Teacher’s union and advocacy group criticize D91 reopening plan

IDAHO FALLS — Planning for the upcoming school year has proven to be a challenge in Idaho Falls School District 91.

This week, the Idaho Falls Education Association and a newly created advocacy group called Teachers, Parents, and Patrons United called on the district to reverse a decision made following a recent public hearing and school board meeting.

During that meeting, the school board approved a revamped version of its COVID-19 reopening strategy to include a “blue phase,” which would allow all students return to school on Monday through Thursday, and practice at home learning on Friday. The decision was made after more than two dozen parents and experts spoke during the meeting, with most recommending that the schools open as normally as possible.

Previously, the board had planned a three-phased reopening that would correspond with the Eastern Idaho Public Health’s four-phase COVID-19 Response Plan. As Bonneville County is currently in the yellow phase, schools would have reopened with students attending school two days and doing online learning for two, with Friday available for learning labs and interventions between students and teachers.

RELATED: District 91 School Board votes on how to begin school this fall

The newly approved blue phase divides the plan into four stages and starts off the school year at the blue stage, which is above the recommendations of the health district (the “yellow” phase) but still below the “everything is normal” green phrase.

The new plan, which was put forward by trustee Paul Haacke during the meeting, has made some parents happy and others upset at the changes.

Teachers, Parents, and Patrons United was recently formed for the sole purpose of speaking out against the new plan. On Monday, the group submitted a four-page letter to the district with over 300 signatures protesting the process of how blue phase was created and the board’s decision to begin the year in the blue phase. View the four-phase plan here. Compare it to the original draft plan here.

“The Board, whom we entrust with the direction of our local educational infrastructure, ignored all of the most reliable scientific information and expert opinion by deciding to forego any real safety measures in our schools come late August,” the TPPU letter said.

Some parents and staff feel they aren’t being heard.

Teachers, Parents, and Patrons United is represented by Jeremy Plothow, a teacher at Taylorview Middle School. He recalls being furious following the conclusion of the Aug. 12 meeting and taking the discussion to social media.

“I was absolutely floored with the response to it,” Plothow told EastIdahoNews.com. “We decided we have to do something.”

Plothow and a group of other like-minded teachers, staff, and parents, worked on the letter collaboratively.

The letter quotes the Idaho Teacher Code of Ethics, stating, “The professional educator provides an environment that is safe to the cognitive, physical and psychological well-being of students and provides opportunities for each student to move toward the realization of his or her goals and potential as an effective citizen.”

The group contends this isn’t possible under the current plan.

Plothow said he wants teachers and parents to return to school in a safe manner based on current information. At the moment, since Bonneville County is at the yellow phase, they believe the school district should be too. The yellow phase splits the student body into two groups, which alternate going to school and doing online education.

“We are not opposed to the adoption of a blue phase, but it needs to be used in the conditions where people are still safe,” he explained.

Besides the advocacy group, the Idaho Education Association also submitted a letter to the district in opposition to the new plan. The teachers union, under president Angela Gillman, said the board didn’t adequately take into account the safety of students or staff in the new plan.

“We feel like it was a thoughtless decision,” Gillman said. “We feel like (the teachers) weren’t valued.”

Gillman told EastIdahoNews.com they supported the district’s original plan because they were actively involved in the discussions that created that plan. But Gillman said the blue phase plan lacked input and deliberation from teachers and staff.

In a Tuesday social media post, the local union said they are working with the legal counsel from its state counterpart to get the school board to meet again and reconsider the decision.

Both the union and the advocacy group were planning an all-day “occupy rally” Thursday at the district office to protest the new plan.

Haacke explains his reasoning for the blue phase

In an interview with East Idaho News, Haacke said he doesn’t agree with the characterization that staff and teachers, or the public weren’t consulted.

“District 91’s plan today is the same plan that teachers and the subcommittees gave input on, with the addition of the blue phase which was created because the green phase was too open,” he said. “But we felt the yellow phase was too restrictive. … This was created because of the input of the teachers and the public.”

Haacke explained that he is deeply concerned about the safety of students — but that he wants to focus on both physical and mental health. He believes the isolation that has resulted from the virus is negatively impacting the mental health of students.

“We have to look at the whole spectrum of the problem,” Haacke said. “We can’t just look at the virus alone. We have to look at what this isolation is doing. “I think our students are having a hard time and need each other. So we have to have a balance between the virus and mental health.”

Haacke sentiments echo what a number of parents said during the Aug. 12 board meeting.

“When the schools are closed, the choice is made for everyone.” local parent Ann Trainor said at the meeting. “I know what happens when we don’t have school, and I would rather not do that.”

“Everybody in this room has anxiety and depression from COVID,” said Jimmie Scrogum, a resident who has recovered from COVID-19, said during the meeting. “That doesn’t mean you stop life because of fear.”

During his interview, Haacke also responded to a claim made in the TPPU’s letter that the blue phase plan was influenced by Idaho Rep. Barb Ehardt, who had sent a text message to Haake during the meeting. In its letter, TPPU demanded to see the communications and suggested that not releasing it would be a violation of the Idaho Open Meeting Law. “Any information that shapes the discussion or affects the conclusion of a public meeting must be disclosed, in its entirety, during the meeting,” the letter states.

Both Haacke and Ehardt stated the only communication that occurred between them was Ehardt texting Haacke the wording of code clarifications on how much notice is needed to call an emergency meeting on the school board. Ehardt said a parent texted her asking about specific code wording, and suggested she send it to Haacke, which she did. EastIdahoNews.com has seen the text messages and confirm that information.

The letter ultimately calls for Haacke to resign over the new plan, and cancellation of the new plan. The letter states Haacke ignored the norms and bylaws of the Board of Trustees by not allowing sufficient time for input from the other board members, or from Superintendent George Boland.

“We do not place this blame on anyone in that district office except for those individuals on that board,” Plothow explained. “This is a matter of five individuals who need to correct a costly error.”

Haacke said has no intention of resigning.

“I don’t like the attention that has been brought to me about this issue, because it’s not about me,” Haacke said. “It’s about what is best for our students. … we made a decision that allows parents to make a decision on what they want to do.” (Read Haacke’s full statement here.)

Eastern Idaho Public Health and District 91 weigh in on the issue

Eastern Idaho Public Health told East Idaho News that they had worked on the “green, yellow, red” plan reopening plans with District 91, but that they were not consulted on the creation of the “blue phase.” But they said that their input or approval isn’t actually required to reopen schools.

One thing that has been clarified about the blue phase — is the mandatory mask policy. During the meeting, the board approved that teachers would have the ultimate discretion on if staff or students wear masks. They have since clarified that teachers only have discretion provided there is not a countywide mask order already in place, and when social distancing can be properly enforced.

Currently, Bonneville County is under a mandatory mask order. Everyone is required to wear a face-covering in public at all times when social distancing cannot be maintained. A copy of the Order for Bonneville County can be found on the EIPH website at www.EIPH.Idaho.gov.

“We need to and we want to abide by Public Health Guidelines,” Haacke stated. “The partnership between Eastern Idaho Public Health and the school district is very strong, and always has been.”

District officials say the back and forth between the public and officials is all part of the process.

“Our focus in Idaho Falls School District 91 is and always has been, on what is in the best interests of our students and staff, and that remains true today,” Superintendent George Boland said. “These are especially difficult and challenging times. It is clear our parents, patrons, students and staff have different opinions, beliefs and concerns about COVID-19 and its potential impact on schools, the community and the country as a whole. Our schools are currently caught in the middle of this cultural crossfire, but we are working diligently to try and find a path forward.”