With COVID-19 cases still on the rise, do you feel safe returning to work in-person?
Uncertain how to share your concerns anonymously?
Kentucky Educators United can help!Take our anonymous survey and let us know how you feel! We will pass your responses along to our school board and Superintendent.
We have created this email for Madison County Schools stakeholders, because it was recently brought to our attention that there are a number of employees in the district who have underlying health conditions, or who live with someone who does. With teachers returning to in-person school this week, several teachers have reached out to let us know they don’t feel safe returning to work in-person just yet, so we are conducting this survey to find out how many other coworkers feel the same way. (Your personal information will be kept confidential.)
At last week’s MCS board meeting, one of the board members asked, “What is the process for a teacher who is at risk? I know we have teachers with underlying health issues. … What is the process for those teachers? Do they go to their principals? Do they go to HR?”
MCS Superintendent, Dr. Gilliam, told the board that if a teacher has concerns about returning in person, they should first talk to their principal and share their concerns. “We do have a few positions that might be possible for those individuals that are concerned. They would need to talk with their principal.”
Other than those few positions, their options may be limited. At the meeting, he said that principals have met with their teachers and he believes that those who had requested to teach virtually, it appears principals are able to accommodate those with some of those positions.”
However, Dr. Gilliam also stated,
“as of today, I got no responses from principals that indicated that there were people who had requested that that they were not going to be able to accommodate. If numbers got real large on that then certainly that is a possibility.”
Dr. Gilliam went on to say,”If someone is completely concerned about being in a building with other people, then their options, unfortunately, are quite limited. (but) … There are a couple of options for that. There’s also FMLA leave that could be a possibility. We will work with them the best we can. Unfortunately, we don’t have an abundance of options, but we do have a few.”
If you are concerned about returning to work in-person, and have not already done so, please share your concerns with your principal. If you did that and were not satisfied with the results, or feel that your concerns have been ignored, please contact your school board member. You can find their contact info here.
If you’re not comfortable contacting your school board member, you may forward your concerns and any correspondence you’ve had with the district to moderator@kentuckyeducatorsunited.org and let us know. We will make sure the board is aware of your concerns, while protecting your personal information.
The next Madison County School board meeting is Tomorrow at 6 PM. If you wish to sign up to speak, you can access the speaker sign up form here.