To The Editor:
This letter was written to Vermont Governor Scott and Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine.
I am writing with a little alarm over the recent positive COVID-19 test results at Crossett Brook Middle School and Superintendent Nease's plan to move forward to have students increase their in-person learning days from one day to two days per week starting on Monday, September 21. Please see Superintendent Nease's letter from September 15, 2020, on the HUUSD website.
In the letter she points out, "The Hartford district remained open with one positive case at the high school and no close contacts. In contrast, we have 24 close contacts and two positive cases." I should note that four of the close contacts are at Harwood High School, which obviously is a different school in the district." This is her reasoning to support moving forward in the face of approaches by other Vermont school districts in which, "If there is a positive COVID-19 case in a building, all staff and students of that building will revert to remote learning until there are no new cases identified for 14 consecutive days."
I am no epidemiologist; however, in light of your press conference on September 14 with Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the idea that the school district would move forward with more in-person days just seems like the wrong course of action. Especially in light of the fact that the close contacts are not required to be tested, and we don't have a clear picture of whether or not the virus has spread beyond the two students.
While this is a local issue, Superintendent Nease is not an elected official and received votes of no confidence on Town Meeting Day in at least Warren and Moretown, yet the school board decided to extend her contract this year without even so much as considering other possible personnel. As such, it seems the families of HUUSD have very little sway on how Superintendent Nease moves forward in this situation.
So, this begs the question of why don't we have a statewide approach to this situation? Also, shouldn't the health department provide the guidance for how school districts should proceed when faced with multiple close contacts over two different schools, led by science, much like you led Vermont at the beginning of the pandemic?
Joey Bednash
Warren
