Washington public schools like mine need COVID consistency or public trust will erode

The time since March has been hard for so many families. I am certainly not complaining and count my blessings every day. I am one of the lucky ones.

And yet, for the first time in my 26-year career in public education, I feel as though the deck is stacked against us.

COVID-19, with the many unknowns and uncertainties that come with a new health concern, has forced those of us in public education to make decisions based on what others tell us is best for society, instead of what we know is best for students educationally.

While this may be the right thing to do from a public health standpoint, it just doesn’t sit well with me as a Pierce County school superintendent. This is not what I signed up for – and it’s not why teachers, counselors, bus drivers, paraeducators, and other school employees have chosen to work in schools.

We all deeply believe in the value of public education as the key to opportunity and success. It also plays a critical role in the economic vitality of our community.

Given the uncertainty regarding the course this virus will take locally, I cannot wait any longer to make a plea, on behalf of all students, families and staff in public education.

My request is simple: Make clear and definitive decisions about how to move forward with public education from the state level – or allow us to truly govern at the local level.

Decision making is only helpful when it is clear, consistently applied over time across the state and backed up with support. Thus far, some state and county decisions have been vague, inconsistent and lacking necessary support.

I believe this “help” is actually beginning to harm our school systems. If this continues, it will ultimately undermine the public trust in one of the most valuable of all public services.

When the public is told by one state agency that classrooms are “low risk” settings for one set of requirements, but another agency determines classrooms are too risky for in-person instruction based on changing metrics, confusion naturally follows - and trust begins to erode.

When in-person instruction is determined unsafe based on COVID-19 rates, then it should also be unsafe to provide similar services or continue services based on that same data.

Mixed messages and conflicting guidance given to school districts can create unrealistic expectations throughout the community, given the myriad of requirements to be met and decisions to be made before we can safely open schools.

Consistency and reliability are critical for our families - and essential for maintaining their trust.

I am fortunate to work on behalf of students and families every day in a school district and community that value public education. We are in desperate need of clarity and a consistent standard in order to focus on providing better educational services to our students in a manner that is safer, more predictable and much more reliable than what we have offered for the past six months.

Our students, staff and families deserve better.

Kathi Weight is in her eighth year as superintendent of Steilacoom Historical School District and has worked for the district for 11 years.