EDUCATION + SCHOOLS

Davis parents, students to rally for return to class

Aug 4, 2020, 10:21 AM | Updated: Aug 11, 2020, 10:25 am

davis on-campus classes...

Parents and teachers pose for a photo during a rally outside the Davis School District offices in Farmington prior to a school board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. Parents and students held signs and voiced their support for an in person five day school week. Photo: Steve Griffin, Deseret News

FARMINGTON, Utah — Parents and students are going to gather before Tuesday’s school board meeting in Davis County. They want school to be back in class five days a week.

Organizers are asking people to wear masks and stay distanced from each other outside. They also will bring signs and show which school they represent. But they don’t want to overwhelm the inside of the meeting, where there is limited seating.

Parents say they want to be a voice in their children’s education. They are upset that the district recently changed to an alternate schedule of two days in school and three days online.

Students say they can’t learn effectively online.

“A lot of people with learning disabilities just function much better if they are sitting there being taught by a person. If they can interact with a person and not just an email that you may get an answer back later that night,” said Donovan Drake, a high school senior in Layton who started a petition for the full class schedule.

Drake says his grades tanked in the spring with the switch to online learning.

Other parents say the same thing happened to their children.

“Last semester was extremely difficult and they are falling behind substantially. Teachers need to be able to bridge the gap from distance learning for the last semester of the school year. By only going 2 days a week how do they plan to address these issues?” asked Ashley Murray, who has two children in Davis schools.

Parents of special education students say remote learning and even the hybrid schedule does not provide their children with the services they need and requirements under the law.

“Last year was a joke. The school district has had 3-4 months to make contingency plans for special education students and has not,” said Sherri Jamieson.

Kelli Pitcher is a mom of three students in the school district. She wants to see more transparency from the school district.

“We’ve followed the rules all along, we’ve done what you asked. Please come together with us, please listen to us, hear our concerns. Or eventually, we stop trusting,” Pitcher said.

She says the district and the board have not made it clear what the criteria is in order to get back into class again, and Murray agreed.

“They have not given the parents any idea of when that could be or where the numbers need to be to get to school full time. Parents want quantifiable data to show why kids are not able to attend full time. Davis County infection rate is at less than 1%,” she said.

Murray is worried about kids’ mental health. Pitcher says she sees a rise in depression and anxiety in her job as a nurse.

Pitcher helps run a Facebook group for parents, and is spreading the word about Tuesday’s rally. She feels like she is speaking up for single parents, for working parents, and for students who are in danger of losing it all again this year.

“If I don’t speak up now as decisions are being made, at what point down the road does my voice become mute?” said Pitcher.

But one parent contacted KSL Newsradio to say he likes the new hybrid model.

“I think a lot of people are forgetting that the online platform this year is going to look completely different than it did in the spring. I am confident the online experience will have been more thought out and have more structure than the past experience we had,” said Chris King, a father of three school-aged children in Woods Cross.

King says he’s afraid the infection rate will rise if school is allowed full time.

The Davis Board of Education meets at 6pm at the district offices at 45 East State Street in Farmington.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

Education + Schools

alpine school district signage shown...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.com

Amid ‘tension’ in Alpine School District, board votes to study potential district reconfiguration

Alpine School District's board of education has voted unanimously to begin a study into reconfiguring the biggest district in the Beehive State.

12 months ago

A student at Toeele Junior High School brought an unloaded firearm onto campus Thursday morning, ac...

Simone Seikaly

Student found with unloaded gun at Tooele Junior High

Tooele Police said a resource officer learned about the gun from an administrator, who heard from a teacher, who heard from a student.

12 months ago

Burned trees piled on the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration land pictured...

Adam Small and Samantha Herrera

$300,000 cleanup getting property back to raising money for public schools

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration has to clear decades worth of bullets and rifle pellets from a former Boy Scouts camp.

12 months ago

A lawsuit filed against the Alpine School District, the district's board of education and Superinte...

Logan Stefanich

Parents file lawsuit against Alpine School District over potential closure of 5 elementary schools

The suit comes less than a month after the same group of parents threatened to bring legal action against the Alpine School district.

12 months ago

Fourth grade teacher Emily Weigel shows her students that it might be hard to fit under their desks...

Amanda Dickson

What teachers want during Teacher Appreciation week — R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Teachers and parents alike work tirelessly to educate and raise kids. Here's what one organization says about appreciating your teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.

12 months ago

climate change education...

Marjorie Cortez, Deseret News

State School Board restores climate change science standard by 1 vote

The majority of the Utah State Board of Education members ended up rejecting a recommendation that would remove climate change language from the state's science standards.

12 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Davis parents, students to rally for return to class