A contingent of parents in the Northern Lehigh School District want to see their children back in school full-time.

Pauline Grady, who has two children who attend school in the district, said she started a Facebook group toward the end of the fall quarter “because there was a lot of chatter about the kids going completely remote until after the holidays.

“A large number of parents want their kids back in school,” Grady said. “Due to the weather and the school no longer using snow days, the kids have been remote learning more than they have been in school.”

Grady said Northern Lehigh is a small district with “minimal positive COVID cases.”

“We went almost the entire fall with zero cases,” she said. “The cases we did have came around the holidays, and while I don’t have the exact number, since COVID started, I would venture to guess that we have had maybe 20-25 cases total.”

Superintendent Matthew J. Link said the district has had 60 cases since the start of the year.

“The bad news is that both (Lehigh and Northampton) counties are still in the substantial transmission category due to the incidence rate per 100,000 being greater than 100,” Link said. “The good news is that the incidence rate is trending down, as is the PCR percent positivity, with both counties being under 10% in the latter category.”

Survey choices

Grady said the situation has been rough on not only the students, but parents as well.

“Parents are beyond frustrated,” she said. “Kids are struggling to the point that it is doubtful some will recover the amount of education/time they have lost in school.”

Grady said the district sent out a survey several weeks ago asking for their input about children returning to school, and asked why that question was being asked in February, six months after the school year started.

Grady said numerous parents have emailed Link, sharing their personal stories, adding that she sent Link a Right to Know request and asked him to move next month’s board meeting up sooner.

“Parents want a seat at the table,” she said. “A majority of us want our kids back in school, or at least given the choice to have our kids back in school.”

Grady noted it’s been almost a year from the date that schools were shut down.

“Children are failing, experiencing severe mental health symptoms, sitting in front of computers for hours on end,” she said. “The CDC clearly states that children should be in school, 6 feet only when feasible.”

One of Grady’s sons has thrived with the hybrid model, but is not being challenged to the capacity he should be as he goes two days a week. Her other son has numerous disabilities, adding he has an IEP and is allowed to attend four days a week.

“Despite him being allowed to attend four days, he has hardly been in school due to the weather and the elimination of regular snow days,” she said. “Therefore he does virtual learning on those days, which he struggles horribly with.”

Face-to-face

Justin Jachowicz said, “The school board needs to take in account all aspects of life when making decisions. The PA Department of Health and Education issue guidance, but in reality, it is a local decision for school districts as to how and when they want to reopen.”

Jachowicz said he doesn’t feel as if his taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.

“As taxpayers, we pay for our children to attend face-to-face instruction, not a virtual or hybrid schooling model,” he said. “There are cyber-charter schools that specialize in this type of learning, and Northern Lehigh School District and all of the other districts specialize in face-to-face learning, and should be operating as such.”

Tara Williams, whose son is a third-grader at Slatington Elementary, said, “Our kids are at a great disadvantage by not being in the classroom. I understand the risks, and I would be willing to take that chance.”

A registered nurse, Williams added, “I, by no means, ignore the risks involved with COVID, as I have lost friends and close ones to this.”

Her son was exposed to the virus, but tested negative. “It’s going to happen. It’s going to be like the flu.”

Williams said it’s been difficult to balance things.

“I am a homeowner and I pay a lot of taxes for my son to get a good education which he’s not getting,” she said. “He’s not struggling terribly, but he is struggling, and so am I as a single parent trying to juggle all this chaos.”

School response

Link said the district is aware there is a contingent who would like to see all students return to the classroom.

“Administration and the board is aware that there is a group of parents that want the district to move as quickly as possible to put all students back in the classrooms,” Link said. “The district continues to look at the data and consider guidance from PDE, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the CDC.”

Link added that the district continues to follow the guidelines.

“The most recent guidance from the CDC actually came out to be more restrictive than what the district is currently doing,” he said. “We have no intent of taking a step back and becoming more restrictive in our instructional model as the CDC guidelines would require us to do.”

Link assured the administration and board are weighing everyone’s input.

“However, the district is required to follow the signed attestation statement, and that is binding,” he said.