NAMPA, Idaho — In a letter to the Nampa School District Board of Trustees, the Nampa Education Association (NEA) calls for the district to start the upcoming school year entirely online. The NEA is asking for school to remain online until Canyon County meets the following criteria:
- The average daily rate of cases is less than 50 per day
- The 7-day rolling average shows a consistent decline in cases
- Less than 5 percent of COVID-19 tests in Canyon County come back positive
The NEA has also asked the district to "commit the resources necessary to increase its ability to provide social and emotional counseling support for those who are distressed by the extended time away from the norm of being in the buildings."
The president of the NEA, Eric Maine, stated in an emailed news release that "the position is based on science, recommendations from health officials, and the will of his fellow educators in the district."
“This position was not put together lightly,” said Maine. “We have met with local health experts and have been closely following COVID-19 trends, and government officials’ willingness, or unwillingness, to take action. We must advocate for the health and welfare of our students, colleagues, and all of their families first and foremost.”
“I want to emphasize the desire of our members to be back in our classrooms with students doing what we love. We see firsthand the critical role public schools play in providing resources to families and supporting the social and emotional development of children,” added Maine. “Unfortunately, the decades-long choices made by state lawmakers to underfund our schools means our educators must work that much harder to ensure every child has the support and resources they deserve.”
