HOUSTON, Pa. — A group of students at Chartiers-Houston Jr. Sr. High School have been using their First Amendment rights to speak out against the district’s reopening plan.
The student who organized the protests told me all they want is the option to take classes in person 5 days a week.
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“I wish I could be in the school right now,” said senior Samuel Shaw.
This is Shaw’s first day of school, but he is at home because the classes are hybrid.
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“There’s so many people I haven’t seen like since March now. Like friends of mine I’d like to see and teachers whose classes I want to be in.”
So he is taking a stand and organized a student protest this week outside of the junior senior high school.
“We want to be inside the school five days a week. Not online. We don’t think online is a sufficient way to receive an education. We tried it at the end of last year and we all agree it was not good,” Shaw said.
In a neighboring school district, Peters Township, students can attend classes in person five days a week or opt for remote learning.
But on Wednesday, the third day of school, officials there said
an individual at the high school tested positive for COVID-19.
That is not deterring Shaw.
“Peters Township, it’s just such a huge school. Chartiers-Houston really isn’t. So, the chances are just so much lower of something like that,” Shaw said.
Channel 11 received a statement from Chartiers-Houston School Superintendent John George:
“The Chartiers-Houston administration has appreciated all the comments from everyone during this difficult time, however, after many pandemic team meetings, it was decided to go to a Hybrid Learning Approach for the health and safety of our students, staff and community.”
“That’s all we want right now. The decision to be in school. We just want that choice,” Shaw said.
He said they are considering holding more protests in the future.
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