I am a former teacher/coach at West High School. Watching the news, I see Utah state Sen. Todd Weiler pushed for teachers in the Salt Lake School District to go back in the classroom.
With Utah ranking the worst state for teacher-pupil ratio, 24 for students to one teacher at the elementary level and 29 to one at the secondary, how could anyone with any common sense want teachers to be in that situation with COVID-19 killing a half a million people. The Legislature offered teachers $1,500 to go back and teach. Is that a bribe or a bonus? It’s insulting to try and put teachers in that situation knowing that a classroom is a breeding ground for the virus, just as it was for bars and enclosed environments.
Utah also ranks last in dollar-per-pupil expenditure and now all of a sudden there is money to put teachers in harm’s way. As Dr. Anthony Faucci said, “You give the virus a inch and it will take a mile.”
If Todd Weiler is so driven to have kids in school, why doesn’t he volunteer and teach? He is a lawyer, and could teach political science. Better yet, a course in common sense. But then again, he might have to take the course himself.
Barry Hecker, Salt Lake City