TEMPLE, Texas — Local districts are just a few weeks out from going back to school. This comes as the coronavirus pandemic is still in full swing throughout Central Texas.
In light of the current situation with COVID-19, two Central Texas teachers decided to leave their jobs.
"What they're asking teachers to do in the midst of all this is very unfair," Teacher Gail Holt said.
Both women have different motivations behind their decision. For Akin, it is related to health.
"My oldest son is immunocompromised and my mother-in-law lives with us and she is older," Akin said.
For Holt, it focuses more on the circumstances, what teachers were expected to handle day-to-day related to the pandemic as well as changes in the classroom.
"Teachers are getting you know, getting screwed getting taken advantage of and it makes me so sad, Like I said, I love teaching," Holt said.
She said after her last zoom meeting, they were living on 'shaky ground' and everyday was going to be different. She said people making decisions were not taking teachers, their children and their families into consideration.
"I want everyone to be thought of and everyone's health to be, you know, thought of and protected," Holt said. "Instead of just getting numbers and getting faces in the door."
In August in McLennan County, where Akin and Holt worked, has seen 410 coronavirus cases.
"I want to go back so badly it's just a matter of how safely and how effectively we can do that," Akin said
Akin said everyone should put themselves in each other's shoes to see what administrators, parents, students and teachers are all dealing with.
"We have to be in all of those shoes and to remember that it's not just about the one perspective," Akin said.
Despite the decision to leave, both teachers reiterated how much they love the job. For this year, Holt will possibly home school or tutor students and Akin is working for a national online teaching company.
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