A Third Of All East Haven Schools' COVID-19 Cases Are Teachers

EAST HAVEN, CT — More than a third of all the confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in East Haven schools since the beginning of the fall semester are teachers, the district’s case data shows.

In late August, teachers held a mass protest outside East Haven High School and hundreds from East Haven Education Association signed a petition to the education board, claiming the district was not fully prepared for a full in-person reopening - one of the few districts in the area to opt for that plan - noting at the time that "teacher anxiety is through the roof." They argued against a full reopening in favor of a hybrid model used by nearby school districts.

See also: >> East Haven Teachers Protest School Reopening Plan

At the time, schools superintendent Erica Forti defended the plan telling teachers to, "Take the emotion out of it. Trust the data. The data tells us it's safe for a full reopening."

The original petition read that a “full re-opening unnecessarily puts the health of all our teachers and students at risk, especially high-risk teachers who need accommodations.”

Teachers pointed to their concern that there was “no way to guarantee the kids will socially distance or keep their masks on."

Schools reopened fully for in-person instruction on Sept. 8.

As of Dec. 28, 35 East Haven school teachers and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Sixty-seven students have tested positive.

On Christmas Eve, more than a day after a Patch story, Forti said she regretted having to message parents on the holiday eve, and after not replying to Patch requests for comment and confirmation, confirmed that 17 Joseph Melillo Middle School teachers were ordered into quarantine after a private holiday party they organized at the Italian-American Club.

See also: >> 17 East Haven Teachers In Quarantine After Holiday Party

One of the teachers, a party organizer, was sick and then tested positive sending the entirety of the party into quarantine but not before the teachers were in school teaching kids for two days after the get-together. Forti said the party was an “isolated incident” and that while “not sanctioned” by the district, it complied with state rules on gatherings amid the public health crisis.

School board chair Michele A. DeLucia told Patch the teacher’s private party displayed a lapse in judgment, but said she understood “that everyone wants to celebrate the holiday season, it's important that we continue to keep our students at the forefront."

But East Shore District Health Director Michael A. Pascucilla told Patch, "those teachers should have known better."

"Just because they could get together doesn't mean they should," he said. "With all we know, from the superintendent to the health (department), the state (health) department, the CDC, gatherings are strongly discouraged. They were discouraged from doing it, and they did it anyway. From my point of view, they showed poor judgment."

Pascucilla will be at Tuesday's special board of education meeting called with one "new business" agenda item: "discussion and possible action of EHPS learning model."

Update at 4:30 p.m.: DeLucia contacted Patch to explain why she added the special meeting.

"I planned this meeting so that the BOE and Community has the most current information and recommendations from the health department. The district will continue to keep the best interest of our students as a top priority, which is why at this time there remains the choice of full in person and full remote instruction. The goal for this evening is to educate everyone as to the various factors and learning model scenarios that may be a result of changing data, and families need to prepare for the district to pivot at a moment's notice, if necessary."

12_29_2020-Special Board Me... by Ellyn Santiago

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