For those who are unaware, the president of the teachers union of District 65 is encouraging their teachers to take mental health days for two days prior to our long holiday weekend. As a result, the Superintendent [Devon] Horton made the “equitable” decision to close all schools for the entire week and we received notice Friday late afternoon. My son, a special-needs child who NEEDS to be in school, will now be home for an entire week because why would handicapped children ever be prioritized? Is it not “woke” enough?
While teachers deserve to be appreciated for educating our children, last-minute “mental health days” are absolutely not the way to do it. The impact on families affected by this decision was completely overlooked.
Having to scramble for last-minute full-day child care is a huge burden both mentally and financially. ESPECIALLY for a child with special needs. Parents will have to call in sick from their own jobs, adding more hardship to their families and community. It’s unacceptable to disregard the needs of the entire district, their families, their jobs, all for a nice gesture for the staff.
I am an ER nurse. We are having our own staffing crisis with nursing shortages higher than ever. We just work harder and take more on to care for our patients and families. If I call in, it leaves our ER even shorter staffed, it causes longer wait times and delays in care for the sick in our area. The domino effect of canceling schools when there’s no emergent reason to do so is irresponsible at best. Do better for our community.
Elie Hale
I get a sense that the teachers and the administration are in conflict and the fallout hits the families. I don’t know who is doing or not doing what to whom but, at the end of the day, I look to the school administration and D65 BOE to make schools function. Please, folks, do your jobs!
Hear Hear!