FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — The Frederick County Teachers Association expressed no confidence in the Board of Education of Frederick County and Superintendent Dr. Terry Alban because of the county's hybrid learning plan.
In the updated plan, educators would return to the building on Wednesday, January 27, with students returning as part of an in-person hybrid learning on Tuesday, February 16.
The teachers association expressed no confidence in Alban's plan in a statement released Monday. Teachers say the plan puts teachers at risk, citing high coronavirus metrics and the slow rollout of vaccines for educators in Frederick County. The teachers association called the decision "reckless," in a statement.
"The FCTA Representative Assembly calls on the Board of Education to provide scientific transparency in their decision making regarding the return of staff and students to buildings, driven by an expedited vaccination process that provides widespread immunity. Further, we call on FCPS to swiftly settle the Memorandum of Understanding with their employees."
In response, the Board of Education called the no confidence vote "truly unfortunate."
"We understand that teachers and other staff are concerned about returning to the classroom; however, we must plan for in-person learning as soon as possible," the Board of Education said Monday. "We have confidence in the FCPS hybrid learning plan, one that follows all health and safety guidelines from the Frederick County Health Department, Maryland Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called on all county school systems to return to hybrid in-person instruction no later than March 1. He noted that all school systems in Maryland have been authorized to reopen for in-person instruction since August in a press conference last week.
"There is no public health reason for school boards to be keeping students out of schools," he said. "It is abundantly clear that the toll of keeping students out of school far exceeds any potential risk of having students in school where they belong.”
Meanwhile, Maryland schools and universities are set to receive a combined $1.17 billion to address school improvements and learning losses ahead of reopening.