TCTA Leader Calls New Health Department School Quarantine Policy ‘Nightmare’

The Tulsa Classroom Teacher Association said it’s worried about a new Oklahoma State Department of Health policy.

The policy allows students who have been exposed, but not infected, to COVID-19 to do virtual learning at the school.

TCTA President Shawna Mott-Wright called this new in-school quarantine policy a “nightmare.” She believes all this will do is put Oklahoma teachers and staff in danger.

There are thirteen guidelines schools must follow, including quarantined students having to be tested repeatedly, schools reporting those results of the tests to the OSDH daily, schools having to provide supervision of students in quarantine, and any student who tests positive for COVID-19 will have to enter isolation and can be no longer be permitted in the in-school quarantine program.

“We are not your experiments, we are not guinea pigs, not my children nor myself, no," Mott-Wright said.

Mott-Wright said with how unpredictable the virus already is, she doesn’t understand how placing teachers and staff near those who have been exposed is a good idea.

“This is dangerous for literally everyone in the vicinity of this idea," Mott-Wright said.

Mott-Wright believes schools shouldn’t be healthcare providers and she said this policy would force teachers and staff to do that.

According to the guidelines, schools would also need availability of facilities that will permit housing of quarantined students.

Oklahoma schools will be able to adopt the policy starting Monday until December 23.