Students Should Be In School 'All Day, Every Day': D308 Parents

OSWEGO, IL — Oswego School District 308 parents are demanding that children return to school for in-person learning amid the pandemic and with that in mind, they've created an online petition.

The petition was created by SD308 Parents, Students, Teachers and Family, and is connected to a Facebook group called Rally to Open SD308 for All Students that was created last month. A rally organized by the group was originally planned for Sunday but was canceled due to the weather and is expected to be rescheduled.

As of Thursday, 496 people have signed the petition and the group said it requires 500 signatures.

"We, the parents, teachers, family, and students of SD 308 who want In-Person learning, are calling for the immediate return to school with NO MORE DELAYS," the petition reads. "We believe parents/guardians of SD308 should have the OPTION to CHOOSE In-Person Learning."

The group is also asking for more in-person instructional time than the current remote model and the proposed hybrid model provide.

The majority of the district's students have been participating in online instruction since the start of the school year last August. According to the district's current reopening plan, general education and special education elementary and early childhood students are set to enter hybrid learning Jan. 19. General and special education junior high students, along with high school students in self-contained special education classes, will begin Jan. 25. General education high school students would begin hybrid learning Feb. 1.

Under the current hybrid plan, students would be divided into groups that would alternate in-person for half of the school day, and would finish their days in remote learning throughout the week.

"While there are many children doing fantastic, there are also so many children in our district struggling with remote learning, including mine. Just like families have a great choice to stay remote, these children struggling are slipping through the cracks and deserve a better choice to return to in school learning sooner rather than later," one petition signer said. "It is shown with surrounding districts this can be done safely. With some more out-of-the-box thinking with support from our district leaders, parents, teachers and even students, I know there are better choices to be made for all who are struggling."

Another signer wrote that students need to be back in school for "mental, physical and emotional reasons."

The ultimate goal of the petition is for students to return in person "all day, every day."

"We also understand there may be a desire to attain this goal via progression. We believe the starting point for elementary and junior high students should be 4-5 half days, thus eliminating the A/B schedule. We are asking for High School students to go 2-3 full days a week on a weekly rotation schedule to begin, if 5 half days are not attainable," the petition states.

The group said that the current remote for all instruction should have ended with the conclusion of the 2019-2020 school year. While serving an immediate purpose this past spring, it has proven to be an inadequate solution for many in this district during the current school year. Limited teacher time, technical issues, and difficult student engagement are all resulting in diminished education.

The petition cited examples of other school districts that have provided more in-person learning time and has been able to do so without the risk of spreading the virus.

"SD308 has not provided these options for our students who want to return, even though over 60% of parents voted for one of the In-Person options in a SD308 survey and have voiced their concerns tirelessly with little response or consideration," the group wrote. "The District has not put our students' emotional well-being and mental health at the forefront of their decision-making process. There are ample amounts of statistics showing the increase in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts amongst the least impacted age groups (i.e. school aged children) associated with COVID-19. "

The group demands that in-person learning should resume no later than Jan. 19.