A Knox High School teacher is voicing concern with the development of the school corporation’s COVID-19 reopening plan. Maria Sullivan told the school board last week that she and others had major concerns but weren’t given much of a chance to offer input.
“I, for one, am terrified to return to work,” Sullivan said. “Every day, we see the number of COVID cases rising. It is terrifying as a mother and an educator. I have three children at home, one that is at a high-risk category because of her diabetes.”
Sullivan was also concerned that the plan doesn’t let teachers require the use of masks in their classrooms. “Many teachers work with students who have to be in close contact of each other,” she said, “and to not allow us to require masks when doing so seems to go against keeping our kids safe.”
Superintendent Dr. William Reichhart said the plan had been shared with the Knox Federation of Teachers, before he presented it to the school board for approval. “I never, ever, in my heart, ever, felt I was leaving teachers out of this process, and I apologize to Maria and to any other teachers who feel that I intentionally left them out,” Reichhart said. “I felt I was saving them the time of coming in, and I didn’t want them exposed. I want our buildings locked down. And I could’ve sent a teacher survey out, but I felt like we had the data that we needed at the time to develop this.”
He stressed that teachers will help work on the more specific building-level plans.
