Pittsburgh Public Schools hears concerns from community regarding possible return plans

PITTSBURGH — Sending students back to class during the pandemic is a hot button issue.

Dozens of parents, teachers and staff wrote letters to the Pittsburgh Public Schools, expressing what they want to see in terms of the return-to-school plan.

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School officials spent hours reading the letters and then discussed possible plans with the community.

Most letters read Wednesday are in favor of online learning for the first nine weeks, which was brought up as an option by one school board member.

“I believe that for the first nine weeks online is the safest option for my students and for me,” one teacher said.

“Look around the room at your colleagues right now. Oh wait, you can’t. You’re on Zoom. How can you ask us to go back into our building when you aren’t even holding board meetings live yet?” another letter said.

There are some who still want children to go back into the physical classroom, regardless of COVID-19.

“In the performing arts schools, I feel it’s imperative for children to attend physical classes where they have worked so hard to audition and prepare each year to be accepted,” one letter said.

No final decision was made Wednesday night regarding how students will begin the school year in August. The entire school board will vote on that issue Friday.

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