Frederick County voters, please remember this when the school board members are up for reelection.

https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/education/schools/public_k-12/fcps-board-rescinds-decision-to-expand-hybrid-model-at-elementary-schools/article_ca8f3437-b3ac-5fc5-b767-c4b23b589c14.html

The Frederick County Board of Education has rescinded its moves to implement three feet of social distancing and expand the hybrid model to four days a week at elementary schools.

The board met for a special meeting Thursday morning after receiving stark pushback from employee unions regarding the previous decisions to bring back more elementary school students starting May 3.

Since the board made the decisions on April 14, it has received a vote of no confidence from the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA), and all three employee unions filed a class-action grievance against the board, claiming there was a violation of a Memorandum of Understanding related to instruction amid the pandemic.

The current MOU was finalized in February between the board and all three employee associations.

It states, among other things, that six feet between students and employees must be maintained, and the only way the agreement can be voided is if all emergency protocols related to COVID-19 are lifted. If not, the MOU is set to be in place until June 30.

Board member Brad Young said during Thursday's meeting that he was supporting the motions out of respect for Frederick County Public Schools administrators and teachers.

"I'm doing it with the hope that ... they truly want to get as many kids back and ... will work starting today and tomorrow to figure out the best ways to do that," Young said.

He also reiterated that the board must be committed to bringing in students five days a week for the next school year.

Board member Liz Barrett said there is no doubt that the board and FCPS employees have the same desire to get students back in school buildings.

“I don’t see from anything that we’ve received that we don’t have shared goals here in terms of getting as many students back as possible, so that’s what needs to happen in a safe way," she said.

After the board rescinded its original decision, board member David Bass moved to authorize the superintendent to engage the employee associations in discussions to revise the MOU "to pursue our shared goal that as many students as practicable can attend in-person instruction as soon as possible this school year."

“I think this is the motion that should have been made before. I like this motion I will absolutely support it," said board Vice President Karen Yoho. "We do have shared goals. Teachers want nothing more than to have students back in the class and to do it safely and collaboratively is the way to go.”