On Tuesday night, Aaron Fortner, a high school English teacher in Missoula, Montana, sat at his computer for nearly four hours watching a virtual meeting of Missoula County Public Schools’ board of trustees. Leaders listened as citizens weighed in against starting the school year in person.
“Out of 50 or 60 public comments, only one person supported in-person learning,” he said. “I was hopeful.”
Fortner hoped on behalf of the rattled teachers he advocated for as a member of the local teacher’s union. Those educators were afraid of coronavirus spreading rampantly in schools teeming with crowds of ebullient young people. Without tenure, many teachers didn’t feel confident about speaking out, he said. Nonetheless, the community appeared on their side, arguing for virtual classes.
But then the board voted overwhelmingly to support a hybrid model of both online and in-person learning, to be implemented when students return on August 26. His heart sank.
“I was just blown away,” he said. “It was a jaw-dropping moment after three and a half hours of public comment. It was an avalanche moment for our community.”
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