Pfaff and Wright stand in solidarity with worried Hoosier teachers as schools see COVID-19 cases in first week back

State Representatives Tonya Pfaff (D-Terre Haute) and Melanie Wright (D-Yorktown) today released the following comments in solidarity with worried Hoosier teachers as schools see COVID-19 cases within the first week of return.

“This is a no-win situation for everyone, but teachers and staff are in a particularly tough spot,” Pfaff said. “They must balance not only their own well-being, but the health and safety of an entire community when they return to in-school classes. Parents are depending on them to educate their children while they go to work, kids are depending on them to provide the tools they need to succeed, and schools are depending on them to excel during a global pandemic. That’s a lot of pressure. As schools across Indiana return, an increase in COVID-19 cases is inevitable, as we've already seen this week. Keeping students safe, as well as educated, is the top priority of every teacher right now, but I understand that many educators may feel powerless in this pandemic. Hoosier teachers can be assured that Rep. Wright and I will use our voices to elevate their concerns every step of the way.”

“Teachers across the state are experiencing sleepless nights as we contemplate keeping our students, fellow educators, school staffs and broader-communities safe amid a global pandemic,” Wright said. “Hoosier educators want nothing more than to safely resume work with students in their classrooms, which makes the news of COVID-19 infections upon the first week of returns that much more heartbreaking. I want to reassure teachers that Rep. Pfaff and I are working to make the perspective of educators heard in the Statehouse. We will continue to fight on behalf of our colleagues as Hoosier schools confront this unprecedented situation.”