North Texans for Safety in Schools is advocating for the safety of Keller ISD employees and students as the start to the 2020-21 school year nears in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Though some of our opinions and viewpoints may differ, we stand on the same side with teachers, parents, and administrators in our community. The only enemy, a common enemy we all share, is the virus itself. We know school administrators have never faced a challenge like this before, and there is no decision that meets all of the needs of every party affected. We also know that parents are facing an exceptionally difficult and unprecedented decision. Teachers are struggling with feeling like they are powerless, choiceless, and voiceless. In addition to sharing a common enemy, we share a common goal: protecting our children, and the safety of our community. The singular mistake we can make right now is acting with haste.

As the 2020-2021 school year quickly approaches, it has become clear to our concerned educators, parents, and community members that Keller ISD’s current plan to open schools both face-to-face and virtually on August 19th is neither safe nor logistically possible at this time. In the following document, we detail the proposed guidelines that should be met in order to open school buildings for face-to-face learning. In order to meet these guidelines-- to keep students, Keller ISD employees, and our community safe-- we are proposing that Keller ISD start remotely, and continue up to six weeks remote learning only, returning face-to-face on September 28th, upon review of Tarrant County health commissioner recommendations.  This will give the district time to fully flesh out what face-to-face will look like in detail, to clearly communicate this plan to all parents and educators, and allow for community spread to decrease.

We understand that Keller ISD leadership has not previously disseminated all the information and answered all of the questions we ask below. Truth is, this situation is incredibly complex, and we do not blame the district for not having every answer right now. In fact, this exercise in putting together our own plan took us quite a bit of time. Which is exactly why we can’t go back yet face-to-face. We need more time.

Contained herein are proposed guidelines and considerations for face-to-face reopening, including:

1. Risk Management in Community Spread
2. Safety Supplies
3. School & Classroom Environment 
4. Outbreak Protocol

View the entire proposed plan here: North Texans for Safety in Schools KISD Proposed Plan for 2020-21 School Year.pdf