OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Parents went to a listening session at Shawnee Mission West High School on Monday, asking the Board of Education to change the back-to-school plan.
"We're asking you to accept our decision, not to make it for us," said Aaron Mendoza, the parent of a sophomore.
The Shawnee Mission School District announced last week that all students will learn from home starting Sept. 8.
The majority of parents who spoke and some teachers argue the negative effects of staying home outweigh the risks of going to school in-person.
"We want as much teachers' presence as possible. I'm begging for more in-class education," said parent Mike Hanson, who is also a therapist. "I'm seeing young people with an increase in depression and anxiety as they lose their structure, as they lose knowing what's going to happen next, and of course they've lost of a lot of their activities."
Courtney Goddard Hawkinson, who has a son in eighth grade, said she will pull her son out of Shawnee Mission and enroll him in a private school if school remains remote.
"I think it is an inherent mistake to begin the school year in a remote learning setting," Hawkinson said. "I strongly advocate, it is my professional opinion, that these students need at a minimum to begin the year in a hybrid learning environment."
Nancy West has a sophomore in the district and said her daughter won't get the same experience from home.
"I do not see how she can fully engage in learning classes such as Honors Chemistry or Intro to Health Med Sciences when all she has is a flat monitor to look at. She is missing out on the experiences of science classes, engaging in all her senses in learning process," West said.
Many brought up concerns about students who don't have resources at home or who have parents working multiple jobs.
"Many of them are going to be in day care. Many adolescents are going to be home all day unsupervised," parent Jessica Underwood said. "I just think it's a very, very risky situation for our children."
Andrew Heights, a student, said he's concerned for less-fortunate students.
"We're thinking beyond ourselves and we're thinking about the kids who don't have that leadership at home or they rely on school for meals or they get away from their abusive homes," Heights said.
Jessica Lowen, a teacher within the district, said families whose first language is not English were drowning last year. She said at-home learning will negatively impact "those who rely on the consistency found in schools, the guarantee of a meal, friendships, the love provided by staff members, the safety promised within school setting."
Lowen also brought up another common argument: that the risk of children spreading the virus is low.
"This virus is not proving to be a physical threat to the population in schools. There are, however, very real costs to how we responded to it," Lowen said.
Some parents, however, appreciate the district's measured approach.
"We have to bring our students back to something greater. Thank you for taking an approach to decisions that is science and information-based," said one parent.
Kay Healy was a nurse for the district for 30 years and is glad the district decided on remote learning.
"The problem is that we, as a community, are spreading a lethal virus," Healy said. "COVID is not under control in our community and until it is, it is not safe to have in-person school."
The district will continue to monitor Johnson County positivity rates to evaluate its back-to-school plan.
