During last week's in-service, teachers, support staff, and administration spent the majority of each day meeting in a relatively small classroom where desks were spaced just under 3ft apart and many of the staff were forced to sit along the walls or bunched into corners due to
the lack of space. Approximately 70-80% of those in attendance were unmasked all or most of the time. Several complaints were made, but the meeting continued in the room. On Friday morning, several staff entered the room unmasked and were not asked to put masks on until after the first PD. Many kept their masks below their noses and continue to do so. Shortly after, the Executive Principal moved to the front of the room about 2ft from the front row of desks to inform the staff that the Freshman Academy Principal had tested positive for COVID. The Executive Principal explained that the principal began to experience symptoms Tuesday morning, during which time the principal had given a brief presentation in that same room. The principal sat in various locations around the room and held a Freshman Orientation that evening which 90 students and family members attended. The principal removed his mask each time he spoke. The Executive Principal held his mask away from his face while disseminating this information with the explanation that he has a doctor's note and that he does not have to wear one but wants to "follow the rules". Staff were told to remain in that room until the school nurse could return from her other school site to go over protocols. The nurse arrived approximately 30 minutes later and was shocked to see how the staff were seated. The nurse informed staff that that they were all too close together and should hold future meetings in a larger space, that those who were vaccinated did not have to quarantine but did need to have a COVID test to prove they were negative, and that those who were not vaccinated and were within 6ft of the principal that tested positive for 15 minutes or more needed to quarantine for a minimum of 8 days with a negative COVID test result, or 10 days without a COVID test. Several teachers left the building for mandatory quarantine at this point. The staff that remained were told that they could have a rapid test done in the front office. All who were tested received negative results that day. The Executive Principal remained in the building meeting with individuals in his office for over an hour until enough teachers had complained to convince him to leave. He has since reported that his wife is experiencing moderate COVID symptoms and is awaiting their test results - which are scheduled to be available by next Monday. Over the weekend, 3 teachers from the Freshman Academy tested positive and are currently on quarantine. Since then, 4 more have tested positive. 6 students also tested positive after arriving to school with symptoms in the last 2 days. All but 1 of the remaining Freshman Academy teachers have called out for the remainder of this week out of fear. A teacher resigned out of fear of catching COVID and passing it on to their family. The teachers and administration who remain are worried about further spread within the school because of the lack of protocols in place.
Source: Osha.gov | Receipt Date: 2021-08-12
Source: Osha.gov | Receipt Date: 2021-08-12
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