Hello,
Here is a letter written by teachers and staff in the District who are requesting assistance in getting our message out. We would appreciate your help in printing and posting!
“To the BUSD Board members, students, educators, and community as a whole,
Let us start by saying how much we love the teaching profession. Some have only been involved for a handful of years, while others have taught or served students in an administrative capacity for multiple decades. We know that the education sector is not an easy one, always ripe for improvement, yet we show up every day to refine our craft.
Though things have changed drastically in regards to student interaction with staff over the past 18 months, we still seek opportunities to engage with our students frequently. Students need hugs and bandaids. They are young and have many feelings: sad, happy, mad, lonely and they get hurt. An elementary teacher remarked she has “Never once shunned away a hug or stayed 6 ft away to apply a bandage; Pre-Covid and currently.” It is in our student’s best interest to be available to them mentally and emotionally, especially as they remark how much they trust us and know how we care for them. We always put students first and before “our own health.”
We have varying belief systems among us, conservative and liberal, Christian and Agnostic, some single and some with families; but we all agree that what is happening to our schools and society at large is not ok. The role of an educator in your children’s lives is not to tell them what to think, but HOW to think critically. We are not in the business of indoctrinating to any particular belief system, which is taking place now. At this point, everyone who has had the opportunity for the vaccine has taken it. We do not want to bicker about statistical analysis and how things are interpreted differently depending on bias. We simply want to approach things from the simple viewpoint that no one should be forced to choose between something they do not believe is in their best personal interest and being forced out of the field. We believe in Tolerance. True tolerance, which means you tolerate people who have different opinions than you, not that you need to accept them as your own. We see this in the classroom and always focus on the middle, acknowledging different sides and perspectives without swaying students’ opinions one way or the other. The community of Bishop for a long time has existed in this fashion, and we cannot back down now and let these things divide us. We want to continue to show up for your students and do this for years to come. We humbly ask for your support in this endeavor, to show students that respecting others hurts at times but it’s still the right thing to do, especially when it is unpopular. A Vaccine Mandate for teachers will inevitably harm our community and students more than Covid ever could, possibly resulting in close to 50 staff across all campuses being fired. Additionally, mandated testing medically profiles those that have made a personal choice that they feel is best for them and their family. Write to the School Board, Administration, and Government representatives to make clear that we can support others even if we are not on the same page. Let us demonstrate to the world how a community can come together despite all the rhetoric and stand for each other. If you would like to support us in this cause, send an email to Educators4Choice@protonmail.
Thank you – Bishop Educators for Choice”
So… what ever happened with this? Did 50 people get fired on October 15th, or were these “Educators4Choice” full of lies?
Drove around town and saw these “choose freedom not fear” signs up. I’m assuming these are people who are enjoying freedom from fear because they are vaccinated? Resonated with me anyway…party on, my fellow vaccinated citizens!
Ha… We need a slightly revised design: “Choose Freedom not Fear: Get Vaccinated!”
Unsigned letters are worth about as much personal check from a Nigerian Prince.
There is just no way this letter was written by a teacher or staff member. And it’s highly unlikely it represents “50” like minded educators. If it does, I certainly would not want my children anywhere near this group. Think of the kids…GET VACCINATED. It’s not really that hard.
I know just as many lefties who have refused the vaccine than I do righties,
Good for you.
tin-man’s desperate ploy to be statistically relevant
…and intolerant Quack-que is angry his side is just as concerned about the vaccine as anyone else and that the entire world doesn’t share his opinion.
Your personal anecdotes of questionable validity aside, the evidence does not support the idea that there are equal numbers refusing the vaccine from both parties. (Hint – the party that is generally more pro-science/education/cosmopolitanism is the one that is more likely to be vaccinated)
It’s already pronounced quack, not quack-que, –Part of this comment violates our Terms of Use, the violation has been removed–. But please, enlighten us on public health and infectious disease.
Does this group actually believe that the “hugging” and getting close enough to our children to put on bandaids while not vaccinated is a loving, thoughtful act? Exposing our students and other staff to potential illness or even death is not an indicator of a responsible nor caring educator. If… Read more »
More confusion for the kids as if they don’t have enough already, they as in some may or may not have a choice as not being adults. Are they possibly thinking….Get protected from the Covid-19 and it’s harsh strains that make you sick and have killed people or don’t and… Read more »
Thanks for this poorly written reminder to write to the school board and ICOE to remind them that we expect them to follow the mandates and keep our kids and community safe. Much like you can’t work at a school without a negative TB test, you shouldn’t be working at… Read more »
The OV used to be such a nice area. Not so much any longer. The name calling, the shaming, all sickening. Your true colors are showing and it’s ugly.
The assignment was a persuasive essay. This piece lacks the proper form and components. There is no introductory or concluding paragraph and the body of the essay is entirely lacking in empirical evidence or any other kind of support for the writers opinion. There are also several anomalous capitalizations of… Read more »
Dubious letter–wouldn’t it be Inyo Educators for Choice as there would probably be teachers outside of Bishop who would want to be included in this? Regardless, it definitely represents the beliefs that some people here have. The comments alone signal a crisis in critical thinking, social awareness, understanding of the… Read more »
Wow looks like the sierras are being tilted too the left.. our constitutional rights say we have the right of choice..the right choice is what we feel is right for us and our family…Not for any of you too force upon another…
You don’t have a freedom of choice when the choice harms others.
not getting a vaccine “harms” no one except the person making the choice, as vaccinated people are spreading covid too
please provide a link to an RCT showing that vaccinated people are spreading covid.
If your not vaccinated or wearing a mask then I’m breathing your second hand smoke might be a simple analogy but I think it works
Nobody is taking away their right of choice; they are free to do what they feel is right for them and their family.
Dutchboy demands the constitutional right to prove that he is too ignorant to spell correctly.
One word..,.That’s all that you have? Sad
ok. let’s count the TWO words that are the same but used out of context, as one. however, there is another word that is misspelled.
Nor does it say in the Constitution that a US citizen has the right to put others in danger during a worldwide health crisis.
Is it only the “left “ that threatens constitutional rights?
What Constitutional Article, Section, Amendment, or case law do you think is being violated?
We have many aspects of our lives regarding public safety in which we DO NOT have a choice. Having laws is not a violation of our Constitutional rights. This is a safety issue beyond your family. If you all stay at home OR mask in N-95s with good seals 100%… Read more »
Dutchboy
My bet is,if your idol and savior (that other guy ) decided that COVID vaccines were a good thing to get,you’d be first in line with your sleeve rolled up..
David Dennison..check out “operation warp speed”. The vaccine was fully endorsed by Donald Trump, as were treatments for the Chinese virus, it was developed by private industry in the greatest country on earth, not politicians. Your propensity to politicize and blame are false and polarizing. Do better David.
There is no such thing as a “Chinese” Virus. Your propensity to politicize and blame are false and polarizing. Do better, Irv.
Irv M
Are you trying to tell me it’s not political ?
Gimme a break…While “the other guy” was bashing Dr. Fauchi for his ideas,that “other guy” was suggesting bleach and Pine-Sol being injected into our bodies…
And so many of his people followed along with that…
(Student name), you have a choice. You can follow the rules that have been put in place to make sure everyone is welcome in this classroom, OR I can take you to the Principal’s office. Your choice.
I’m calling BS on your belief in tolerance
There is absolutely no reason to believe this is more than one person’s manifesto, or that it originates locally. Without names, it is merely hype and propaganda. Maybe Sierra Wave can answer why they published an opinion piece without a name attached. Most appalling is the “we put students first…”… Read more »
Savage! Well reasoned, and stated clearly.
“I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what Public Health is…Either we all succeed or fail together. The goal here is the aggregate good.” Michael Geerson
Pathetic. Where was this hubris and resistance to every other vaccine? Get over yourselves or get out of the way.
If there is a vaccine mandate there is a choice. Get vaxed or don’t get vaxed. Some folks are unable medically to be vaxed. Kids under 12 are to date unable to be vaxed. They are at risk and don’t a choice. If there is a mandate, its about public… Read more »
First off, what purpose does this letter have? It is grumbling about a policy that is already in place. On October 15th, school staff will need to either be vaccinated or receive regular testing. This is a state mandate from early August and not something BUSD has a choice in… Read more »
Wow! If this isn’t the pinnacle of bad “journalism”, I don’t know what is. SierraWave has published letters from community members before, but I believe this is the FIRST time they’ve published a letter with NO author information on it. Shame on you, SierraWave. For all we know you’re just… Read more »
I am 87 years old. I recall cases of small pox that led to disfigurement and death, and the national requirement that everyone get inoculated. Small pox no longer haunts the world. I remember summers when I and my siblings could not leave the farm for fear of polio. Then… Read more »
This isn’t smallpox. For the vast majority it’s a cold. Yry to maintain perspective
hmmmm…. and how was smallpox eradicated ?
Tell that to the 4.55 MILLION people who DIED FROM IT.
So does “a cold” kill 713 thousand people in a little over a year? Try to maintain some perspective.
I stand behind them 100%
Fri, Oct 8 at 11:14 AM First of all since your opinions are so strong I would like for you to identify yourselves so that I can remove my student from any class that is taught by a teacher who has fallen prey to conspiracy theories . If you are… Read more »
Since you are steeped in science, please provide a link to an RCT showing that masks work or that vaccine mandates stop Covid.
Take your time.
Ethics don’t allow this study, but here’s one showing Moderna likely reduced absolute infection by 61%.
You won’t care because reasons… and things… and stuff… and mostly feelings.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X21007350
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02457-y
links galore.
You’re welcome.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7039e3.htm
Oh yeah! I’ve been a RN for 80 years and have dedicated my life to healthcare that is backed by real science. I’ve seen more than you hun and know more.
Omg… who is this 98 year old nurse?
?
Are all teachers and staff unified with this letter? You just had a walk out on Monday,withe 30 or so teachers and staff not showing up,that doesn’t seem supportive to the kids or schools to me. I would like a unified letter from all the Bishop CTA teachers, not just… Read more »
Thank you – It’s the right thing to do, of course. The left marches “my body my choice” concerning impending life BUT they also march that “my body their choice” when it comes to getting stuck with a needle.
The shocking sentence in this letter is that over 50 teachers would be fired if there was a vaccine mandate for educators. I am assuming that means that there are 50 people teaching children in Inyo County that have not been vaccinated. I hope none of these teach any of… Read more »
So which is it: 1. “We always put students first and before ‘our own health.’ ” ? OR 2. “…those that have made a personal choice that they feel is best for them and their family.” Here is some simple 3rd grade critical thinking skills and the conclusions based on… Read more »
So if whooping cough ,or small pox ,measles mumps, polio and any number of eradicated diseases came back you’d be good with no vaccine or isolation wow
Covid is none of those
Your right! COVID is way more dangerous.
Please, tell us what covid is, then. And be specific, rather than, again, answering vaguely.
My family and I support these educators who are displaying leadership and courage to our students and community. No matter our differences in life, mandates are no way to get anything done. Our community should rally around these educators in support and make it known to our board, the administration,… Read more »
Denial of science and refusal to accept facts, are not displays of leadership, especially among “educators.”
The positions that you and your family tend to take on issues are not mainstream and go a long way to explain why you lost the election for Sheriff in 2018 and since then, the election on the Bishop school board. Your opinions cannot be taken seriously, and your past… Read more »
Several things to unpack here. We have more Covid cases right now and we know that masking and vaccine work. We also know that vaccine mandates work. These teachers want to hide behind a letter because they don’t want to be singled out for being irresponsible and putting lives in… Read more »
“We have more Covid cases right now and we know that masking and vaccine work.”
I can’t be the only person who noticed the paradox in this sentence.
Imagine thinking a novel pandemic virus would quit infecting every possible person before it did. What’s it like to live in an alternate reality?
Of course, Dean. I was told masks and vaccines would reduce infections. Still waiting to see that in the data.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2034577
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780700
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8165083/
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02457-y
whew! that was exhausting ! took me an entire 5 minutes to track that down.
You’re welcome.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2034577
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8165083/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780700
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/09/surgical-masks-covid-19.html
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02457-y
enjoy!
You won’t find accurate mask or covid data on Fox, Newsmax, or OANN.
Tony, please. You’re not the least bit interested in data or science. Every position you take is about owning the libs, which just makes you sad and pathetic.
here’s another one: as of 2 days ago, the highest rate of infection in Inyo County was in the 0-17yo age range. Hmmmm……
So are you saying that masking and vaccines aren’t reducing cases?
I suppose a valuable data point here would be: are the people getting infected vaccinated and or wearing masks? Or are cases up really high for people who treat this as just a cold and think that vaccinations and masks aren’t necessary?
Considering how many people aren’t doing either, I’d love to have the opportunity to find out.
Well, ya see Tony – in order for masks and vaccines to work they have to be used. While I am certain you have little to no experience with the scientific method the anti-vaxxers volunteered to be a control group and they are dying at a rate which is 15… Read more »
no, i’m not saying that. first, there aren’t any vaccines yet for kids under age 12, which is roughly 3/4 of the 0-17 yo group. next, kids are back in school, so potentially much increased exposure to delta-covid. in addition to that, it is already known in the community that… Read more »
No signature list?
This group does not speak for the bulk of educators in the district but does everything they can to make this letter sound as though it is broadly endorsed in an attempt to provide false legitimacy.
Letters like this should not be run without explicit signatures.
Indeed. It reminds me of the One Million Moms group that is constantly outraged over everything… One Million Moms, but somehow only 4,000 people following them on Twitter. Similarly, without signatures, nothing in this letter should be taken as truthful. Though I guess we’ll see if any of them at… Read more »
They’re fearful of being held to account for their actions. Odds are this is written by some parent pretending to be a teacher to advance some personal opinion into broader public view. Protonmail and grammar errors alone cause me to believe an educator wasn’t involved in writing this.
Perhaps Sierra Wave could ask the school districts in the area how many of their staff have resigned or been fired because of the vaccine mandate. I suspect the total number will be less than 50.