A group of Prince William County School parents, teachers, and students have joined forces to push Prince William County School Board members to hear their request for in-person learning at the start of the second quarter of the academic year, which begins on November 4.
Organizers are asking parents and students who want the option to send their children back to school with at least the 50/50 hybrid model, to rally at the following events:
Friday, October 2- Post a picture of your child in sitting in front of their computer screen on social media. Tag the pictures with the hashtag #TeachMEinPerson. Continue to post these pictures throughout the weekend.
Saturday/Sunday October 3/4- Email the clerk of the school board and sign up to speak at the meeting on Wednesday night. Email the clerk your name, address, and phone number with your intention to speak: [email protected]. Additionally, reach out to your School Board representative and let them know of your desire for the 50/50 hybrid model.
Monday, October 5- We are going to rally and walk all over Prince William County. Pick one of the three locations and meet there at 9:30 am. Participants are encouraged to wear green. Locations: Cedar Point Elementary; Battlefield High School; and Montclair Elementary.
Tuesday, October 6- Post a picture of your child wearing a green shirt in front of their school with the hashtag: #greenmeansgoback
Wednesday, October 7- Show up to the School Board meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Kelly Leadership Center (14715 Bristow Rd, Manassas, VA 20112). Wear green in support of #greenmeansgoback. Even if you do not feel comfortable speaking, please come and wear green.
This summer, the Prince William County School Board asked parents and teachers to complete a survey stating their comfort with in-person learning.
Despite 79.7% of parents reporting that they planned to send their child(ren) to school this fall, and 78% of employees reported that they would return; the school board decided to start the school year off virtually.
Despite the School Superintendent’s recommendation to start the school year off in the 50/50 hybrid model, the school board still decided to start the school year off virtually.
A press release states:
Despite numerous research articles stating the percentage of Covid-19 hospitalizations to be very low among school aged children, teens, and even adults under the age of 50, the school board decided to start the school year off virtually. As parents of PWCS and taxpayers of PWC, we are frustrated that over the summer, we were lead to believe that our children would return to in-person learning at least with the 50/50 hybrid model, only to have the board ignore our voices and vote to start the school year off virtually. It was the ultimate bait and switch. As a result, our trust and confidence in the school board has wavered. We will not remain silent and trust that the school board will listen to the survey results.
On September 8, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors gave the county school division $20 million from its $41 million it received from the federal CARES Act funds, approved following the coronavirus outbreak. The cash will be used to purchase new laptops for middle and high school students, adding to some 45,000 new laptops that have already been purchased for students.
That same day, about 90,000 students returned to school to attend virtual classes, about 2,000 fewer students than the school division anticipated.
