Teachers should examine the facts of the potential dangers of Covid-19 in the classroom

Teachers are among the most important and least appreciated members of our work force. Strides have been made regarding increases in their salaries and emphasis on their professional status in recent years and thank heaven for that.

Anyone who doesn’t appreciate what teaching is should try one day of substitute teaching; middle school would perhaps offer the most informative trial run. Such a day will be guaranteed to raise the appreciation level appreciably.

That said, I am very disappointed in those teachers and their unions in this time of Covid 19, who have resisted or been reluctant reopen schools.

Are they not essential workers as are grocery store staff, bus drivers, custodial staff, medical personnel, etc., who keep basic structures moving and report to work daily?

If apprehensive teachers have underlying conditions and/or are a certain age their reluctance is entirely understandable. But otherwise what is their focus of concern? Are we not to believe the Gov. Baker’s insistence on the safety evidenced in the low positive rates and mortality in the towns other than hot spots?

Is the  teachers’ focus of concern the elderly and /or nursing home residents who are the overwhelmingly the most numerous of Covid’s victims or the unknowing asymptomatic spreaders?  In other words, do they fear that schools with hundreds of thousands of young students gathered together will set off a new wave of the virus that will ultimately land, as has been seen, on the vulnerable old?

I respect them for that — if such is their fear despite the governors assurances.

I hope the governor and his advisers are right and I also hope that the teachers’ focus is where it should be –with likely victims — and that they look at the numbers which do not lie as the scholar in them must know..

But if their fear is just diffused fear, I am very disappointed in them.

Joan Pendleton
N. Andover