Some Shen Parents ‘Scared as Hell’ About Reopening Plan
Reopening plans were revealed last week by the Shenendehowa Superintendent and some parents are not happy about it. As a result, an aggressive online petition has been created to force change.
The petition urges parents in the school community to show their displeasure of the proposed plan for reopening in the Fall which would inhibit K-6 students from taking online classes. Many parents are completely opposed to the outline which leaves parents with the task of homeschooling if they don't want to send their child to school. One parent took to Facebook urging parents to sign the petition if Shen's plan "scares the hell out of you."
According to the Times Union, Shen's K-6 plan for reopening in the Fall does not include remote learning, while the middle and high school plans consists of a "hybrid" of virtual online classes and in-school classes. As a result, many parents in the school district feel left out in the cold regarding the school's decision making. Concerned parents feel they're without options if they decide to keep kids home to the dangers of COVID-19.
One "scared as hell" Clifton Park resident, Betsy Bitner, took to Facebook urging residents to sign a petition opposing the Superintendent's plan which according to the petition "has no option for families that desire full-time remote instruction." At the time of this writing, the petition had over 500 of the desired 1000 signatures it hoped to attain.
Other school districts in the area such as North Colonie, Guilderland and Saratoga Springs have offered a more flexible reopening plan that would allow parents to choose an online version of class if they didn't feel comfortable sending their kids to school.
As of now, Shen is not offering such an option but things could change as the petition gains momentum and more parents speak out. According to the Times Union, there will be a board meeting on Tuesday night.
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