OKCPS teacher quits over COVID concerns
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Becki Maldonado has been a teacher for the last six years, most recently teaching 5th grade with Oklahoma City Public Schools but Monday she decided to walk away from the job at OKCPS.
"This pandemic is very serious to me," said Maldonado. "We're not listening to the data about the coronavirus, our numbers keep going up and we're saying push on through it and that is not something I want to be apart of."
She says she didn't feel comfortable going back inside the classroom, especially as the district moved into the orange level two category on the state's COVID alert map.
Monday the district's youngest students head back into the classroom with a hybrid schedule.
"I understand that it's not an easy decision on picking in person or virtual, but none of the lives of teachers, students, or the greater community are worth sacrificing," said Maldonado.
Oklahoma teachers have been voicing their concerns, especially about having enough PPE and cleaning supplies to last.
According to a survey conducted by the Facebook group 'Save Our State Oklahomans United', roughly 62% of teachers don't feel like they have enough supply to conduct in-person learning.
Maldonado says the American Federation of Teachers has been advocating for Oklahoma teachers.
"The dialogue would not have been helpful because I know that behind the scenes, the union has already been having discussions with the district leadership," said Maldonado.
While she made the decision to quit, she continues to think about the safety of her students and her fellow teachers as they head back to class.
"For those teachers who are stuck in that position, I am so sorry there is no answer for that," said Maldonado. "They have to sacrifice their health."
Oklahoma City Public Schools leaders say they understand that families and teachers may have some anxiety about returning to in-person learning. 'We want to reassure our community that OKCPS is doing everything in our power to keep students and staff safe.' the district said in a statement Monday.
Along with new cleaning protocols, building signage and the purchase of personal protective equipment, District leaders say they're in constant contact with local public health officials as we remain committed to incorporating the latest information and protocols in this ever-evolving health situation.
According to the district, Health officials advised OKCPS that Oklahoma County will likely fluctuate between the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s (OSDE) Orange Level One and Orange Level Two for the remainder of our school year.
'Knowing this kind of disruption would make learning difficult and that state officials support us moving forward with a “carefully managed” A/B schedule while in Orange Level One or Two, OKCPS believes it is more appropriate, more consistent, and more aligned with the recommendations from the OSDE to make any significant instructional changes for our district at the OSDE Red Alert level and/or if we were to see a significant change to some of our other data points.'
As students begin to return to our campus, OKCPS has a FAQ section on our website, which gives in-depth information for families and staff.
The district goes on to say that 'the health and safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority and we are grateful for the continued trust, commitment and flexibility of our families, staff and the community.'