Student-Led Reopen Schools Rally Planned In Doylestown

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Another rally is scheduled in Doylestown to express opinions on the school's all-virtual start to the year.

A student-led rally in support of reopening schools is planned on Friday at 10 a.m. in front of the district administrative offices on Weldon Drive.

"Please attend so we can let the district know how important this is. If you attend, please wear a mask, bring a sign, and make a card for a teacher, so they know they're loved. This is not their fault," organizer Dakota Rose wrote on a public event posting.

Rose continued: "I believe that every student should have the option to take face to face or online classes. Kids have been home for 6 months and some are experiencing mental health problems. Some kids need to be in school socializing and learning directly from a teacher. I understand that some kids can learn virtually, but others can’t. Kids from low income families, kids with mental health problems, kids with disabilities, and kids from abusive households will suffer tremendously if they are unable to attend school."

Friday's planned event comes less than a week after two demonstrations were held simultaneously in Doylestown Borough. Parents in support of reopening schools demonstrated Saturday in front of the former courthouse, while students held a rally in support of teachers outside of Central Bucks West.

The mobilization comes more than a week after the district abruptly pulled the plug on offering in-person instruction in the fall. The decision announced on Aug. 10 by Superintendent John Kopicki was due to a staffing shortfall, he said.

Administrators recently reviewed responses from Central Bucks parents regarding their instructional preferences. Three choices had been offered: hybrid, online only, and traditional five-day for elementary students only.

"Upon receipt of these responses, we applied the data to our educational models and began to prepare teacher placement to deliver the various options. As our administrative staff interpreted the data and fulfilled our educational plan with faculty and staff assignments, it became quickly apparent that we do not have adequate staff to safely open school," Kopicki wrote in the announcement.

RELATED: 2 Demonstrations Planned Saturday Over Central Bucks Schools