SAISD is one of the largest districts in San Antonio and is full of amazing families. The district needs to rethink 2020-2021 academic year (they had plenty of time but haven't) to ensure quality learning and health and safety of our families.
We write out of concern as SAISD parents and leaders in the community. We are deeply troubled by the lack of organization and communication regarding the 2020-2021 academic year less than a month away from the start date.
Lives matter more than funding. This should go without saying, and yet in the absence of clear information about risk mitigation, thresholds for school closures, and online instructional strategies, we have our doubts. This is no time for doubt: COVID-19 infection rates in Bexar County have spiked since mid June, and the trend line indicates at best a dangerous plateau. As a result, the pandemic presently has the San Antonio and Texas healthcare systems on the edge of catastrophe. ICU and ventilator usage in Bexar County are up by 585 and 779 percent respectively since June 15. The time for decisive action clearly communicated is now.
We urge you to:
- Prioritize health and safety above all other concerns. Funding formulas must not trump the lives of any members of the SAISD community.
- Be transparent about the school district's planning and plans for the 2020-2021 academic and UIL calendars.
- Create and fund dedicated teams focused on i) health and safety ii) alternative strategies for effective and inclusive teaching and learning.
- Communicate clearly and transparently, with a dedicated online portal with daily COVID19 planning updates.
- Create a uniform approach for schools stressing minimum health and safety standards district-wide.
- Create a taskforce with stakeholders to review the SAISD plans before they are finalized by the superintendent on July 20.
The SAISD website is a symptom of a problem, not part of the solution:
The SAISD website has no information about COVID-19 preparedness; there is only a scrolling picture on the front page. There should be a permanent COVID-19 planning button or banner.
Agendas and budget schedules show no resources dedicated to the pandemic. Communications are not direct with no real guidance.
