NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Administrators in a Virginia school district have told some teachers who chose to work from home during the first semester that they must return to their schools in November.
The order came from the Chesapeake school district, but some teachers are worried that the forced return in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic will put their health or the health of vulnerable family member at risk, The Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday.
The decision comes as the district begins to bring back more students over the next two months. noting downward trends in coronavirus cases,
A division spokeswoman said she would check on how many teachers were impacted by the order. But an email obtained by the newspaper and interviews indicated that at least two high schools - Western Branch and Oscar Smith - received word over the past week.
The decision comes as the district, noting downward trends in coronavirus cases, begins to bring back more students over the next two months.
Other districts, including Hampton and Suffolk, have required teachers to come in at least part of the week while students learn from home. Chesapeake has said the reason was in part so they could prepare their classrooms’ for students’ eventual return.
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