An Arlington ISD teacher resigned due to the district’s in-person instruction policies, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Michelle Nogle, who taught U.S. History at Juan Seguin High School, resigned Friday due to the school’s in-person instruction policies, the Star-Telegram reported. A change.org petition has more than 650 signatures.
The district said that since the beginning of the pandemic reasonable accommodations would be made for employees with personal medical conditions and other needs.
"Employees are offered multiple solutions including temporary work accommodations, FMLA, EFMLA, FFCRA and unpaid leave," Superintendent Marcelo Cavazos said in a statement. "The district has not requested resignations from employees due to COVID-related restrictions."
Cavazos said Arlington ISD stated from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that safety was their No. 1 priority.
The petition says Nogle “didn’t feel safe coming physically to school.” She lives with her elderly parents in Arlington and didn’t want to put her parents at risk of catching COVID-19, the Star-Telegram reported. Her 71-year-old father is a polio survivor.
Students had the option of learning in-person or virtually and teachers were expected to teach from the classroom starting in late September.
“I’m not trying to throw anyone under the bus, but it’s something that needs to be listened to so that changes can be made,” she told the Star-Telegram. “I don’t think it’s a fair way to treat teachers throughout this. It’s not just this district. It’s happening across the nation.”
From July 1 to Sept. 30 of this year, 18 teachers have left the district, which employs approximately 4,100 teachers.
