Wauwatosa Group Starts Petition In Support Of In-Person Learning

WAUWATOSA, WI— A petition has been created in support of the Wauwatosa School District, School Board, and Medical Panel to transition students to five day in-person instruction.

Teacher shortages and increased coronavirus cases led the Wauwatosa School District to go to virtual learning in November. The Wauwatosa School District shifted all Phase Into Learning students to virtual instruction from Nov. 23 through Dec. 4, according to a letter from the Wauwatosa School District.

Phase Into Learning students returned to the hybrid phase on Dec. 7. Patch reached out to the Wauwatosa School District and haven't heard back as of Wednesday morning.

A automated response was sent on behalf of Leigh Anne Fraley, Wauwatosa School Board.

"Thank you for your email. Given the volume of email I am receiving, I am no longer able to respond in a timely way or with a personal response. Please know that I read each email and identify questions where I need additional information and follow up with district staff and during school board meetings. I am grateful for your willingness to share your experience within the district whether it be as a teacher, a parent or community member. We are working hard to identify ways that meet the needs of all of our learners and to do so safely for the entire school community."

Mike Mejac, a Wauwatosa resident is listed as the creator of the online petition.

Mejac told Patch the inspiration for the petition came from the need to unify voices that support five day education across the Wauwatosa School District, and to signal that sentiment to the School Board.

"Recent published scientific journal data, statements by our CDC, and the recommendation from our own WSD Medical Advisory Panel support that a return to five day education is safe with proper mitigation measures. I believe the best model of instruction, particularly for our elementary aged children is in person education. The current data is supporting that schools are safe and not a source of spread, and at this point, the risks associated with kids not being in school are far too great," he said.

Mejac admitted the decision to return to in-person learning has been polarizing within the Wauwatosa community. The petition has gathered over 100 signatures within 36 hours of being posted.

"As they prepare to vote on Dec. 14, the goal of the petition is to show the School Board that a large segment of the population supports the Medical Advisory Panel’s recommendation to return to five day in-person instruction. We do not know what the School Board thinks, but as elected officials, we hope that they listen to their constituents," Mejac told Patch.

The Wauwatosa resident said he is greatly concerned about the spread of the coronavirus. Mejac told Patch if data was showing that schools are super spreaders and a contributing source of community spread, he would not support five day instruction.

"Schools should not be closed due to fear of contributing to community spread. As the data is showing, there is very low transmission in our schools, and the form of instruction has no bearing on community spread," he said.

The Petition

The online document is on behalf of concerned residents, parents, teachers and students. It states they are in support of a switch to five day in-person education for elementary schools first, and a return of the middle and high school student bodies shortly after.

The document said the rate of transmission within the Wauwatosa School District should be the "most important metric in analyzing the risk" of coronavirus in schools.

"As our Medical Panel has pointed out, schools are not where Covid-19 is spreading. The overall rate of community spread is not dependent on students being in the classroom," the document said.

The petition lists reasons why they are in support of 5 day in-person learning:

• Educational quality needs to be prioritized and is an essential service to our community. The current hybrid model does not provide an acceptable level of education.
• Key infection control measures are being implemented and will continue to reduce the risk of in-school transmission.
• Private schools within the district, and other neighboring districts have successfully executed five day in-person education. By being flexible and quarantining classrooms on a case-by-case basis, they have been able to maintain educational standards and prevent outbreaks.
• The Hybrid model has placed insurmountable burden on parents, teachers, and students and has introduced mental health and developmental issues.
• The current model of instruction presents the risk of widening achievement gaps, not only between Wauwatosa School District students and students attending 5 day in-person elsewhere, but also within our district.
• Not all students currently doing asynchronous learning are able to receive the daily support they require to learn effectively in their home environment.
• The Hybrid format places additional economic strain on families and threatens careers. Families are being forced to reduce work hours to support virtual education, or, spend money to hire tutors/send their children to learning centers.
• Families continue to leave our district schools in search of in-person education elsewhere, and parents are faced with the difficult decision of leaving to meet their needs.

"We understand that the district will have to work through operational issues in staffing classrooms. These issues should be addressed on a school-by-school and class-by-class basis.

"The inability to staff all classes in one school should not have bearing on the entire district. We accept that quarantines will be a reality of a return to 5 day, as it is an important part of mitigating the spread of the virus.

"We are also calling to maintain a virtual option for families that are high-risk, and not willing to return their children to our buildings," the document said.