To: City Council, Mayor Fuller and David Fleischman
Newton schools closed on March 13, 2020. Today, more than 8 months later, Newton is at least 3 months behind our peer districts and is not adhering to guidelines established by our state leadership and national experts. We believe that Newton should be a leader in educational excellence, not a slow follower.
We are proud to live in Newton. We chose to live here for many reasons, including Newton’s great schools and strong reputation for educational excellence. We are now deeply disappointed that our Mayor, Superintendent, and School Committee are not upholding their commitment to ensure high quality education for children in Newton.
Education is an essential service. We demand Mayor Fuller and NPS Administration create an action plan that accelerates and expands the existing NPS opening plan by more closely mirroring our peer school districts including efforts to promote collaboration between teachers, students and families and taking meaningful steps to be a leader in following Governor Baker’s guidance that schools open to a greater degree by January 4, 2021.
For those interested in signing this letter -> https://sites.google.com/view/newton-education-excellence/home/demand-letter
Key facts:
- Governor Baker and pediatrics experts are calling for all children to have the option to go back to full-day, in-person school by Jan 4th, 2021. (1)
- Remote learning has caused a dramatic spike in mental illness, with a 3-fold rise in depression and an increase in suicides among our children. (1)
- Remote learning has dramatically reduced student academic performance. (2,3)
- Private and parochial schools have been teaching full-day, in-person without higher rates of COVID transmission, even in high risk communities. (1,4)
- Newton is the only one of its peer school districts, which has not opened all of their schools to some degree and lags behind in school options
- Newton elementary students receive only 8 hours of in-person instruction per week and are home with self-directed learning 2 days/week.
- Newton middle school students were fully remote until the middle of November. With the newly implemented hybrid plan, they receive less than 7 hours of in-person instruction per week, and are at home with self-directed learning 2 days/week.
- Newton high school students are currently sitting in front of computer screens for 7-8 hours per day with minimal breaks. The proposed hybrid plan will begin at the end of January and will offer the option of at most 16 days of in-person instruction over the remainder of the school year (2 days every 2 weeks).
- Even if COVID prevalence has increased, in-person learning is a beneficial risk worth taking since schools are not a significant source of transmission and confers emotional and mental health benefits. (1,4,5)
References on the internet:
- Gov. Baker putting more pressure on Massachusetts schools to reopen
- Fairfax County Public Schools reports more students failing
- How education interruptions can hurt student achievement
- Opinion | Why three feet of social distancing should be enough in schools
- Research Finds Few Links Between Schools And COVID-19 Cases
Other Data Relevant Data
The high school 16 days assumes 4 cohort model
“We are now deeply disappointed that our Mayor, Superintendent, and School Committee are not upholding their commitment to ensure high quality education for children in Newton.”
Add the teachers who don’t want to go back to that quote please. Here is proof…and yes this is real.
https://padlet.com/fabriziod2/m6fwl7bfdyl1xdbj
Wellesley just announced that 2nd grade will now be back to regular schedule (K and 1 have been full time in school since the beginning of the year). Why can we not get this done?
Curious as to why there are no names attached to this post. Who are the authors of this?
Curious as to how those who sign propose to follow the health guidelines when there is no way to have a full classroom of students sitting 6 feet apart (by all means go into a Newton classroom and do the measurements).
Curious as to how those who sign propose to follow the health guidelines of air circulation when the colder weather hits and the choice becomes to either keep the air safer or sit in a 20 degree classroom.
Curious as to what those who sign feel should be told to teachers and students who cannot return to a full model because of their own health or the health of a loved one? It is not a small number.
No one wants the current model. No one wants Covid. A district like Wellesley is a fraction of our size
(to the commentor above).
All this proposal does is say, “This situation stinks and I don’t agree with how it is being handled.” It proposes no practical solutions about the myriad problems that returning in person present. Until a letter like this is accompanied by some actual solutions it comes off as intellectually lazy and entitled. Come up with the solutions and I’ll sign.
It’s hard to know which is worse: the near complete ineptitude of the city to open schools or the strident whininess and suspect arguments of entitled Newton parents who fail to acknowledge the complexity of the issue. Neither reflect well on our city.
@J Tomaneng –
There are. They are clearly listed at the start of the post – Dan Cohen, Aleks and Kirsten Engel. They are Newton parents who submitted this as a Guest Post to Village14
What Elmo said. It’s 100% right on. Can’t say it any better.
J.Tomaneng – the 6 foot of separation assumption is driving the inability to return to school full-time, in-person. But the evidence does not support a 6 foot rule. DESE has permitted 3-6 feet. Governor Baker was on TV along with a leader of the MA Pediatrics society last Wednesday, and both stated that there is no evidence, based on the several months of data, that 3-6 feet is any less safe than 6 feet. Many private and parochial schools have been using 3-6 feet, with no issues.
The 6 foot rule is based off of theoretical modeling of how droplets disperse in the air. Subsequent studies have shown that droplets actually travel far further than 6 feet. But the length traveling by droplets does not necessarily drive infection.
The bottom line is this – 6 feet of separation has assumed some sort of dogmatic status in the public health discussion. But the science does not support it. So we should be willing to re-adjust our approach based on this new evidence. Or, if the city or the school committee disagrees with these assertions, please present contrary SCIENTIFIC proof and have a robust discussion.
@Tim,
Here’s some scientific proof for a robust discussion on 6 feet:
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200827/covid-and-social-distancing-is-6-feet-enough
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/staying-6-feet-apart-often-isnt-enough-during-covid-19-pandemic
https://time.com/5896531/coronavirus-airborne-cdc/
https://live.healthday.com/social-distancing-best-distance-study-2646147498.html
Looks like 6 feet is still best practice. Do we really want less?
The Mayor has made a huge mistake by not taking advantage of the medical expertise in Newton and our surrounding area. She is willing to have consultants for housing at the Armory and advising the police reform task force but not for public health in our schools (or even advising city wide). Experts have reached out to her and instead the buck gets tossed between her and Dr. Youngblood with neither taking ownership. The experts should be advising what is appropriate and that information should be used to educate the parents, teachers, students and general population in Newton. Newton has Dr Rochelle Walensky, The Chief of the Infectious Disease Div at MGH, Ashish Jha Dean of Public Health at Brown and a practicing physician. Brookline’s Joe Allen who is a Harvard Professor in the Dept of Environmental Health who focuses on the interconnection of building science and health science has consulted with other local districts. Top notch experts are right here. Let science influence the decision not emotion.
@Social Distance Advocate – your articles prove my point. 6 feet is a somewhat arbitrary number based on studies originating in the 1800s and a photography study from 1940s. The science now shows that droplets travel further than 6 feet. There is nothing “best practice” about 6 feet. If you wanted to remain outside of the zone of transmission of virus droplets, we would probably need to be multiples of 6 feet apart… good luck operating a society that way.
But again… how far a virus droplet travels is not the only factory influencing transmission. Masks matter. Air circulation matters. The age of the person who transmits the virus matters – note the growing scientific consensus that kids under 10 pose much less risk than kids over 10.
And again – most importantly – we have actual data now from actual schools. Private and parochial schools here in MA. Some school districts that have gone 3-6 feet and opened to full (or fuller-time) instruction. And schools in Europe, Canada, and elsewhere. So we can sit and discuss theoretical models all day… or instead we can assess the data, as Gov. Baker has suggested… and that data would indicate that 3-6 feet vs. 6 feet is not material to the transmission of COVID.
Finally, I entirely agree with the suggestion of Newton Highlands Mom to consult local experts. In fact, I believe in a prior V14 post, it was shown that local experts said 3-6 feet was OK, but the advice was ignored.
https://village14.com/2020/10/02/why-are-newton-schools-mostly-remote/
I agree with commenters here that it’s frustrating that it feels like the City Hall and the school admin is moving so slowly with the school situation. And it’s also super frustrating that our local experts are not being consulted. How does that make any sense? We had a group of parents connected with the Broad Institute try to organize surveillance testing to help reopen the schools, but they were brushed off by the administration. It boggles the mind that we are letting all this local initiative and expertise go to waste! I really tried giving people the benefit of the doubt, but I’m so past this point right now. We don’t even have a plan yet.
One of the many reasons Trump was unfit to manage the country is that everything he touched turned to chaos and divisiveness. The issue of schools is an example of his ineptitude. When Trump bellowed, “open the schools” the teachers unions and liberal east coast communities such as Newton reflexively demanded that schools stay closed, despite public health experts saying schools are essential and could safely open. Dr. Ashish Jha is one of the leading public health voices on covid interdictions. He lives in Newton. He said schools could open safely here. Too many Democratic voters and almost all teachers unions decided to oppose Trump rather than follow the science.
As the parent of two youngsters outside of Newton who have been fully remote this year and gone hybrid (2 days in, 2 out), I would like to point out that the fully remote option is by far a better educational experience. In the fully remote model, the kids spent 3-4 hours a day with direct instruction. Fairly standard for a second and fourth grader.
In the switch to hybrid, they now have a far worse experience because on their out days they get 45 minutes and no ability to participate because the teacher is so focused on the in school kids. It’s basically half an education.
The options and I see from my own experience are fully remote or fully in person. The middle ground is a giant pile of poo.
When David F speaks of trade offs, this is what he would say if he had a backbone. By forcing NPS to adopt hybrid, you’re accepting a subpar experience for kids. Yes, fully remote has disadvantages, but the schools are figuring it out, like in person music classes at the high schools and “reverse” field trips to core classes. Things that can be done safely.
Safety being a key thing, because by going fully in person, we know that some people are going to get sick, especially as the surge continue rising again.
Newton, possesses one of the best groups of teachers around. They have doctorates, masters, etc. they have spent years honing their crafts. Unfortunately, they’re like the Patriots and have a fairly high average age. This means the chances of them dying is fairly high as they have a high frequency of comorbidities in their population. A return to full remote learning would probably mean the deaths of 1 or 2 educators. Or at least a high chance of 1 or 2 deaths.
Is it worth it? It shouldn’t be.
Seems like teachers posted it in four facebook pages with mixed results:
Civic and Support NPS pages they got some teachers support but no parent support.
Newton community page parents ignored it completely
Brainstorming parents actually got upset
I think parents are fed up at this point. If the school committee is going to vote against the high school plan, the city is going to be on fire!
I have a kid that goes to one of the older school buildings in Newton. I don’t trust the ventilation or air quality. I’d prefer the hybrid with only half the kids in there at a time. Doesn’t seem safe otherwise. This could be a different case on the newer Southside schools.
@NNHSparent. I agree. This is a crisis and the School Committee and The Mayor and The Superintendent are floundering. The students need in person education now.
Good news people. We have some noteworthy lame ducks come 2021.
Trump Jan 21
Zilles March 21
Fleishman June 21
Fuller Nov 21
@NNHS parent,
I would politely suggest to try and keep democrat/republican politics out of this. Your statement of “Too many Democratic voters and almost all teachers unions decided to oppose Trump rather than follow the science.”
I am a democrat and I know personally a lot of the parents who are advocating for in-person learning are also democrats – and we have been using science to try and re-open the schools. With everything that “Trump states,” he spouts action, but nothing to back it up. He should have provided support and direction on how to have in-person school safely, directed funds to be used for hvac upgrades, ventilation and surveillance testing.
Let’s try and keep the divisive politics out of this, especially since there is so much divisiveness with this topic already.
@MattMiller this is a crisis and that is why the kids need to get back in the school and vote needs to happen now. Are your kids going into the school? Mine aren’t they are home alone. please vote to move hybrid ahead and get a plan and get the kids in school
I am an NPS teacher working in person every day with high-needs students. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful and keenly aware of how lucky I am to work in a district with tremendous resources, and in many ways, support for our educators in this awful time.
I’m choosing not to respond specifically, to the incredibly insensitive and ignorant remarks in this post and related comments by understandably frustrated parents, but hope to offer some perspective.
I’m currently in quarantine, as I have been since Thanksgiving morning when I got a call from a contact tracer, and am anxiously awaiting results. Praying that I did not bring covid to my workplace. To your children. To your home. And to mine. Wondering if I got exposed on the city bus I take to work, or if I’ve been distant enough from my roommates who both work in person in high risk environments.
I have not hugged another person since September 13th. Last month my grandfather, who has cancer and diabetes and does not speak English, had a medical emergency, and I had to send him to the hospital alone in an ambulance, hoping the automated interpreter could understand him through his sobbing.
I adore my job. I am committed and I am proud. I am also terrified, every single day. Of getting your children and their teachers and families sick. I don’t see my own family because it does not feel safe considering my workplace. My heart breaks for our children learning remotely. I don’t have the answers, but I know speak for many educators when I say that the attitudes conveyed here are downright hurtful.
Please stay safe.
@MMQC – Josh Morse who oversees City Buidjngs (not just the schools) was pulled in when the School Building people dropped the ball to manage a review of the HVAC systems. He is a very thorough guy who said he would not only publish high level information but he would also publish the nitty gritty data for those interested. Talk about transparency. He said at the 10/5 School Committee mtg that in the review of the HVACs he was not only making sure the systems would take into account when winter hits and the heat needs to be on but also preparing the systems to be sufficient to handle full building capacity. He is having the engineers apply the standards so the buildings are set up to handle full in.person learning.
Here is the latest update he prepared for the City Council Pubic Facilities Committee on 11/18.
https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=9063&dataid=13956&FileName=11.18.2020%20-%20City%20Council%20and%20School%20Committee%20Ventilation%20Project%20Update.pdf
The page with the overall project info and where updates are posted:
https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/3804
I think this is one area I would feel confident that the job was getting done.
This is not a critique of the letter, but of some the comments on this blog:
The criticism of teachers in this scenario would be laughable if it wasn’t so tragic. As Elmo said, this is an incredibly complex situation. Simplifying the teachers’ opinion as “not wanting to go back” is dismissive and disrespectful.
Our teachers, like parents and students, absolutely deserve to share their opinions on this matter. And if you have the patience to listen, you’ll learn that their reasoning is much more nuanced than “not wanting to go back.”
Newton teachers are well educated professionals, just like your average Johnny Newtonville with his Harvard MBA and bright blue Tesla. Our greedy society may not reward educators in the same way as Johnny, but that don’t let that make their opinions any less valuable.
When our teachers tell us that remote learning will be more effective than the proposed hybrid model, we should listen with an open mind. Many of them hold Masters and PHDs in Education, and are truly experts in pedagogy.
Yes, I know you have read a couple articles on the internet which also makes you a scholar of classroom research. But have a little respect for the people who have dedicated their academic and professional lives to an underappreciated profession for the benefit of our children.
Again, this is not an attempt to undermine the letter. I just am ashamed at the negative things written about our teachers.
BluefootB-do you have a kid in high school in Newton? I do, so my experience isn’t from articles. It’s from my son sitting in his room since last March. It’s also from hearing from his friend’s parents whose kids are in private schools who are in-person full time and there is no impact on what they are learning. We also have friends in the school district where we moved from a few years ago…they are hybrid and doing much more than Newton is now fully remote. How is that possible? If you admit defeat before even trying, it’s easy to fail.
For those old enough to remember…. Twilight Zone….season 3, episode 3. It’s called “The Shelter”.
Middle class families/friend share a friendly, gregarious dinner party, but then comes the warning of a missile attack….and only one of the families have a bomb shelter.
This is NPS 2020 – teachers, students, families and administration.
https://www.netflix.com/title/70172488?s=i&trkid=13747225
Matt. One of my personal favorites. May I suggest “Time Enough At Last” could be the perfect episode to reflect the current conundrum we all face during “lock down”.