The subject once again Monday night was handling Covid-19, and members of the Wayland Board of Education had yet another lengthy and painful discussion about what to do about it.
Superintendent Dr. Christina Hinds, acknowledging popular community support for opening up the schools for face-to-face instruction five days a week, doubled down on recommending Wayland continue its current hybrid system.
This hybrid model, agreed to by most districts in Allegan County in August, involves two different students groups attending on two different days, one Mondays and Thursday and the other Tuesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays are set aside for all on-line classes.
The idea is to minimize the number of students in the classrooms and reduce chances of students, staff and teachers acquiring a persistent virus that has taken the lives of more than 215,000 Americans since March.
But a substantial number of community members and parents have indicated they want the instructional sessions to be in-person and five days a week, maintaining the children aren’t getting a quality education and they’re missing out on social benefits of school.
Hinds, who came on board only last July, said, “I’ve spent a majority of my time on management of the Covid-19 crisis and the resultant mode of instruction… I have been examining and reviewing the data. I’ve read a lot of e-mails and I understand the hardships this has caused, but I recommend that we continue with our hybrid model.”
Her announcement was made in contrast to public comment from citizen Brian Bode, who noted that 81 percent of people in Dorr asked for the five-day in-person instruction plan and insisted the hydrid is too restrictive.
Since the local district was following executive orders from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, he maintained the Michigan Supreme Court twice this month has struck down those orders as unconstitutional.
“Does the school board really want to continue on this track?” he asked.
Hinds later in the meeting explained that the No. 1 priority for the board, faculty and school officials is the safety of students, which is driving her decision.
She noted the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Whitmer’s orders, which now will continue until the end of the month.
She added that she’s checked with neighboring Thornapple Kellogg and Caledonia districts, which have reported problems with Covid. Furthermore, Martin, which decided to go with five days in-person, has shut down its high school for two weeks and Wayland High School reported yet another case Monday evening.
Despite her recommendations, she said, “I will support and implement whatever the board decides.”
The board did not decide anything during the evening, but seemed favorable to having a community workshop to solicit more input from citizens and parents.
Three teachers spoke up during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Lynn Donaldson said health department protocols are very difficult for early elementary children.
“Teachers are going above and beyond to make sure the kids are safe,” she said, “But we can no longer comfort a crying 5-year-old because he misses his mother.”
Daniel Haskins, who said she was one of three quarantined at Steeby Elementary, said, “We’re seeing more cases, and with the cold and flue season approaching, please leave us in the hybrid system.”
Nina Fontana said 56 students and seven teachers had been quarantined for Covid thus far. As a result, she maintained, “Our current hybrid system is working and we’re keeping students and staff safe.”
Board Member Dan Cassini told his colleagues he supports totally opening, perhaps as early as three weeks from now.
Board Trustee Gary Wood disagreed, saying that to open up, “there needs to be a more measured way to do this,” noting such a move would be too dramatic.
Board President Cinnamon Mellema announced that her daughter now is undergoing quarantine and “I can tell you, it’s truly awful.”
There was talk about having a community workshop at the Fine Arts Center, but it didn’t go much beyond talk because of time constraints.
Hopefully, bowing to pressure will not come back to haunt the school board and those pushing for this move.
People are starting to let their guard down all because of a Supreme Court ruling. They fail to forget they were practicing social distancing. frequently,
hand washing /sanitizing commonly touched areas , and wearing the dreaded mask.
For the sake of the children let’s hope and pray the 81% wanting this are correct.
Will the survival rate be 99% and of that percentage how many will have life altering effects from this virus.
Being a parent is not an easy task and this 2020 pandemic has become a parents nightmare.