‘They could die’: Quaker Valley parents pleading for district to allow high-risk employees to work from home

ALLEGHENY CO., Pa. — Teachers in the Quaker Valley School District have been told they must teach in-person, even if some of them are at high risk for contracting COVID-19.

After the district denied these teachers’ requests to work from home, parents have joined the fight and are taking a stand.

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The teachers and staff told Channel 11 they’re playing Russian Roulette with their lives if they return to class. One is a heart transplant recipient, and another is on chemotherapy -- battling stage four cancer.

They said the district isn’t giving them any other options.

“That’s what always chokes us up. They could die from coming into school,” said parent Tina Bower. “That’s absurd ... that’s absurd. We need to make sure our teachers are safe.”

Bower and fellow parent Holly Teegarden said they are not sitting back and staying quiet.

They had no idea what was going on in their school district until Thursday night when a 20-year teaching veteran in Quaker Valley read a letter with a passionate plea in front of the school board and community.

That teacher is a heart transplant recipient, and the coronavirus could cost him his life.

He spoke on behalf of 10 teachers -- all with significant illnesses or underlying conditions -- begging to work from home five days a week. He said the district told them no, citing “hardships.”

Another staff member fighting cancer got the same response from the school district, despite having to stop her chemotherapy if she comes in contact with someone who tests positive.

“She’s stage four breast cancer in the battle for her life right now, and she was told the same thing: no, it’s a hardship,” Bower said. “It was so heartbreaking and disappointing, to be honest, that our district would react that way.”

Bower was so appalled that she started a petition to make the community aware of what is happening. It has hundreds of signatures so far and nothing but support for the teachers who have done so much for their students.

Teegarden said she has lost trust in the administration, who met behind closed doors again Friday to discuss the concerns. Teachers were then told they’d meet again on Tuesday.

Some teachers said it’s a slap in the face. The district has already approved virtual learning three days a week.

They are bringing these matter to the attention of the ADA and their teacher’s union.

The Quaker Valley School District issued the following statement regarding these discussions:

“The Board and Administration appreciate the heartfelt concern and compassion being expressed by members of our community regarding the health and safety of staff members as schools reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We share your concerns, and we treasure each member of our faculty and staff. They are what make Quaker Valley School District such a special place. Personnel issues are sensitive. We are working through each situation to determine the gentle balance necessary to ensure their care and safety, while also continuing to deliver the world-class education offered at QV.

The Board and Administration have developed and implemented extensive safety measures and accommodations to address important health concerns of those in the school community. Those efforts will continue.

We are working through each accommodation request that we have received from staff members, and this interactive process is still underway. In updating the start date of our school year, we have created additional time for the evaluation of each request made to our District.

We are working to bring each matter to an appropriate resolution as soon as possible. The Board and Administration care about each member of our community, and we want to ensure the health and safety of all. Our top priority as a leadership team is to do everything possible to support our Quaker Valley families and staff, so that we can learn, teach, and work in a safe and healthy environment.

Thank you for your collective efforts, flexibility, and patience as we move forward.”

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