OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — On Tuesday, Johnson County health officials plan to meet with local school districts to talk about the latest COVID-19 numbers.
That same day, one district is going over its reopening plan during a school board meeting.
Plenty of parents are planning to attend Blue Valley’s school board meeting — and in big numbers. The expectation is that swaths of parents calling for a return to in-person learning will be speaking out alongside those demanding virtual learning to reduce health risks.
Last Tuesday, the district rolled out its learning plan, which includes gating criteria to determine if students who opted for in-person learning will attend in-person, on a hybrid schedule or virtually.
It was met with critiques from parents like Donna Syed.
“My high schooler said she feels she can’t afford the mental weight if she were the one to bring that virus into our home,” Syed said.
There are two people with serious asthma in their home, and one person who recently had heart surgery, Syed said.
But at the Paul household, parents of 8-year-old Sam are pushing for a return to the classroom.
“He’s at home, and this is his place to have fun. And to ask him to sit in front of a computer for even 30 minutes to do a Zoom meeting is a challenge,” said Kimberly Paul, Sam’s mother.
What compounds the issue is Sam’s special needs. He has autism and his full-time working parents said they’re ill-equipped to be the drivers of his daily schooling.
Syed said she understands these kinds of concerns, but also said her own daughter can’t take the risk. Her daughter has been denied the option to take a certain class remotely, Syed said.
“Sorry, we can’t accommodate your daughter’s preference. And I don’t think it boils down to a preference at this time. It boils down to an ethical, moral decision that families need to make,” Syed said.
Their school board meeting will happen at Blue Valley Northwest High School, starting with public comment at 5:30 pm.
