Milwaukee Public Schools: Stay Virtual Until It's Safe to Return

Milwaukee Board of School Directors and MPS Superintendent Posley

We applaud Milwaukee Public Schools for making the wise choice to begin the 2020-21 school year in full virtual learning in response to the deadly global pandemic. This choice hasn't been easy but has proven to be the best decision for the health and safety of all Milwaukee students, staff, families, and community members, especially as Wisconsin has been a national hot spot for community spread of the virus. The newest research and public health recommendations have only confirmed that in-person learning does pose a significant threat especially in an area where the community spread of COVID-19 remains uncontrolled as is the case in Milwaukee. The MPS Board of School Directors will be meet on January 26th to vote on whether to remain virtual for the next couple months.

MPS should continue to heed the word of public health experts while weighing the overwhelming evidence demonstrating in-person schooling remains unsafe for all Milwaukeeans.

Community spread of the virus remains dangerously high, and any decision to return to in-person learning would be disastrous. The average age of an MPS school building is 87 years old making the retrofits needed to mitigate the spread of the virus during in-person learning impossible. Most school buildings lack the ventilation needed to accommodate in-person learning with many schools having windows that won't open to allow proper air flow. The current configuration and setup of classrooms makes social distancing impossible and the funding needed to allow for proper social distancing (larger classrooms / smaller class sizes) isn't forthcoming. The district lacks the personal protective equipment (PPE) and the funding needed to purchase the proper protection needed. Other local school districts that have pushed to open in person prematurely have been forced to abruptly switch back to full virtual when too many staff and students got sick.

A vaccine is on the horizon, but unfortunately universal vaccination is a long ways away, especially considering children 16 and under cannot get the vaccine until FDA trials are completed.
The only safe way forward is to remain virtual for the next couple months.


To: Milwaukee Board of School Directors and MPS Superintendent Posley
From: [Your Name]

We applaud you for making the wise choice to begin the 2020-21 school year in full virtual learning in response to the deadly global pandemic. This choice hasn't been easy but has proven to be the best decision for the health and safety of all Milwaukee students, staff, families, and community members, especially as Wisconsin has been a national hot spot for community spread of the virus. The newest research and public health recommendations have only confirmed that in-person learning does pose a significant threat especially in an area where the community spread of COVID-19 remains uncontrolled as is the case in Milwaukee. We need you to consider these circumstances carefully when you meet on January 26th to vote on whether to remain virtual for the next couple months. We need you continue to heed the word of public health experts while weighing the overwhelming evidence demonstrating in-person schooling remains unsafe for all Milwaukeeans.

Community spread of the virus remains dangerously high, and any decision to return to in-person learning would be disastrous. The average age of an MPS building is 87 years old making the retrofits needed to mitigate the spread of the virus during in-person learning impossible. Most school buildings lack the ventilation needed to accommodate in-person learning with many schools having windows that won't open to allow proper air flow. The current configuration and setup of classrooms makes social distancing impossible and the funding needed to allow for proper social distancing (larger classrooms / smaller class sizes) isn't forthcoming. The district lacks the personal protective equipment (PPE) and the funding needed to purchase the proper protection needed. Other local school districts that have pushed to open in person prematurely have been forced to abruptly switch back to full virtual when too many staff and students got sick.

A vaccine is on the horizon, but unfortunately universal vaccination is a long ways away, especially considering children 16 and under cannot get the vaccine until FDA trials are completed. The only safe way forward is for you to vote remain virtual for the next couple months.