To the Editor:

I am writing to you today because I am deeply concerned about the children in our community. Most people move to Newtown because of the amazing schools and community. Since last March a lot of what we love about “Newtown” has been lost. Kids are learning from home on a computer, people are bickering on social media, and our sense of community is dwindling. The children in our community feel this disconnect and they are feeling frustrated and alone. Of course this pandemic is scary and there are so many unknowns. Through all of this, schools should be a safe zone for these children. Kids should be able to go to school and learn, free of anxiety and frustration. Other surrounding towns have managed to continue having in-person learning for their students and have been proactive in finding ways to ensure they stay in school.

Education is as much essential as a grocery store or hospital. If staffing is an issue, as the BOE is claiming, then this is a community issue and should have been brought to our attention in October so people could have applied for positions or volunteered. Those families uncomfortable with sending their children to school have an option for them to remote learn, but the other families who want and need their children to go to school do not have an option and this is concerning.

The spread of this virus has been proven to not be in school. Students and teachers are safe in school as long as the protocols set in place are used. The decision to keep our children remote learning seems to be based on fear and no facts. Out of 471 people quarantined, zero tested positive. This shows that schools continue to be safe and this is backed by our Governor as well as many doctors and mental health professionals. Remote learning is detrimental to our children’s social emotional wellbeing and I believe we have only begun to see the other effects this will have on our children as they get older if we don’t act now. I have seen my own children who love school, their teachers, and friends cry daily that they don’t like school on the computer and they are bored and tired. This is heartbreaking as a parent to see and hear. Their childhood is so short and precious and we as parents want school and learning to be positive and not a struggle.

We need our children back in school full time in person starting January 4th and staying in school.

Thank you for your time,

Mike and Monica Duncan

Taunton Lake Drive, Newtown December 18, 2020