IRL

‘You don’t respect us’: Teacher slams school board for coronavirus policy in resignation speech

‘We’re angry at you.’

Photo of Kahron Spearman

Kahron Spearman

man in leather jacket and mask gestures to people sitting at table on stage

In an impassioned resignation speech, a beloved Michigan teacher slammed the school board’s updated, relaxed coronavirus policy and said it would put school staff and students at risk.

Featured Video

According to WDIV-TV, the Grosse Pointe Public Schools Board of Education board voted 6-1 to implement policies that include changing the definition of “close contact” from 6 to 3 feet and lowering the mandated quarantine for students who come into close contact with students who test positive for COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days.

Sean McCarroll, a teacher at Gross Pointe North High School, accused the board of education of “disregarding” teachers.

Advertisement

“You tell us after your meetings that you ‘so appreciate and respect us,’ well I cry bullshit,” McCarroll said to the board during the meeting. “You don’t respect us. If you respected us, you’d listen to us. You don’t appreciate us. If you did, you wouldn’t make our jobs literally impossible to do. If you cared, you would pretend that you’re listening, at least.”

In solidarity with McCarroll, numerous teachers within the Grosse Pointe Public School district called out sick on Wednesday. According to WJBK, teachers asked to teach virtually for two weeks following an uptick in coronavirus cases in April.

However, the board voted to stay with in-person learning and to reportedly “relax protocols.”

McCarroll reprimanded the board for allegedly accepting input from people beyond the school system rather than “qualified” district teachers. The board appeared to have its collective minds made up, completely disregarding McConnell, and cutting him off to inform him that his speaking time was up.

Advertisement

“We are not angry about the situation—we can’t control COVID—we’re angry at you,” McCarroll said. “Angry is a nice way of putting it. You’ve done more damage to our students, our district, and our profession in the last 12 months than we’ve seen in the last decade.”


Today’s top stories

‘Fill her up’: Bartender gives woman a glass of water when the man she’s with orders tequila shot
‘I don’t think my store has even sold one’: Whataburger employees take picture with first customer who bought a burger box
‘It was a template used by anyone in the company’: Travel agent’s ‘condescending’ out-of-office email reply sparks debate
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
Advertisement
 
The Daily Dot