduced attendance. Physical distancing of 6 feet or more is required." Middle and high schools are supposed to remain virtual.

According to the CDC, even after teachers are vaccinated, students should still be both masked and distanced while at school to avoid spreading the virus to each other. The CDC states "children can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, can get sick from COVID-19, and can spread the virus to others." There are studies recommending that schools can open for in-person learning, however that does not mean plan A would be safe currently. It has been proven that transmission in schools can be low, but only under plan B when strict safety measures are in place, which must include both masks and 6 feet of physical distance.

Durham's plan for reopening should not only be delayed, it should be revised to match the CDC's safety guidelines found in the "K-12 School Operational Strategy."

2021/03/01 10:28:47 PM EST Kyle Moore 3605 Kilgo Dr Durham, NC, 27705

DPS announced in January that students would be remote through the entirety of this school year. Everyone made plans around that and we should continue with that plan. Shaking things up with a few weeks left in the school year makes no sense. It will result in less learning and make everyone have to reconsider their current accommodations. It is also the unsafe until all teachers have received their second round of vaccinations (and ideally children would be vaccinated too, but I understand the vaccine has not been approved for children yet). It was clear this year wouldn't be ideal, but let's just finish it in the way we have all become accustomed to and reset next year (or in summer). Thanks.

2021/03/01 10:31:19 PM EST MWright CDC Guideline Dr. Durham

If its so "safe" for teachers and staff to come into supposedly CDC guided buildings; When will fans be allowed back into the stadium to support athletes? Could teachers and staff have the benefit/perk of attending in person games, to support the athletes?

2021/03/01 10:36:47 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

Pushing the dates to go back to in person learning till fall is a good choice. That way you aren’t disrupting schedules and classroom assignments. Not only that the safety. It’s too risky to send everyone back so why not recoup back in the fall where everyone can get a good start.

2021/03/01 10:36:59 PM EST Manju Rajendran Summit St. Durham, NC 27707

I am a pre-K mother. I would like to share my gratitude to the many Durham residents who contacted our governor and legislators to defeat SB37, which would have forced public schools to reopen buildings and take away control from local school districts. The governor's veto was sustained by one vote. We know our calls and letters made a difference.

I am joining with DPS parents across Durham County to say: please reopen schools only after all school personnel are fully vaccinated (including the second dose and the post-vaccination interval).

All our teachers, instructional assistants, bus drivers, custodians, nutritional workers, office staff, administrators, and school staff deserve at least this much respect for all they make possible for the next generation of Durham changemakers.

Once you have determined it is safe to reopen buildings, we trust you will institute a district- wide commitment to consistent mask-wearing, six foot distancing, adequate ventilation of buildings, and tracking of COVID cases as they emerge.

We recognize that our neighbors who are unable to work from home have relied on the Learning Centers for daily support. Please keep the Learning Centers open with expanded availability, and eliminate any associated fees for the remainder of the school year, given the economic hardship that the majority of our households have faced.

Thank you so much!

2021/03/01 10:38:30 PM EST Jenneca Graber-Grace 1405 Leon St. Durham

Hi! I am a public school teacher at southern high school and I am asking you to please move reopening dates for ALL schools to after spring break (April!) so all educators have the chance to be FULLY vaccinated beforehand!

2021/03/01 10:59:39 PM EST Danielle Doughman Knox St Durham, NC 27705

I want to strongly encourage the board to stay the course on the March 15 opening. I will be able to increase my hours at work as a direct result of expecting schools to open after having had to cut back to help my little one with remote kindergarten. I know I am just one person among many that has had to cut hours or drop out of work altogether to make remote school work for my kid who can't read yet.

A good many teachers are ready and prepared to teach in person, though the current climate makes it hard for them to speak up. I worked at the vaccine clinic on the first day teachers came in - and they easily comprised a majority of the nearly 1,800 people who were vaccinated that day, which is great to see.

I appreciate that the decision to open schools on March 15 was not easy and required weighing many variables and viewpoints. Thank you for your leadership on that. Don't back down.

Thank you.

2021/03/01 11:25:29 PM EST Caroline Warren 823 W 7th St Winston-Salem, NC Winston-Salem, NC 27101

I am a math teacher at Northern High School and I am asking you to please allow all teachers the chance to get both doses of vaccine before bringing us back. Specifically, elementary, EC, and specialty high schools. Please make 4/8 the return date for everyone.

2021/03/01 11:29:23 PM EST JoAnn Hester Thistle Trace Hillsborough

In December, my daughter, son in law, as well as my 3 children all contracted COVID. This was an awful time in our lives for myself and my family as we watched my youngest grandson and son in law struggle to breathe. My daughter and the grandchildren are now fully recovered. However; my son in law is still struggling with the after effects of COVID 19. I only ask that I be given the opportunity to be fully vaccinated before I return back to in person learning. I am very afraid of not only getting sick but bringing it home to my family. Please consider my request... Thank you

2021/03/01 11:44:27 PM EST Teacher Anonymous Anonymous

I beg you to make a choice and stick to it. It is so incredibly draining for the plan to keep changing and it is personally taking a toll on my mental health. We went from committing to virtual all year as decided in January, to deciding in February to open elementary starting on March 15th, to a possible date change yet again. It is exhausting to try to keep up with everything and continually replan. This has been happening for a year now and it is burning me out. I didn’t want to go back in-person because I did not feel it was safe and I didn’t trust DPS. I now have my first shot and PPE is supposedly on the way, so I am happy to go back to school as long as an actual choice is made and it is followed through. We just want to teach but right now I’m not even sure if I am in a place where I can do that anymore due to the absolutely draining, demoralizing, and overwhelming nature of this school year and the complete failure of the board to take any decisive and meaningful action. Please just let us go back. Coming back right after spring break won’t be any safer because of all the traveling. In fact, I would think it would make more sense to come back on the 15th, get some time under our belts, and then be virtual for a week or so after spring break for safety.

2021/03/01 11:52:44 PM EST Denise Bahena-Bustos 1203 Orchard Oriole Lane Durham, NC 27713

I yield my time to Aminah Jenkins.

2021/03/01 11:58:34 PM EST Dani Bahena Bustos 700 Finsbury Street Durham, NC, 27703

I yield my time to Aminah Jenkins.

2021/03/02 12:10:44 AM EST Gerry Brooks Carver St Durham NC 27704

I ask that you push back reopening for all schools in the district to match the April 8 reopening date that has been on the table for middle & high schools with the onset of this plan. This will allow the time needed for all erducators that want to be fully vaccinated to be able to do so, as well as the time needed to ensure all safety measures are in place. Thanks for your consideration.

2021/03/02 1:07:54 AM EST Louis Charleston Road Raleigh, NC 27606

Teachers should not be required to teach in person. They should not have to risk their health in order to keep their job. The risk of getting sick and possibly infecting students is not worth the marginal reward of in person teaching when compared to virtual teaching. Vaccines are not fully rolled out, so there is still a high risk of infection and the decision to take that risk should be up to the individual teacher, not the school.

2021/03/02 3:38:14 AM EST Nori McDuffie 508 Reynolds Ave. Durham NC 27707

I yield my time to Aminah Jenkins

2021/03/02 4:47:21 AM EST Latania Lyles 4615 Hope Valley Rd Durham

Dear School Board Members, I am an EC teacher at Northern HS. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning. Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff. Sincerely, Ms. Latania Lyles

2021/03/02 4:56:24 AM EST Jessica Johnstone 3116 Hope Valley Road 27707

Now given the opportunity to decide what's best for our community, I ask that you push back reopening for all schools in the district to April 15 and for learning centers to remain open until closer to that time. This will allow the time needed for all staff to be fully vaccinated, schools time to prepare to open safely, and for the important lag time after spring break to keep community spread down. Thanks for your consideration.

2021/03/02 5:42:37 AM EST Eliza Nash 309 Hillsborough Road Durham NC 27705

I have a son with special needs. I cannot work because he cannot go to school. He cannot get the therapies he needs because he is not at school. My friends in other areas do nothing have these issues because their kids are in school. Why is DPS doing this to our kids, working parents, and local businesses after all we have done for them?

2021/03/02 5:49:40 AM EST Anonymous Anonymous Durham, NC, 27703

The most logical day to return to school is April 19. It’s 2 weeks after spring break. That gives everyone time to quarantine coming back from traveling. Also most educators would have received their 2nd shot by then.

2021/03/02 5:52:01 AM EST Brianna Smith 2810 Crest Street Durham NC 27705

How can anyone at DPS look themselves in the mirror right now? Your decision and stance is destroying our kids, parents, and community. Kids are dropping out and failing at record highs. Only my husband can work so we are going to lose our house. I lost my job because they can’t tolerate me being gone so much with my kids at home. All so you teachers can feel safer than all other people and you ignore the proof that this can be done sensibly as it is all around the world?

2021/03/02 6:39:41 AM EST Sandy Bolton 1433 Cole Mill Road Durham NC 27705

You are playing politics with our kids future and destroying our community. You are turning your back on our children including ones with IEP and 504. Where is there protection? You are listening to a few, likely incompetent teachers and self serving unions vs. those looking for a sensible way to reopen schools and do their job. Meanwhile our kids suffer and parents can’t make ends meet but still foot the bill as schools continue taking our money and receive a guaranteed wage. Do your job and find a way to reopen schools like all other have. Even my trash collector can be counted on more than DPS right now.

2021/03/02 6:43:31 AM EST Donna Bahena 1203 Orchard Oriole Ln 27713

I yield my time to Aminah Jenkins.

2021/03/02 6:51:20 AM EST Lisa McCool-Grime 311 S Lasalle St APT 49M 27705

Our people on the ground have organized and worked so hard to get this sustained veto of SB 37 so that DPS could have the flexibility to make a timeline that works better for us. In a professional development webinar last week, district officials apologized repeatedly to us, admitting that mistakes were made—that they failed to include rank and file employees on the current reopen plan and timeline the DPS board approved at the emergency meeting. This is the moment that those mistakes can be fixed. We have won the DPS board the flexibility to be able to correct the originally rushed timeline. Your educators show their care for our students every day and we want this reopening to go well. Please give us the time to do that and push back reopening until after spring break.

2021/03/02 7:06:07 AM EST Concerned Teacher Anywhere Durham, NC

Durham board now is the time to create the Bull City Plan for return. The veto has been upheld and we are no longer beholden to the NC legislature for our reopening plan. We can decide what's best for our community and many board members indicated that they were open to doing just that if the governor's veto was upheld. I ask that you push back reopening for all schools in the district to look at an opening date of April 19th. This will allow the time needed for all staff that want to be fully vaccinated to be able to do so, as well as the time needed to ensure all safety measures are in place. It also would allow for testing for those families that travel during Spring Break. Thanks for your consideration and let's Do It Like Durham!

2021/03/02 7:46:51 AM EST Hayley Filegar 824 Berwyn Avenue Durham, 27704

Please hold off on reopening our schools until teachers who'd like to be are vaccinated and until DPS has a safe, solid plan for re-entry, on April 8th. Our hands are no longer "tied" because of SB37, and now we have time to do it right. Additionally, teachers should have a voice and be a true part of the process of making these plans, as we are the ones who will be doing the work. Feedback from August is not current. Let's do this the safe way and LEAD like Durham leads.

2021/03/02 7:53:38 AM EST Anon Anon None

Can all central office staff and BOE members state publicly if they chose face to face or online for their own kids in DPS schools? If it is not safe enough for your child why is it safe enough for mine? If it isn't safe enough for you to meet in person why is it safe enough to open schools?

2021/03/02 7:55:47 AM EST Henry Fisher 1417 West Pettigrew st. Durham NC 27705

Where is the social justice when we pay the same tax revenue for inadequate education of our kids. Only 2 hours per day of virtual education. Kids are in social isolation. Fail and dropout rates are at all time highs. Business cannot operate and people can't pay their bills because our school system is forcing them to choose between that or leaving their young kids at home. Kids with special needs are falling further behind. Meanwhile schools are operating in person just fine all around the country and even charter schools in our area. You have been exposed as a bunch of political hypocrites not looking out for the best interest of our kids and community.

2021/03/02 8:02:54 AM EST Tim Patterson 7 Coolidge Pl Durham NC 27705

Stop following what political parties suggest you do, exposing how political you are, vs. doing what is best for our children and community. Our kids are struggling academically and socially. Professions all around Durham (including teachers) have shown that you can sensibly return to the workplace. Most do not have the luxury of a government paycheck, which ironically is funded by the very people and businesses demanding you provide the service they are paying for, yet getting shamed by those with a different point of view. Many teachers and students want to be back in school. Why is DPS so ignorant to the needs of their community and unwilling to provide this option for those who need it the most?

2021/03/02 8:08:23 AM EST Julie Brown 5218 Meryton Park Way Raleigh NC 27616

I just wish we would have waited and monitored the legislation, as some of our board members wisely suggested. I also cannot fathom why you would require teachers who are working online to work on site, especially when they don’t feel comfortable doing so or have medical reasons to be afraid to return. Most of my colleagues have not yet been approved to stay at home and are anxiously awaiting this news. As we have been given very little information about what returning to school would look like, I sincerely hope that the district will put boots to the ground in making this a successful endeavor, and will do a better job at keeping us teachers in the loop. Last, think of our kids- it is stressful enough for our students to transition back to school, for for such a short period of the remaining school year, without having any idea what that looks like.

2021/03/02 8:12:31 AM EST Sarah Durham Durham

Please send students back in the original plan date! My daughter is struggling to learn, misses her friends and was so excited when she found out she could go back on March 15. It would crush her to know she has to wait another month. She is having a really hard time virtually, becoming less and less engaged in her learning.

2021/03/02 8:14:44 AM EST Nicolle Mercer 4 Coach Terrace durm

Thank you for your work. Please immediately allow parents to attend outdoor sporting events, practicing safe covid protocols. If in-person teaching is expected, allowing outdoor spectators is an easy decision.

Also, with the swift actions that DPS has been taking to get the staff and teachers vaccinated, suggest that in-person instruction start after spring break, to allow for the max number of vaccinations to be completed before in-person resumes.

Thank you for your work!

2021/03/02 8:21:48 AM EST Jason Smith 1114 Berkeley Street Durham NC 27705

For years you have asked for more pay, volunteers to support your cause and did so in the name of improving our children's school system and education. You are exposing to us that many of you did so for self-serving interests, not for the betterment of our kids or community. If not, you would be taking a more sensible approach to returning our kids to school and not ignore the negative effects your position and stance has created. Do what is right for our kids, parents, and community as it seems every district outside of Durham has found a way to do. You are the definition of incompetence and have become political hacks.

2021/03/02 8:29:53 AM EST Samuel Badua 1414 Avondale Dr. #11 Durham NC 27701

Not permitting in classroom instruction is a disgrace and disservice to our community and the many tax payers who have supported, volunteered, and given so much to enable our school system to be where it is today. You have disregarded the needs of our children who need classroom education the most, working parents who are struggling to make ends meet, local businesses who cannot keep their doors open, enabled dissonance in our community and initiated negative health and emotional trends that will take years to recover from. You all should be fired from your position and replaced with a board competent enough to enable in- classroom choices for those who need it as has been done everywhere around the country.

2021/03/02 8:33:57 AM EST Durham Educator and Parent Durham Durham

If teachers and staff are being forced back into buildings I ask two things. One that you give us time to prepare and two that you do not allow k-5 to operate without requiring 6ft of social distancing not just in public spaces but inside EVERY classroom. It seems inhumane to require this social distancing everywhere except inside classrooms. As we speak teachers are being told that social distancing of 6 feet is not required or feasible. We are being told we will be inside classroom with 18-25 students and little to no social distancing. This is unfair and unsafe. Just like I am sure you all plan on maintaining your 6ft of social distancing at work I ask that I have the opportunity to do the same.

2021/03/02 8:42:43 AM EST Jamie Haigler Cheshire Bridge Road Durham, NC

Please consider adding the discussion about allowing spectators at sporting events to the agenda this evening per the Governors new Executive Order. Allowing this would be a tremendous boost for the students, student athletes, coaches, administrators, parents, etc. not to mention some revenue for the athletic departments who have been shutdown for nearly a year. Seasons are shortened and waiting to make this decision only means less opportunity for everyone. If made tonight there is a chance soccer and lacrosse parents can actually see their kids play in person and football parents wont miss half or more of the season. County Stadium seats 8,500 people so social distancing for the 30% allowed should easily be obtainable. Thank You

2021/03/02 8:55:47 AM EST Phillip Stafford 2500 W Club Blvd Durham, NC, 27705

The high academic failure rate this year is a true emergency, and the Board should maintain the current reopening date of March 15. This can be done safely before DPS staff are vaccinated. There will always be reasons to delay, but we must remember that the schools serve the students, and many of our students are seriously struggling in the remote environment. Choosing to delay is choosing to lower those students’ chances of catching up.

2021/03/02 8:56:42 AM EST Angry DPS Dad Durham 27705

As you are primed to bow down yet again to the demands of the DAE, putting the concerns of an illegal union ahead of those of a significant portion of your families and the wellbeing and growth of your students, I ask that you consider eliminating Worthless Wednesday’s and re- institute full week in person learning, at least for elementary students.

My second grader’s mental health has taken a nosedive and the Wednesday programming has done nothing to help on this front, plus he is left bored with no academic engagement. If private schools have been in-person 5 days per week since August with rigorous cleaning standards, and well before vaccines had even been approved, then why can’t DPS figure out how to clean their facilities without shutting down for an entire day each week?

2021/03/02 9:03:11 AM EST Mary Grace Miller 20 Cedar Hill Drive Durham

I am writing to ask that all Durham Public Schools open for students on April 8. With the state no longer forcing our start date, an April 8 start will allow time for all staff to be fully vaccinated and allow more time to plan for an organized and safe return. Thank you!

2021/03/02 9:15:15 AM EST Marcy Attred Barbee Rd 27713

Please push back the start date for schools to after Spring Break. Allowing a week or two for symptoms to develop after Spring Break travel would be prudent. Or perhaps requiring a negative COVID test before returning to school. Please keep our staff and students safe!

2021/03/02 9:20:21 AM EST Concerned Parent & Educator District 3 27713

Please delay school openings until atleast mid-April for the safety and well being of ALL.

1. All staff need the opportunity to have BOTH doses of the Covid vaccine if they choose so BEFORE they return to the buildings. 2. Monday, March 15th is the day after Daylight Saving Time--this causes chaos during a normal year, imagine the chaos of it being the first day back! 3. Mid-April would give us a chance to not open rushed and haphazardly and give us a cushion to return safely with a well thought out plan after spring break--when we know people will travel despite being told not to.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We want to be back in person, but ONLY if we can do it in a well-planned, safe manner for ALL involved.

2021/03/02 9:26:47 AM EST DPS parent 27712 27712

It's time for our children to go back to school. Teachers are receiving their vaccines, in a few weeks all of them will be vaccinated. Give our families a choice to send them back for at least a few weeks. These weeks will be a good practice to put in place all COVID protocols, since one thing is to have a plan and another execute it. If March 15th seems too close, to do 2 weeks after Spring break with a staggered entry, starting with elementary schools.

2021/03/02 9:28:20 AM EST Leslie Joan out of state Dallas TX

My "child" is a second year, second grade teacher in the Durham Public Schools. My guess is that she's made more contingency plans in her first year of service than many teachers in their entire careers. Please stop the continuous policy change. Go back to your decision to avoid the classroom this school year and stay there. Put all the resources into pulling together for a better year next year. Ensure that ALL DPS schools and classrooms have what's needed to ensure a safe and healthy environment. At minimum: Vaccines for teachers and staff; good ventilation; rules for social distancing - and enforcement. Verify what is being told to you about readiness in all district schools.

2021/03/02 9:29:22 AM EST Parent Durham 27713

We didn’t get any option to accommodate or prepare for our kids staying home last year. We work. It has been stressful for all of us, but we find a way. We don’t have time to keep track of the school system decisions. But why are you changing your minds? The science has not changed. The only things changing are the excuses for delaying. Stand by your decision and give us the choice of letting our kids return to the schools we pay taxes for.

2021/03/02 9:37:22 AM EST Katy Durham, NC 27707

I am grateful for the Governor’s veto. I am also grateful to the board for being open to revisit the start date. As cases continue to rise, it is my sincere hope for the safety of staff and students that we go back to the original plan of remaining virtual the rest of this school year.

2021/03/02 9:58:02 AM EST Patrick Murphy 128 Canadian Court Durham, NC 27713

Science, experts, and our leaders tell us that elementary schools should be the last thing to close and the first thing to reopen. Many elementary schools in North Carolina and around the country did just that. Yet, elementary schools in DPS have been closed now for a year. We have failed the children in Durham. We let fear win over our own values and common sense. Further, DPS's online program has failed to keep students on track.

We can only move forward from where we are. We must reopen elementary schools without delay and in a way that provides maximum benefit for students. Unfortunately, DPS has left the details of how schools will reopen to individual schools and a hodgepodge of plans has emerged. Many of these plans only kick the can down the road by continuing online learning in an in person setting. This is unacceptable. After a lost year, our children deserve to receive the education they are entitled to under North Carolina's constitution.

2021/03/02 10:04:58 AM EST Janeen Gingrich 1016 ninth street Durham nc 27705

I have tried to ask this of a few folks at DPS, no one seems to be certain. Can you opt for at home schooling but still send your child to after school in order to get a couple hours of daily respite (and give the DPS system some extra income)?

2021/03/02 10:09:07 AM EST Heidi Hubbard 1303 OAKLAND AVE DURHAM

I would like to thank the school board for making the incredibly challenging and brave decision to open Durham Public Schools and ask them to continue this path. Students have not received in-person instruction for nearly a year and need to return to the classroom. This decision will benefit all students and especially our most vulnerable students, working families, and ultimately strengthen DPS and benefit teachers as this will hopefully stem the flight to private schools. The situation we will be in by the time school re-opens on March 15th, with the combination of one vaccine dose for educators and support staff, mask wearing, and low community spread coupled with the robust evidence that children are very low spreaders, is such that a return to school poses a very low risk evidenced by CDC recommendations and epidemiological research. When we weigh this against the risk of not re-opening to students and the community as a whole, reopening is a safer path forward. It is critically important to continue to make evidence-based decisions based on sound science rather than fear and spin. We need to model for our students our trust in the validity of science, research, and education as they navigate this challenging world that frequently tells them otherwise. Finally, an enormous thank you to the educators, administrators, parents, and caregivers who have successfully brought our students this far and all want what is best for our educational system and community, even if we have different visions of how to get there. Heidi Hubbard

2021/03/02 10:09:21 AM EST anon anon anon

Dear School Board Members, SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff should need to hastily report to school for ONE MONTH before the end of the year. It's hasty, not well thought out and could further interrupt students' learning. DPS should remain in PLAN C until we can get a grip on re-opening strategies. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham.

2021/03/02 10:12:17 AM EST Anonymous teacher Durham Durham NC

As a teacher who has requested accommodations due to being severely high risk, I do not understand how having teachers teach remotely FROM THE SCHOOL BUILDING is equitable. Teachers in other counties that are teaching remote from the building are being asked to do temperature checks, cover classes and do other tasks that put them at risk. If you are at high risk, you should not be forced to be exposed to others when you can do your job from your home. You are going to lose good teachers who are not willing to put their jobs over their lives and their family's lives.

2021/03/02 10:13:12 AM EST anon NA NA

Returning to in-person learning before the end of the school year, which is just around the corner, is a MAJOR disruption to learning, NOT a benefit. please reconsider your vote to send students and staff back. It will benefit NO ONE.

2021/03/02 10:19:40 AM EST Zakiyyah E. Omar 117 Tom Wilkinson Road (NHS) Durham, NC 27712 Durham

Dear School Board Members, I am a counselor at Northern HS. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning. Please push the proposed reopening dates back to the next school year (August 2021) for everyone. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff.

Sincerely, Zakiyyah E. Omar

2021/03/02 10:27:35 AM EST Piper King 2901 Gretmar Dr 27705

Putting students and staff in danger by opening schools prematurely stands in direct opposition to the purpose of the school system, which is to provide a safe and healthy environment for children to learn and grow. The county should wait to open schools until all teachers and staff are vaccinated and have developed immunity. This can range from 2-4 weeks after the second vaccination so opening in the next two to three weeks is a mistake with possibly deadly consequences.

2021/03/02 10:30:14 AM EST Sonja M Thalheimer 1209 N. Duke St. Durham, NC, 27701

If there are not changes made to the Board's decision to send us back to school on the 15th, I'm afraid many of us - teachers, students, families - will have lost a lot of trust in the Board. Many of us who work on the ground in DPS feel scared about the return to school; many of us feel betrayed by the Board rushing to send us back when the State isn't necessitating it. We can definitely return to school safely and enthusiastically, but right now there are not concrete plans in place that schools can use. We deeply need more time in order to return to school in a way that will prioritize safety for students + staff and allow for excellent educational opportunities for all students. Everything is too rushed right now. Please consider delaying reopening until at least April 7th: that will be enough time for many educators to have received both vaccines doses. We need that time to be safe. We want to do this, we want to be back in school, but we want to do it safely and considerately. We talk to our families every week. The vast majority of them don’t contact the board -- please don't think the voices of a privileged few represent our district. Even our parents who want to go back as soon as possible, care about us and our safety, and trust us when we say we need a little more time. Show us you are listening, to educators and to our families.

2021/03/02 10:36:03 AM EST Anonymous Durham Durham

I am an elementary school teacher in DPS. Please stop changing your minds. You made a decision a few weeks ago for elementary students to return to the building on March 15 and teachers on March 8, many teachers started making arrangements and instructional plans for that date. Parents are anxious for answers and frustrated that teachers cannot provide them yet. Changing the date will only cause further confusion and frustration for teachers and families.

2021/03/02 10:46:54 AM EST Jessica Mcclellan 4902 Tapestry Terrace Durham, NC, 27713

We need to start March 15 as was originally stated. I understand teachers need time, but they have had since the beginning of the school year plus numerous work days and every Wellness Wednesday to prepare classrooms for use. School days are several hours shorter so there really is no excuse for them to not have their rooms ready.

Science has already shown teachers don’t need to be completely vaccinated to be safe in school openings.

The excuses provided once again show the incompetence in planning and the ineptitude of DPS in providing a quality education for its youngest and most fragile learners. It would have been better to have started with an April opening then gives us all the false hope of starting March 15. Those two extra weeks are so needed and will provide critical instruction to these young students! Please do not delay any longer! You are failing my family and thousands of other families by delaying opening schools even two weeks later.

2021/03/02 10:46:57 AM EST Scott Casey 700 Moreene Rd Durham NC 27705

DPS should be ashamed of their behavior and actions this past year. More specifically our community is appalled by many teachers who claim to have our kids interests at heart...yet demonstrate despicable behaviors, actions, and words on social media and elsewhere clearly driven by political bias and a lack of understanding or interest in knowing how their behaviors and actions impact the broader community. While hiding behind a desire to be "safe", they are shaming all parents, kids, and teachers who want to return rather than being open to a compromise. Likewise, DPS has been unwilling to meet families in the middle and offer a sensible return to school caving into this self-centered, fear mongering crowd.

2021/03/02 10:52:50 AM EST Jim Bryson 3 Morristown Cir Durham NC 27705

Who died and made DPS king? You can defy all science, logic, reason, evidence, and data suggesting our schools be in-person, and further deny that right to those who pay for you to have the position you are afforded? You are further exposing yourself as a self-centered, union and politically driven group with an agenda that does not have our kids best interests at heart. The people of Durham will not stand by and watch you run our kids and our city into the ground. It is your responsibility and obligation to permit in classroom instruction for those who want it or you should forfeit their tax revenue so they can find said services elsewhere.

2021/03/02 10:55:52 AM EST Elizabeth Husketh 903 Ingram Ct Hillsborough, NC

Dear Members of the BOE, Thank you for reconsidering the start date of return to in-person learning. Please allow time for teachers to be fully vaccinated, including time for immune protection, before requiring our return. The CDC states both vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) will reach their maximum immunity protection from moderate to severe disease 14 days after the second dose. The week of April 12th is when those of us who were lucky enough to be vaccinated early on in Group 3's window will reach maximum immunity protection. Thank you for listening and prioritizing the safety & health of our students, teachers, and their families during this pandemic.

2021/03/02 10:59:42 AM EST Pam Durham Durham

My child goes to a learning center and they have already closed. Please keep your original plan of opening schools so she can keep consistency. Other districts have already gone back and closing the learning centers and reopening them would not make sense. Continue with the plan previously proposed!!

2021/03/02 11:02:29 AM EST John Durham Durham

I am a parent and my child will be returning to in-person learning. I have already made plans to go back to work on March 15 and it would be a HUGE inconvenience for me to have to make arrangements to stay at home if you delay returning back to school. Thank you for your consideration.

2021/03/02 11:04:55 AM EST Nicholas Graber-Grace 1809 Glendale Avenue Durham NC, 27701

It is an immense relief that we have a safe re-opening of DPS within our reach. With more DPS staff gaining vaccine access each day, I believe we can safely resume in person learning in elementary schools and specialty high schools by April 8th, giving educators time to prepare their classrooms and pivot to planning for in person instruction after Spring Break. Middle and High School should resume a week or two later, once those school workers are also fully vaccinated. This timeline - though later than the current March 15th date -- would actually allow more in-person learning time for middle and high school students because you could use a two-cohort Plan B model than the current 3 cohort model that requires unnecessarily complicated administrative back flips.

2021/03/02 11:14:01 AM EST Stephen Jackson 12 Dorothy Drive #C Durham NC 27701

How does DPS believe it has the authority to dictate rather my kids go to school while I continue to pay for that service without refund? Any other service company would be ashamed to reduce the terms of their agreement, yet continue to take from its customers. You continue to take form your community and in return are not working with us to come up with a sensible way to get back into the classroom. What makes DPS so unique that allows it to have different standards for return than all neighboring towns and states, let alone our own charter schools. All of which by the way, have returned with no increased incident of COVID compared to the general population.

2021/03/02 11:15:19 AM EST Joshua Carr 204 Grey Elm Trail 204 Grey Elm Trail

DPS should enact a mandatory COVID-19 testing policy, should students return to school. Non- symptomatic students and teachers should be tested randomly and there should be a weekly quota for submitted Random tests for each school per week. This is a perfectly reasonable method in getting ahead of potential COVID clusters in school before they get out of control and start to effect the community.

2021/03/02 11:16:29 AM EST Martha Figuerado SW Durham 27713

I am urging the Board to give DPS staff time to be fully vaccinated. Students in my separate setting classroom will continue to need support in daily hygiene requiring close physical contact. Now we will also have to support their learning to wear masks, keep distance from others, and minimize bodily fluid contamination. In order to provide this level of support safely, I must be vaccinated fully. I have trusted the Board to support school staff in every classroom and until February 18th, you have not let me down. Please vote for returning after Spring Break and restore our feelings of safety and support.

2021/03/02 11:18:34 AM EST Nancy Speer 510 E Umstead St. Durham NC 27701

How can you claim to be a board that prides itself on education, when your own staff refuses to educate itself on the mounds of evidence, data, science, and information available to safely reopen our schools. Enough with the politics and pandering to the people who likely didn't even want to work in the classroom prior to COVID. All of the great teachers I know want to return to the classroom and are just waiting on the opportunity. The risk will never be zero. Likewise it is not 100%. So stop treating us all as if we have underlying conditions and reopen our schools for those that want the choice. The survival rate is >99% and the numbers are falling. You are running out of excuses to not reopen our schools.

2021/03/02 11:22:44 AM EST Autistic Ally Durham 27713

We often hold up disabled students when we want to talk about equity issues and vulnerable populations. We cannot let this simply be a political buzzword - we must go above and beyond to truly protect our students with disabilities. It is critically important that board members, educators, families and community members understand that while the respite and specialized support provided to students with developmental disabilities is important, these students are MORE likely to contract COVID-19. They are also more vulnerable to severe symptoms and death. We must protect these students through vaccination of school staff and family members to keep these children safe. Please vote to start after Spring Break to allow all staff to be fully vaccinated.

2021/03/02 11:29:49 AM EST Nick Brown 807 South Duke St. #227 Durham NC 27701

Rather than side with your community and take a leadership position, you demonstrated cowardice by waiting until seeing what political officials suggest, then only adhere to what you must. Aside form demonstrating further your political bias, it shows our community the priorities you put above it, our children, parents, and teachers.

2021/03/02 11:30:00 AM EST Morghean McPhail Oxford Drive Durham, NC 27707

Thank you again for revisitng the reopening dates, now that SB37 has been vetoed. I know there are very strong feelings all around about how to return safely, and when. I request that, at the earliest, we wait until 2 weeks after Spring Break, but waiting until August would be even better.

I currently have students sharing about sleepovers they are having, parties they are attending, and other social gatherings that include people outside of their "pod" where they are not using masks or social distancing. I know how desperate people are to be out and about, and am certain that more travel will be happening over the break than happened during winter.

I am also not certain how well the members of the school board know about conditions within school buildings. I have heard from colleagues about several buildings with toxic mold, the complaints that have been made, without remedy. There are also the windowless rooms in which teachers are delivering instruction, and rooms with windows that don't open, the limited space and furniture within classrooms that will not allow for distancing, and when I think about how bathroom breaks will be occurring, frankly I just shiver.

Please please please wait to reopen schools until all teachers, all staff, all children who desire to be vaccinated have done so.

2021/03/02 11:35:12 AM EST Elizabeth Diehl 5804 Tattersall Dr. Durham, NC 27713

I'm an ESL teacher at Northern High School. Please allow us to remain in plan C for the rest of the semester as was previously decided. The building I would be forced to return to is old and moldy. It floods, and air quality was horrible prior to the pandemic. It’s not a safe working environment, especially for in-person classes now. I am concerned about students' mental health, so I encourage the board to provide funding for more counselors, mental health resources, and social workers because teachers are not trained or paid to be mental health professionals, and going to work in an unsafe environment will not remedy the current struggles with mental health.

2021/03/02 11:37:24 AM EST Andrew Waggoner 1104 Iredell street Durham, NC 27705

DPS must not delay in reopening schools to those elementary and middle school students who want to attend in person. While we are deeply sympathetic to the needs and concerns of teachers and staff, and agree with the governor that any reopening plan must conform to all state health department guidelines on the safe distancing of students, we must acknowledge the data showing that kids are not a significant vector of infection and that schools can open and function safely. The perceived risks of reopening are more than offset by the demonstrated risks of not doing so: risks to learning, socialization, diet, and the physical and emotional well- being of thousands of the state's most vulnerable children. This morning's release of test data showing that students are falling behind after a year of online instruction is only the latest in a steadily mounting body of evidence that keeping schools closed poses a serious, long-term risk to the community, one whose costs are barely calculable at this point. Many of us are out in the world, protected only by masks, doing work that cannot be done online. And all of us continue to benefit from the work of those who bag our groceries, deliver our packages, nurse our wounds and generally keep society up and running no matter the risks. They, too, have kids, and have for a year now performed an impossible juggling act of feeding, nurturing and educating their own families while at the same time taking care of the rest of us. They need, we all need, for the schools to open, as soon and as safely as possible.

2021/03/02 11:43:25 AM EST Bridget Bennett 303 Chestnut Oak Place Durham, NC 27704

We are more than a number. Schools are not businesses, we are not charter schools, we are public schools. We are a system built on community and encouraging safety. How can such things be done if we are rushing to reopen our schools for the sake of numbers? Not losing students to another district. If families are so unhappy with how we as a whole community has been handling the pandemic then this is a loss that I am happy to see go. The negativity only further drags all of us down. We must be part of the solution not further the problem by again putting pressure because we can no longer handle stress. The pandemic is hard on everyone but we need to take individual accountability, look inward and see how we each can work on our mental health, help our children and in turn help our educators. We cannot blame a district, educators or a pandemic for all of the things going wrong in our life or children’s lives, rather we need to ban together and work together. We can make individual sacrifices and do our part to keep everyone safe but most importantly help us excel to the best of our ability for as different as it might be in this virtual environment. I ask the board to give accountability back to our families and our district and educators have gone to great lengths with providing multiple accommodations including learning centers for those that need it during these times. Together we are Bull City Strong. Keep stability this year for our children this has a detrimental impact on their mental health the constant unknown and back and forth with news.

2021/03/02 11:56:43 AM EST Charlie Reece 3604 DARWIN RD DURHAM, NC 27707

As the father of two amazing DPS kids, as a member of our Durham community who is immensely grateful to you for your service, and as a Durham resident standing in solidarity with our educators, staff, students and families, I am writing to plead with you in the strongest possible terms to delay the reopening of DPS schools until at least April 8th. This brief delay will allow many more DPS employees to get vaccinated before returning to school. Given the failure of SB37 to become law, let's keep relying on Durham's values to help us navigate the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in public education in Durham. Please delay reopening until at least April 8th.

2021/03/02 12:07:20 PM EST Jacob Stanley 1932 Crowell St Durham, NC 27707

Center for Disease Control guidelines need to be followed. The Board of Education must push the opening date until AFTER all staff have been vaccinated and have developed immunity. Even one staff member or student getting needlessly sick with COVID-19 because of this rushed, anti-democratic reopening plan, is too many.

2021/03/02 12:14:18 PM EST Lisa Gerardi Windcrest Rd. Durham

Please vote to push back school re-opening until after Spring Break. I am very grateful that many of my colleagues and I were able to get our first covid vaccine last weekend. Many in my school are scheduled for our 2nd dose on March 27th. Other educators have shared that they also recently got their first dose. If you will vote to push back the reopening date until April 8th, then many DPS workers will be able to get both doses of the vaccine AND have a week to build up antibodies. It will allow us more time to get safety plans in place for a safer reopening. We'vve made sacrifices and worked harder than ever this year as we've adapted to rapidly changing conditions in the midst of a pandemic that has killed over half a million people in the US. Please allow us these extra few weeks to get more people vaccinated so that we feel safer returning in our buildings. Thank you!

2021/03/02 12:16:40 PM EST Jadyn Stein 3218 Pinafore Dr 27705

I haven’t been able to go to my boyfriend’s lacrosse games this year, his last season. Starting Jordan’s season late is bad enough. Please open athletic games to some fans, I want to support him and his team.

2021/03/02 12:23:45 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous 27701

The current DPS "plan" does not align with CDC guidelines. Elementary is not required to social distance because we literally aren't able to because of numbers. Right now, I'm being told I will likely have about 15 students in my room at a time. EC and ESL services will still be virtual. There keeps being a push for those students to have in person learning but they won't receive their services in person with the "plan" right now. We are not prepared to reopen for various reasons. It would be irresponsible to reopen with the lack of planning, funds, cases, etc.

2021/03/02 12:24:35 PM EST Community Member Durham NC

You voted in January to keep students virtual for all of the right reasons. You were thinking about your community, students, and teachers. Not much has truly changed. Numbers are lower, but still high. Vaccines are here, but not available to most. One thing that has changed is the new variants. They are here. They are more contagious. They are less vulnerable to our current vaccines. We are opening up things in NC, though many doctors across the US are warning not to do so. We as a community need to persevere just a little bit longer. The less this new variant spreads in the coming months, the better outcomes we will have. Do your part DPS.

2021/03/02 12:27:20 PM EST Keisha Harris 700 Red Carriage Avenue Durham NC 27704

As a mother of two boys that are both in elementary school the fact that the whole purpose of returning to school was to have social distancing and be 6 ft apart how was that the only option NOT checked off for K-5? That one x is what changed my mind to stay virtual. It’s extremely hard to send my kids into a situation where social distancing is not TOP PRIORITY nor is the whole staff being vaccinated on time due to being rushed to open schools. My oldest has an heart issue and autistic so to read the plan the board had on the table is complete disrespect to even think it was okay to rush and force schools to open with a plan that’s solid and protects teachers staff and students at all times. It’s not fair to base decisions off other info without teachers and principals input because they know how their spaces operate and function with what will and will not help or work in the classroom. Not getting teachers nor principals full input on the matter makes absolutely no sense at all. Asking my child’s teacher questions they can’t even answer because the board can’t tell them anything helpful is beyond frustrating. Most of these principals and teachers are also parents so not only are they met with making a decision as a teacher but as a parent as well. How are they suppose to make the parents feel safe sending their kid(s) back when they are in the dark just as much as parents with no correct or solid information? As a parent we should be given another survey for us to choose virtual or person to person for when school opens up after summer. Everyone has to be on the same page at the same time in order for the safety to remain intact and working properly when schools open back up. These kids are our future but STUDENTS AND STAFFS HEALTH AND SAFETY COME FIRST!!!!! Thank You!

2021/03/02 12:30:04 PM EST Jennifer Seamans 3310 Meadowrun Drive Durham

I am supportive of DPS reopening after all teachers and staff who wish to do so have the opportunity to have both shots of the COVID vaccine. We have a vaccine and we should not open prematurely, especially as we are getting closer to giving everyone the opportunity to be vaccinated.

2021/03/02 12:34:10 PM EST DPS Teacher Durham NC Durham NC

Our central office admin are more worried about their appearance to the community than actually fixing problems that we have. When Hardy proudly boasts at these templates provided to schools and how schools can do what is best for their schools, what she doesn't tell you is just how unsupported the schools are feeling. Admin are lost. They are overwhelmed. Schools are asking other schools what they are doing and they are just as lost. WE ARE NOT READY. You can't even appropriately plan when admin don't even know which teachers will actually be in their buildings. Use the rest of this year to actually make a plan. Remain plan C.

2021/03/02 12:39:29 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

I am a teacher for DPS and I am once again asking you to reconsider opening our doors so soon in the midst of this pandemic. The safety our your teachers and students is compromised if we open this Spring. SOME teachers are vaccinated, but NOT all. As we make new class assignments for Plan A, there are still 21 kids per room. This does NOT follow social distancing guidelines by the CDC. Secondly, This will be the second class I've lost this year and I can't tell you how traumatizing it is for all parties involved. I want to keep my kids and the relationships we have formed. We have a better change of recovering from this year if we don't take away the only consistency we have left. I am begging to remain on Plan C for the rest of this year.

2021/03/02 12:41:14 PM EST John F Carella 2515 W. Wilson St. Durham

I encourage the board to keep the March 15 date for reopening. It seems that every day the evidence mounts that virtual education will have long-lasting negative effects on our children in public school, and that schools can be safely reopened. Children, parents, educators, staff, and administration have all be preparing to reopen. Reasonable precautions have been planned. Please allow in-person instruction without further delay.

2021/03/02 12:42:28 PM EST Anon Anon NC

Dear School Board Members, I am a separate setting educator at DSA. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning.

Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone in school buildings. This would mean at least April 8, or later. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff. This includes the time we need to set up classrooms. Please also consider partial days with build up to full days for EC students as to help prevent behaviors and allow for adjustment for re-entry.

2021/03/02 12:42:51 PM EST Anonymous Durham NC Durham NC

DPS has lacked transparency throughout this entire year. Words are chosen carefully to deceive. "ALL CDC guidelines followed." Um, no. When you discuss how elementary schools on plan A will meet social distancing guidelines you simply say they will be 6ft from each other when unmasked during meals. That does not meet CDC guidelines for social distancing. Really, CDC guidelines do not support our district going back Plan A at all. Our numbers do not match what they recommend communities be for returning Plan A. The dashboard that DPS uses for readiness does not match CDC guidelines. When Beyer asked about how they arrived at the what would be considered green/yellow/red they said that's what they felt they could do. Use a dashboard that aligns with CDC guidelines. Use ALL protocols that ACTUALLY align with CDC guidelines.

2021/03/02 12:43:41 PM EST Joshua Heffner 111 Green Gables Way Durham, NC 27703

The general assembly's inability to override governor Cooper's veto of SB 37 illustrates the failure of leadership displayed by the school board on Feb 18. Had the school board merely created a plan to take effect in the event of the bill becoming law, Durham students, families, and teachers would not have had to deal with a major disruption to their lives caused by the sudden reversal of course to resume in-person instruction. The lesson remains clear: the board will happily do the dirty work of republicans in the general assembly, who have gotten everything they wanted despite a veto. All Durham teachers and families should remember this failure for future board elections.

If the board is unwilling to reverse its poorly thought out decision to resume in-person education, it should at least delay reopening until mid-April to allow all teachers and staff the opportunity to receive the full course of vaccinations prior to a return to classrooms. This would allow at least some measure of protection not dependent on schools maintaining sufficient resources and students following social distancing requirements.

2021/03/02 12:47:26 PM EST Juan P Carvajal 400 N Duke Street Durham, NC 27701

Dear School Board Members, I am a TEACHER at DSA. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning.

Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. This would mean at least April 8, or later. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff.

Sincerely, Juan P Carvajal

2021/03/02 12:49:31 PM EST Tenaja Henson 1432 Ardmore Drive Greensboro, NC. 27401

I am appalled at the mistreatment and disrespect for the lives of teachers, students, and families by the DPS Board of Education. Under no circumstances is it ethical to cause panic and stress when there is already so much of that going on in this world. The SAFETY of teachers, students, and their families is of the utmost importance. Reopening schools on a short notice before everybody can be vaccinated is not safe. Not only that but this decision affects the safety of the entire Durham community, and surrounding areas. The Coronavirus pandemic is far from over, your priorities should be figuring out how to make virtual learning more effective and getting all of you teachers, students, custodial staff, bus drivers, nurses, aids, ect. vaccinated before even THINKING of reopening. Also, were teachers consulted AT ALL about this option?? why is there a board making decisions that you will most likely not experience the consequences of? have you ever thought that the teachers and students who you are asking to sacrifice so much of their lives for might have ideas that could be helpful??? and stop preaching transparency when your zoom meetings are just lecturing and NO listening. So much hypocritical behavior, for what?! its so clear priorities of this board are not on protecting the most vulnerable communities, because if they were, I wouldn't be filling out this form.

2021/03/02 12:52:00 PM EST Allison Swaim 2502 Shenandoah Ave Durham

Members of the Board,

Please reopen schools only after all school personnel are fully vaccinated (including the second dose and the post-vaccination interval).

Please ensure the needs of school staff can be accommodated, given that we are still in a pandemic - for staff who have to figure out childcare for their own children or who are living with family members at high-risk of COVID, getting the vaccine alone does not address their needs, especially considering we had been planning to teach remotely through June and already made plans for this.

School staff should opt in to in-person work. Given the number of students who desire in- person instruction, and the great number of students who wish to remain remote, this is feasible. Remote work should be permitted from home as it is now; coming into the building should not be a requirement for staff with virtual assignments. Less people in the buildings makes our community more safe.

We need more time to put thought and care into a plan that will best serve students and ensure staff are supported and valued, in addition to ensuring all staff who opt to be vaccinated can be fully vaccinated with efficacy.

Thank you for your leadership in this impossible time.

2021/03/02 12:53:00 PM EST Karen Weiss 103 W Main Street Apt. 302 Durham NC 27701

Your inability to work with working parents and/or those who have kids with special needs and provide in classroom instruction is disgraceful. Our kids are struggling. Your schools are providing 2-3 hours maximum virtual instruction on a good day, yet we are paying full price. How is that fair? I have volunteered at your schools, provided financial assistance, and advocated for them. This is how you repay those of us that have given so much? Now I can't pay my bills. The kids are struggling academically, socially, and otherwise. While the board plays politics and defies all reason and evidence that proves our schools should be reopened. I say we get a new board.

2021/03/02 12:54:55 PM EST Jeffrey R Kerr-Ritchie 901 Clarendon Street Durham

Now is the time for the BoE to show resolute LEADERSHIP. We have students, teachers, administrators and parents who want schools to re-open. Why is there such a lacunae of LEADERSHIP for this 50 percent constituency? Must we continue to suffer from the tyranny of the other 50 percent? Show some LEADERSHIP and re-open schools now. The decision was made. Why renege? We have the resources. Why not use them? LEAD, stop waffling!

2021/03/02 12:59:46 PM EST Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

In response to the Durham Raleigh school district board deciding to go back in person face to face prior to all teachers and staff being vaccinated: March 15 leaves 2.5 months of face-to-face high risk exposure. It would also be a huge disruption to the current curriculum and school habits of the students. K-3 especially would have at least a one month adjustment period for classroom behavior. It is my opinion that allowing students to finish up this school year in a safer online environment until vaccinations are available to all and herd immunity is certain would be the only responsible decision. Let’s start out the 21/22 school year with success and no regrets. You voted for plan C in January, do the right thing for our children, teachers, and all district employees. You have an obligation to keep them safe. Please reconsider your decision.

2021/03/02 1:00:07 PM EST Kathryn Avery 5525 Middleton Rd Durham, NC 27713

Dear School Board Members, I am a teacher at DSA. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning.

Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. This would mean at least April 8, or later. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff.

Sincerely, Kathryn Avery

2021/03/02 1:04:39 PM EST Paige Holt 511 Ann Road Hillsborough

I am a high school teacher and I implore you to postpone the opening of our school buildings until April 7th at the earliest. This would allow many educators to be fully vaccinated before buildings reopen and would give schools more time to prepare robust plans for safety. I also beg of you to reopen elementary schools under Plan B instead of Plan A until the community rates in Durham are low enough to justify Plan A according to the CDC.

2021/03/02 1:05:20 PM EST Galen Maultsby Valley Run Durham, NC 27707

Dear School Board. The vote to remain only in January was the correct decision. Additionally, we will not finish strong by rushing our staff and students back into our still dilapidated buildings, to teach online and person simultaneously, mixed with all the safety practices and cohorts confusion. The year will end with more stress and chaos than ever. Please consider letting the upper grades, or all grades, finish the year with the online routines and procedures we have spent all year developing.

2021/03/02 1:12:26 PM EST Shanna Stinehour 1901 Fountain Ridge Rd Chapel Hill, NC, 27517

Dear members of the board, I want to thank you for doing the right thing, and reconsidering your decision to bring students into the buildings before it is safe. March 15 was not a date determined due to safety or local metrics, it was a response to a bad bill that didn’t pass. Durham has the chance to lead the way in bringing kids back safety. Please allow time for every educator to be FULLY vaccinated (both doses, plus 14 days) before requiring them to return to the school buildings. Additionally, please make accommodations for staff who are without childcare. Neighboring districts required a commitment to virtual or in person learning for the rest of the year before you changed you commitment to Plan C. DPS has asked employers to be flexible all year as parents supervise their kids in remote learning, so please extend that same support to DPS employees. We shouldn’t have to chose between our jobs and our own children’s education and safety. Thank you for your commitment to safety!

2021/03/02 1:13:01 PM EST Devon McNally 4418 S. Alston Ave Durham, NC 27713

Dear board members,

As a DPS middle school teacher, I implore you to delay the opening of all schools until every school-based employee has had the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (both doses and a 10- 14 day period after the second dose). I understand the immense pressure that exists to fulfill responsibilities to all stakeholders, but the fact of the matter is, we would not be in this situation if the board had delayed a vote on plans to return until we knew the outcome of HB37.

Now that we have started down this road, I know that the board cannot revert back to their original January vote of remaining in plan C for the remainder of the year, but you can make sure that we are staying as safe as possible by delaying re-opening. This is for the safety of students, staff, families of both students and staff, and the community as a whole.

2021/03/02 1:18:33 PM EST XXX Durham Durham

You had closed school for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Now, the governor has vetoed the Bill, deeming it unsafe. Teachers have not been FULLY vaccinated. There are 9 weeks left of school for the year after spring break. Kids are in a routine, virtually ! Let’s Be Safe and Not Return!

2021/03/02 1:30:25 PM EST Lanosha Jordan 1401 Briardale ln Durham NC 27712

It's time for our children to return to some kind of normalcy. DPS had several months to prepare for our children to return to school in a safe manner. It has been determined that school sports will begin and its plan to increase the number of spectators. What do you value more our children's future or whether or not they kick, bounce or hit a ball? Thank you for your consideration in putting our children first.

2021/03/02 1:31:09 PM EST Andrea Cooper Rose of Sharon Rd Durham, NC

With many schools returning after Spring Break, what guidelines/procedures have been put in place for those students and families who travel out of state or out of the country? New COVID variants are emerging in Durham and expose a large risk to DPS teachers, students, and families. Students who travel over Spring Break should self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. OR...Will the Board consider delaying re-opening time until 14 days after Spring Break??? It would be devastating should an entire school have to close due to COVID exposure.

2021/03/02 1:36:24 PM EST Roseanna Morgan 400 N. Duke St Durham, NC, 27701

Dear School Board Members, I am a teacher at DSA. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning.

Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, especially for specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. This would mean at least April 8, or later. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff.

Sincerely, RMorgan

2021/03/02 1:37:03 PM EST Lauren Sartain 1006 W. Markham Ave. Durham

I would like to start by thanking the teachers, staff, and administrators at our elementary school who are working very hard to make the return to school happen sooner rather than later. For my child, who is only 6, going back to school will reap so many benefits and give her a chance to thrive, and I am so appreciative for this opportunity. This is such a relief for working parents and for parents whose children have really struggled with this learning modality. Keeping children disconnected from peers and adults in school buildings has had costs. There have been costs to learning (based on grades and attendance data from DPS) and, more importantly, to the mental health of children and their parents of keeping schools closed for a year now.

I urge the school board to listen to the nearly half of DPS families who indicated they wanted to return to school on March 15. While not all families have the resources or time to make public comment, the survey results speak for themselves. Similarly, many teachers have indicated their willingness to teach in person, and school staff have been aiming for that March 15 start date. As the board has done all year, continuing to make this a moving target makes things difficult for families who are trying to ensure that their children have safe spaces to be during the day. Many of us have canceled our childcare arrangements, and the remote learning centers have been closed. It also makes it difficult for schools and teachers to plan.

For our youngest learners who require the most assistance to navigate remote learning, please consider opening schools. Perhaps that means scaling the return, starting with K-2 on March 15 and expanding the grades each week like other urban districts have done. Instead of spending dollars on things like gowns, which are not considered PPE, perhaps the district can rent tents so that classrooms can be outside. Our neighboring districts are back in school, as our districts across the country. There has to be a way to accomplish our shared goal of ensuring that children can thrive in a safe and supportive learning environment that best meets their needs.

2021/03/02 1:38:22 PM EST Diane Gore 803 East Hudson Avenue Durham

I appreciate that teachers were moved to the top of vaccination lists. Please give time for all teachers and all school staff to be fully vaccinated and have built immunity before having to go back to school. Though we have been moved to the top of the list it has still been a major scramble for teachers to get appointments and get the shots. Then everyone needs time for the vaccine to begin working. Please consider this and revisit the back to school time frame.

2021/03/02 1:42:08 PM EST Sarah Durham Durham

Please send students back in the original plan date! My daughter is struggling to learn, misses her friends and was so excited when she found out she could go back on March 15. It would crush her to know she has to wait another month. She is having a really hard time virtually, becoming less and less engaged in her learning.

2021/03/02 1:53:03 PM EST Monique Durham Durham

Dear school board, My son is really struggling during online learning. He hasn’t learned anything and is not engaged with school at all. Please allow the families that want to return to return in 2 weeks. He really needs to be back in-person to learn. I really appreciate your consideration.

2021/03/02 1:54:21 PM EST Ray Alban 1105 Hopkins Rd. Bahama, NC 27503

I have been a 1st grade teacher with DPS for 29 years and I support the March 15 reopening date for our schools. Remote learning is not working for our youngest students and the sooner we can get them back to in-person learning the better. I am also concerned about the social/emotional health of or children. Children, parents, and teachers at our school are very excited about the return to in-person learning! Our children need to be back in school and the science has shown that it can be done safely.

2021/03/02 1:59:21 PM EST Cary Matthews 230 Erlwood Way Durham NC 27704

It is unbelievable that DPS has so obviously placed politics in front of the education, health and well-being of our children, teachers, and community as a whole. There is zero excuse for why our schools are not reopened for classroom instruction with our kids as evidenced all around us. The reality is that Durham Public Schools, and only Durham Public Schools did not properly plan or have any interest in returning to the classroom despite how negatively impacted the kids, parents, or community are impacted by their decision. This was shown for all to see when you pre-maturely announced not reopening in December, while not once acknowledging the publicly available negative data suggesting your decision was destroying our community.

2021/03/02 2:00:27 PM EST Katherine Goldstein 1223 Shepherd St Durham NC 27707

I'm a DPS parent and I support sticking to the march 15th date for reentry so we can have a safe, phased reentry without further politicization and delays. I research and report on the social and economic issues facing mothers for a living. A new report out yesterday from WashU shows that in communities that have had mostly virtual elementary schools, women's labor force participation is down 23 percentage points. Fathers' numbers were statistically insignificant. We must get our schools reopened full time as this is going to have a generational impact on gender equity in society. On this issue, the Durham community may be dealing with the loss of women's ideas, economic contributions and leadership for the next 30 years. i have spoken with many mothers in our community who've had to leave jobs or close businesses because of virtual school. I hope this issue, which hasn't been a main focus of the school reopening debate, will stick with you as you think about your votes and understand this is an another urgent consequence of no in person school.

2021/03/02 2:03:04 PM EST Will Coward 1702 Delaware ave Durham NC 27705

Please push back opening elementary schools until after spring break to allow planning for a safer, less chaotic return to in person instruction.

2021/03/02 2:17:35 PM EST Anonymous Teacher Cornelia Street Graham

You all have the hardest job - to make decisions that affect so many people. I cannot imagine. As a teacher for DPS, I was thrilled with your decision to open elementary schools on the 15th. I have watched many of my students struggle daily to learn online and fall behind their peers. I see students in learning centers daily, an in person setting, but still struggling because of having to learn online from me. Knowing that these students could be in my classroom learning breaks my heart. Since your last decision, my colleagues and myself have been running around excitedly preparing our classrooms and making necessary adjustments to ensure student safety. Our admin has prepared us well, and DPS has given us the opportunity to receive our first vaccinations. Middle and high schools may need to operate under a different plan - being in school for a handful of days and upending their routine may not be best for them; but I know going back 4 days a week may be what's best for elementary students. I beg that you allow us to return on the 15th as planned. My students are EXCITED; an expression I typically have to work exceptionally hard to see on their faces. They are beaming at the idea of being back in the classroom and I am too. I believe that we can return, stay safe, and reach our potential. I cannot, in good conscience, drop my own child off at daycare in order to work on a daily basis and then advocate for schools to remain closed.

2021/03/02 2:24:49 PM EST Anonymous Montibillo Pkwy Durham, NC 27713

Now that Governor Cooper's veto of SB 37 has been sustained, I look forward to hearing plans for DPS to reopen this spring on a more realistic timeline that will allow our educators to be vaccinated and our schools to be ready for in-person learning. This year has been stressful for everyone. I recognize going back to in-person learning will create new and different stressors on many families and DPS staff. However, we must do the work now to understand how to reopen our schools for learning in the new normal. Thank you to our DPS educators, administrators and the School Board for doing the hard work to reopen our schools.

2021/03/02 2:34:51 PM EST Jacqueline Louise Newton 2408 Farthing St Durham

Dear DPS Board of Education Members,

Thank you for your ongoing consideration of the needs of our community with regards to youth development and safety from the deadly COVID 19 Pandemic. I am urging you to listen to your constituents who DID respond to your survey methods, who stated preference for online education only. In your last BOE meeting you conflated non-responders in with those that stated they wanted in-person learning which was quite frankly and appalling manipulation of data. "Pretty much half and half" was a quote used several times and is deeply concerning coming from one of the highest leaders in local education.

Second, I am hopeful that the DPS school teachers will have an opportunity to become fully vaccinated and reach peak immunity prior to the possibility of in person instruction. Will this also be the case for all support staff who are present in schools? I am concerned as well that the teachers who have presented medically confirmed applications to stay remote may be asked to provide remote learning in a school building. This increases the number of unnecessary inhabitants in the building, which we know increases potential for transmission to anyone, not just higher risk instructors.

Lastly, I am very concerned that *if* the in-person learning start date gets pushed back, that it will begin after student spring break. We know that many families will be traveling during this time and per CDC guidelines staff, students, and teachers would need adequate time to quarantine.

Can the DPS BOE confirm that every school will be able to fully meet CDC guidelines for in- person learning? I look forward to your comments on teacher/staff vaccinations, numbers of inhabitants in school buildings during in-person learning, and your confirmation that each and every classroom will be safe enough to meet current CDC guidelines before offering in-person instruction.

2021/03/02 2:38:18 PM EST Erica Luetzow-Coward 1702 Delaware Ave 27705

I am urging the Board to move the start date of elementary schools back to after spring break and in line with the middle school and high school start dates. Going from the mindset of Plan C to being in person so quickly is a Herculean task, and as an elementary school teacher, I have seen firsthand how complicated the logistics are and how impossible it will be for us to open our doors safely on March 15. Every day brings new safety and schedule challenges, and we simply do not have the time or resources yet to address these ever-changing requirements and demands. For the health and safety of the DPS staff and students, please push back the in person start date so that we can open up in compliance with CDC and state guidance.

2021/03/02 2:43:41 PM EST Erin Hammeke 613 Pleasant Dr. Durham

1) Why accommodations that were approved in the fall are now being denied (even though Covid levels higher & Plan A is less safe than Plan B in the fall)? Shouldn't health accommodations be about HEALTH? 2) Why those assigned to remote teaching (even to many of those with health accommodations) are being forced to be done AT SCHOOL? Shouldn't we want less people in the building? If this is because we don't have enough subs/coverage, then should we be opening? 3) Do board members truly understand the working conditions even pre-pandemic? How can I safely meet my needs in a pandemic when pre-pandemic as an elementary teacher I consistently had no planning 2 days a week (never on Thursdays, but often not on Tuesdays as well bc we had no PE teacher and frequently couldn't find subs); frequently had no lunch coverage because upper elementary does not have IA's; and there was a sub shortage? How will they ensure that I get adequate breaks/planning? What is the CONCRETE PLAN for subs when teachers are out? 4) Do board members and parents realize what hybrid (some students in person/some students remote) means for elementary schoolers? That students will be on chromebooks most of the day? 5) Reopening 2-3 weeks after your proposal of April 8th is MUCH safer because a) students and teachers will have just returned from spring break. Travelling often increases the risk of contagion, which would increase the risk of spread. b) 2-3 more weeks would perhaps give all staff the ability to be fully vaccinated. You could save people giant health dangers by waiting just a few more weeks. 6) Lifting up the BAD MATH again that Plan A is NOT socially distanced inside the classroom unless we hire more teachers (or it happens to be a hybrid class) so we must quit saying this. For upper elementary grades that means 20-30 kids in a classroom.

2021/03/02 2:51:39 PM EST Elizabeth Jones 907 Onslow St. Durham 27705

I would urge the school board to postpone in-person learning for all students until after Spring Break. While it is very urgent to get our youngest students who need it back in the classroom as soon as we can, opening March 15 will only provide two weeks of instruction (8 days) prior to Spring Break anyways. While is is becoming more clear that schools can reopen safely if properly funded and students do a great job wearing masks, the CDC still recommends six feet of distance, and it is unclear whether this is required for elementary students under the DPS plan. Postponing will allow more teachers to at least get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and a good number of teachers will be able to be fully vaccinated by that date. In reality, it is not just important whether the scientists tell us it is safe - it is also important whether there is community and educator trust in the plan. Decades of disinvestment from the state in our public schools have made that trust understandably hard to come by - even with the best efforts from the DPS administration. I think that giving teachers that extra three weeks to get more fully vaccinated could go a long way towards building and keeping some of that trust and will pay dividends in the future. Educators as well as families have been through a lot this year, but the real work for educators is yet to come in the fall when they are going to have to begin to pick up the pieces after the pandemic is (hopefully) over and catch kids up who have been through intense trauma. We need our educators to feel appreciated, cared for and respected so that they have the energy and the will to meet the challenges facing our community.

2021/03/02 2:57:51 PM EST Anonymous DPS Teacher Leon St. Durham, NC, 27704

I am a middle school teacher in DPS. DPS needs to be more transparent and realistic with parents and students as to what in person learning will look like, especially for middle school and high school. Students will not be interacting with each other and working together physically on projects and other assignments. Learning will be taking place exactly as it is now, except that students will be sitting in a classroom with a mask on 6 feet away from their peers to complete it. Students won't be able to get within 6 feet of each other for safety and social distancing. Teachers will also not be passing out and collecting papers or having students complete assignments on paper because of the transfer of germs. All of their work will be online. Students will also not be able to talk during lunch except when they have their mask on. They will only be able to take their mask off to eat and therefore will not be able to talk while they are eating. They will also be sitting 6 feet away from their peers to talking to one another will be challenging. I don't think that DPS has been transparent about what the in person learning will look like for middle and high and are asking parents to make a decision about what to do with their child without having all of the information. In person learning at the middle and high school level will essentially function as the learning centers do. Parents should be aware of this before opting to send their child back in person.

2021/03/02 3:00:28 PM EST H. Maconochie Buchanan Blvd Durham, NC 27701

Please push back the start date for all school buildings to reopen to April 8th. The veto has been upheld and we are no longer beholden to the NC legislature for our reopening plan. We can decide what's best for our community and many board members indicated that they were open to doing just that if the governor's veto was upheld. I ask that you push back reopening for ALL schools in the district to match the April 8 reopening date that has been on the table for middle & high schools with the onset of this plan. This will allow the time needed for ALL staff that want to be fully vaccinated to be able to do so, as well as the time needed to ensure all safety measures are in place.

2021/03/02 3:03:33 PM EST Anonymous Duke Street Durham

Thank you for your thoughtfulness during last week's meeting. That gesture of pausing and reconsidering was so healing. Now that SB37 is vetoed - and the veto was sustained - would you be willing to consider one of these options?: 1. Moving the re-entry date for elementary and specialty high school teachers until after Spring Break so that all teachers can be fully vaccinated? 2. Staggering re-entry so that the District isn't dealing with logistical challenges at every level at once. This idea could look like elementary starting after Spring Break and secondary following 2 weeks later (this plan could also address the concerns lots of folks have about Spring Break travels and transmissions, a threat that feels particularly dangerous at the secondary level because adolescent transmission is higher). 3. Returning to DPS's original Plan B, which kept secondary virtual and brought back elementary students? Thank you for leadership in beyond-challenging times.

2021/03/02 3:04:05 PM EST XXX Durham Durham

You had closed school for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Now, the governor has vetoed the Bill, deeming it unsafe. Teachers have not been FULLY vaccinated. There are 9 weeks left of school for the year after spring break. Kids are in a routine, virtually ! Let’s Be Safe and Not Return!

2021/03/02 3:06:39 PM EST long time DPS educator Elgin Street Durham

Thank you for reconsidering an unmandated return to buildings on March 15th. Let's control our own actions. Adults who want to be vaccinated are beginning to be vaccinated and the smiles of relief on their faces is palpable. Return elementary and specialty high schools on Tuesday, April 6th. This allows vaccinations to take hold. So that we do not overwhelm our systems, stagger reentry by having secondary return Monday, April 19th. This also allows secondary adults to be more fully vaccinated among more contagious students. This provides a buffer between spring break travels and in person return which will hopefully lessen any possible surge. Thank you.

2021/03/02 3:09:09 PM EST Mary Durham Durham

With spring break the end of March, families are going to travel. With staff not fully vaccinated, it’s going to be a mess! Keep the schools closed!!

2021/03/02 3:10:05 PM EST Polly Smith Revere Rd 27713

Please give teachers some prep time to transition from virtual to hybrid. Many schools are having teachers teach virtually and in person (which is already a lot!) and to flip that overnight will not benefit students most. Also, please consider adding some asynchronous days for those teaching hybrid so we can acclimate our students to school. For our younger students this could be their first time in a school building!

2021/03/02 3:15:40 PM EST Aminah Jenkins 500 South Bend Drive Durham, NC, 27713

To the Durham Public Schools Board of Education:

This past week, community members were made aware of an email that was sent to teachers in Durham Public Schools. The email gave teachers who did not want to come back in person three options. The first provided them with ways to take a leave of absence (taking medical leave, family leave, temporary extension of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act, etc.). The other two were resignation or retirement. The email ended with, “it is our goal in Human Resources to support you through the tough decisions that many may face.”

These “tough decisions” are no doubt being forced onto teachers. As future educators, it is concerning that we may be entering work environments that pose ultimatums rather than listening to our concerns. It is concerning that a district is okay with telling teachers to leave their position. It is concerning that decisions are being made on behalf of teachers and their students without considering their concerns. We fear that putting teachers in this position will cause our state to lose valuable talent. North Carolina currently has a 7.5% teacher turnover rate, which is the lowest we’ve had in years. But pushing teachers out of their jobs will no doubt cause this number to rise.

We understand that COVID-19 has put schools in a difficult position. In addition to the stress of online learning, school communities are dealing with broader impacts of the pandemic (loss of family members, housing and food insecurity, job and income loss, etc.) that make it difficult to adapt to these changes. But teachers are not asking for you to neglect these problems. They are asking that you take time to understand them.

Schools are inadequately equipped to handle these issues during a normal school year. The pandemic has exacerbated issues like mental health for students, but it has also exposed significant problems in our education system’s resources. The recommended ratio for school psychologists is one for every 500-700 students. North Carolina only has one for 1,800 students. The recommended ratio for school social workers is one for every 250 students. North Carolina only has one for every 1,289 students. The recommended ratio for school counselors is one for every 250 students. North Carolina only has one for every 353 students. The bottom line is that students will not have the resources they need to return because they never did. Sending students back to school does not address the host of pandemic-related issues outside of school (housing and food insecurity, parental job loss, etc.) that will impact their ability to perform in class. Sending children back to school will not fully address the host of mental health problems they may face because our schools are unable to meet their needs.

We understand that some of these issues that have been highlighted are out of your control. However, these are all things that should be considered when making decisions about things that are in your control. All we ask is that the concerns for the safety of teachers, their students, and their families are taken into serious consideration. Teachers deserve better. Students deserve better. The Durham community deserves better. We implore you to do just that: better.

Sincerely, Aminah Jenkins (Meredith College ‘23, Teaching Fellow) Amanda Duran (Meredith College ‘23, Future Educator) Amyia Gorham (Meredith College ‘22, Future Educator) Elizabeth Narron (Meredith College ‘23, Future Educator) Hannah Porter (Meredith College ‘22, Teaching Fellow) Jessica Jenkins (University of North Carolina at Greensboro ‘23, Future Educator) Karen Villa (Meredith College ‘22, Student) Katherine Polaski (Meredith College ‘23, Teaching Fellow) Lauren Brummett (North Carolina State University ‘23, Future Educator) Maria Solorzano (Meredith College ‘22, Teaching Fellow) Mariyah Storrs (East Carolina University ‘23, Future Educator) Megan Burkoski (Meredith College ‘23, Teaching Fellow and Wake County Future Teacher) Olivia Skaggs (Meredith College ‘24, Teaching Fellow) Rebeccah Davis (Wake Technical Community College ‘21, Future Educator) Rosemary Vega Escuita (Meredith College ‘23, Teaching Fellow) Safa Ahmed (Meredith College ‘23, Pre-Med Student) Sara Davis (Meredith College ‘23, Student) Sarah Barton (Meredith College ‘23, Future Educator) Savannah Smoak (Meredith College ‘24, Teaching Fellow)

2021/03/02 3:21:14 PM EST Beverly Schieman 58 Citation Drive Durham

Dear School Board Members, I am a teacher at DSA. SB37 was vetoed, and Democrats sustained the veto Monday night, so there is no reason why all DPS staff shouldn't have the opportunity to be FULLY vaccinated (2 doses!) before returning to in-person learning.

Please push the proposed reopening dates back to after Spring Break for everyone, including specialty high schools, elementary schools, and EC teachers and students. This would mean at LEAST April 8, or ideally, even later so that everyone has the chance to be vaccinated and also fit in the two week window afterward for the second dose to take full effect. Risking the lives of DPS staff and the community is an abdication of your responsibility to Durham. Again, please do not open any school buildings to in-person learning until we can reduce risk and save lives through widespread, full vaccination of all DPS staff. This will help protect not only teachers and staff, but also students and their families who will interact with them.

Sincerely, Beverly Schieman

2021/03/02 3:26:22 PM EST Stan Cooper 4808 S. Roxboro Street Durham NC 27713

DPS owes it to the citizens of Durham to reopen schools and permit classroom instruction to our kids. They are struggling academically. The teachers are doing the best they can, but the limited couple of hours of instruction is not working, despite what certain parents and teachers try to convince themselves of. These people are motivated to tell you whatever will make sure they get what they want...to stay at home, be lazy, and probably never valued education in the first place. There is no way 2 hours of virtual is better than 8 hours of classroom content and instruction, let alone the negative social and emotional impact. Why are we even debating this? Get our kids back in school. Most teachers, kids, and parents want that. Are you so blinded by politics and fear mongers that you ignore all evidence around you?

2021/03/02 3:30:14 PM EST Leah Erlbaum 1209 N Duke St. Durham, NC 27701

I am a 5th grade teacher at Lakewood Elementary School. I want to thank you so much for taking the time to think carefully through these complex decisions! I want to urge you to vote to reopen DPS schools on April 8th. This will give us enough time to make solid plans for the transition, for teachers to fully set up their classrooms to facilitate learning and safety, for teachers to re-envision lesson plans. I also encourage you to think through how to best support families that have been relying on learning centers. Elementary school students will not have supervision and learning center support on Wednesdays, and many of my students' parents are anxious about how they will be able to work & provide safe supervision for their children one day a week. Thank you so much for all that you do!

2021/03/02 3:30:53 PM EST Emily Modlin 600 Audubon Lake Drive #3A21 Durham

I worry it is too soon to return to in-person learning. The BOE met and determined in January for DPS to continue virtual learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. The decision was weighed carefully by each member of the BOE and not made lightly. I agree with discussing and developing a plan to return to in-person learning. However, I fear it is still too soon to do so safely. I encourage the BOE to continue watching the metrics and to continue to develop plans to return to campuses safely. School personnel are currently getting their first COVID vaccination, and will not be immunized until after the proposed return date for students. Also the families of school personnel, our students and their families are not guaranteed to have access to COVID vaccinations prior to students returning to campus. The risk of spreading COVID is too high. Additional safeties/protocols need to be in place. Our students and families need consistency. This cannot be guaranteed if we return to in-person learning right now. Please consider all relevant factors, and weigh them carefully.

2021/03/02 3:31:40 PM EST Holly Hardin 4126 Chaucer Dr Durham

As a 4th/5th grade teacher I have a few concerns, mostly around how schools actually run on the day to day and on our rights as workers: 1) Why are accommodations that were approved in the fall are now being denied (even though Covid levels higher & Plan A is less safe than Plan B in the fall)? Shouldn't health accommodations be about HEALTH? 2) Do all the board members and district staff truly understand the working conditions even pre-pandemic? How can I safely meet my needs in a pandemic when pre-pandemic as an elementary teacher I consistently had no planning 2 days a week (never on Thursdays, but often not on Tuesdays as well bc we had no PE teacher and frequently couldn't find subs); some days I had no lunch coverage because upper elementary does not have IA's and admin weren't available; and there was a sub shortage? Frequently I did not even have a break for the bathroom. How will they ensure that I get adequate breaks/planning? What is the CONCRETE PLAN for subs when teachers are out? . If all this was happening pre-pandemic, how do you imagine that our schools run during the pandemic? This is not justification to bring remote teachers in the building to do this job you were already not staffed for, it's considering what it really means that we have a shortage of workers and poor working conditions for teachers at the elementary level. 3) Based on conversations, I do not believe parents thought hybrid at elementary school was a possibility at all. Can we be more transparent with parents that many elementary schoolers will be taught on their chromebooks in hybrid classrooms (teaching remote and in-person students simultaneously) most of the day? Can we be honest that stretching elementary teachers thin to provide what younger kids need online while also managing in-person behaviors unique to this age will rapidly decrease the quality of education for all students- in person and at home? We need more staff to be hired to deal with the varying numbers of students returning in schools. 4) Why are those assigned to remote teaching (even to many of those with health accommodations) being forced to do this teaching AT SCHOOL? Can you explain why remote only teachers would need to come in when more adults in the building increases the risk of spread for everyone? If the answer is to provide coverage or subbing then this is unacceptable- if we are short in staff or subs to properly operate lower capacity schools without the staff teaching remote students, then maybe we shouldn't be opening. If this is about "fairness" then I really want to ask you how is putting more teachers at risk more "fair"? This entire situation isn't fair. If we believe that teachers who are in-person are being treated unfairly based on their work conditions in comparison to remote teachers, then we shouldn't be sending anyone back. What is most equitable is to protect all members of the community, not act out of a need to harm all equally. 5) Reopening 2-3 weeks after your proposal of April 8th is MUCH safer because a) students and teachers will have just returned from spring break. Travelling often increases the risk of contagion, which would increase the risk of spread. b) 2-3 more weeks would perhaps give all staff the ability to be fully vaccinated. You could save people giant health dangers by waiting just a few more weeks. 6) Lifting up the BAD MATH again that Plan A is NOT socially distanced inside the classroom UNLESS we hire more teachers so we must quit saying this. For upper elementary grades that means 20-30 kids in a classroom. I can't socially distance half of them in my colleague's classroom who is teaching remote because there is no one to teach/watch them.

Thank you for your time. I am so glad that you are considering moving the date back, but I think we need to think even more critically about what opening will truly mean for all of us.

2021/03/02 3:38:55 PM EST Andrew Palumbo 3319 Meadowrun Dr DURHAM

I just bought a ticket to see my Jordan High School student play soccer at a game this Thursday in Wake County. I sure would like to be able to attend his last few home games!

2021/03/02 3:42:54 PM EST Alyssa Modlin 4517 Valley Forge Road Durham

Please reconsider when teachers and students return to schools to reflect the metrics that the board was using prior to the knee jerk reaction vote to SB37. Prior metrics that the board was using to base it's decisions on included a 4% positive rate for cases in the county-currently that metric is 6.4%. Teachers have not had vaccinations yet and it will take time before a large portion of staff has access to vaccines. Please do not set a return to school date that is based on a calendar date. Basic safety metrics must be met first.