Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Kent Scribner Asks Gov. Abbott To Make Teachers Among First To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Kent P. Scribner, representing both the Fort Worth ISD and in his capacity as chair of the Texas Urban Council of Superintendents, has asked Governor Greg Abbott to consider teachers to be among the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines when available.
"Our campus-based educators are on the front lines every day," Dr. Scribner wrote in a letter to Gov. Abbott. "We, the superintendents of the Texas Urban Council, would urge you to include our teachers and principals in the initial distribution of COVID vaccine."
"[Teachers] are public servants who are doing their very best to keep children safe and educated, and their work has lasting implications for generations of Texans to come," Dr. Scribner concluded.
The Texas Urban Council includes some of Texas' largest school districts including Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Austin ISD, Houston ISD and San Antonio ISD, among others.
HERE IS THE FULL LETTER TO GOV. GREG ABBOTT
Dear Governor Abbott:
In these difficult times, we are all excited to hear good news. That certainly includes the state's preliminary guidelines for the distribution of the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine. We appreciate the dedication and diligence of those who are working to implement these vaccinations – and that they are doing so on a greatly accelerated timeline.
However, we'd like to request an addition to the plan.
Our campus-based educators are on the front lines every day. They are teaching in person, interacting with children and other adults. And, while they are utilizing best practices in safety protocols, they are still at a much higher risk of contracting COVID than those of us who can work in a closed office setting or from home.
We, the superintendents of the Texas Urban Council, would urge you to include our teachers and principals in the initial distribution of COVID vaccine. We would also ask that this distribution be prioritized for educators who work in the cities and counties where COVID infection rates are the highest. They are public servants who are doing their very best to keep children safe and educated, and their work has lasting implications for generations of Texans to come.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kent P. Scribner
Chair, Texas Urban Council of Superintendents
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