Fifteen-year educator Tavious Peterkin was gearing up to start his first year at the Dysart Unified School District in Arizona this month before quitting over coronavirus concerns, the Hill reports.
What We Know:
- Peterkin was initially told to begin preparing online lessons with the school returning to in-person classes in October. However, Arizona schools reopened Tuesday with a rotating schedule where teachers instruct from home one day and then from an empty classroom the next.
- Peterkin, a band and chorus teacher, was concerned about students’ inability to play instruments or properly sing while wearing a mask and feared the virtual instruction from the classroom. “It was the face-to-face instruction that was the major red flag. Teaching virtually from the classroom setting did raise some concerns for me,” he told Good Morning America. He requested to teach music theory this fall, and the schools’ administration suggested he speak to Human Resources. He later resigned on July 20. “I love kids, and I’m very passionate about what I do. Had there not been a pandemic, I would’ve never resigned. I was excited about making my mark in a new district. I was going to be building the program. It meant a lot to me to be there,” Peterkin added.
- His concerns did not come without a cost, however. There was a “liquidation damage clause” wrapped into his contract that is requiring him to pay $2,000 to the Dysart Unified School District as a result of his resignation. Believing that he was making the right decision for the safety of himself and his family, Peterkin questioned why he needs to forfeit money to a school that has not paid him anything.
- The district stated that though they understand the difficult times, they have a responsibility to keep a full-time staff. “While we understand that these are challenging times for everyone, our mission to educate remains, and we cannot do that without a full team of staff. If employees leave unexpectedly, we will have immediate, and in many cases, hard to fill positions open. This ultimately impacts our students, who need committed teachers from day one.”
- According to an ABC affiliate in Phoenix, three Arizona teachers in Gila County tested positive for COVID-19, and one died after teaching virtual courses from the same room Mr. Peterkin was expected to teach in.
Peterkin has since started his own online school to continue teaching throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
