As the spouse of a teacher, the reality of school shootings fills me with dread. I constantly worry that my husband might put himself in harm’s way to protect a student. However, unlike first responders or military personnel, he never agreed to face death as part of his job. When my kind-hearted husband signed up to teach literature like Beowulf and The Crucible, he was focused on lesson plans, student needs, and grading—not on risking his life. Yet, when his school district mandated in-person teaching during a resurgence of COVID-19, they essentially told him to contract the virus for his students.
There’s no other way to say it. They’re asking him to gamble with his life, and because we reside in a right-to-work state, he doesn’t have the option to refuse. The teachers lack bargaining power, unions, or any recourse. When the district says, “Jump,” the response is an automatic, “How high?”
The day before returning to the classroom, many of his colleagues were in tears. Their classrooms lack windows, and experts have made it clear that proper ventilation is crucial for safety during this pandemic. Yet, they were being forced into a dangerous environment without adequate protections.
My Husband Is at High Risk of Severe Illness From COVID-19
My husband suffers from asthma and a recurring immune condition. If he contracts COVID-19, he’s almost certain to end up on a ventilator. When our son was just three months old, my husband battled pertussis, leading to persistent asthma issues. Common colds can escalate into bronchitis and pneumonia for him. By sending him back into the classroom, the district is asking him to risk his life once again.
He had been teaching online, which wasn’t his preferred method, but he managed. His students adapted, too. Now, he faces the prospect of exposing himself to the virus so that some students can have in-person instruction—a scenario that could lead to severe illness. Yes, they wear masks and sanitize their areas, but that doesn’t eliminate the risk. The CDC has confirmed that the virus can spread through aerosolized droplets beyond six feet, particularly in poorly ventilated areas, like a classroom. They are essentially asking my husband to contract COVID-19 for the sake of a few students while he continues teaching others virtually.
My Husband Takes Every Precaution Possible
My husband has implemented strict measures to avoid contracting COVID-19. He wears an N-95 mask daily, despite the district’s prohibition of their use outside medical settings. He has crafted a sterilization system for any papers he receives and keeps windows open with fans circulating fresh air, regardless of the weather. He is determined not to take this virus lightly.
He teaches behind plexiglass and maintains a six-foot distance from his students, but still must distribute papers. Supervising lunch outdoors requires him to remind teenagers about social distancing while they eat—without masks, of course. It only takes one cough from one student for him to catch the virus.
One colleague consistently refuses to wear a mask when students aren’t present. I have serious doubts about her masking practices elsewhere. She works in the same hallway as my husband and has approached him multiple times, despite his clear instructions to keep her distance.
Extra Precautions at Home
He conducts all work virtually, doesn’t bring home papers, and when he arrives home, he strips in the laundry room, tossing his clothes directly into the wash. He navigates the house naked and showers immediately. He even restricts me from using his car, which he describes as “a minor hot zone.”
It only takes one student, one cough, for him to bring the virus home, potentially putting our family at risk.
The Implications of My Husband Contracting COVID-19
With children to care for, we have no support system in place. If my husband contracts COVID-19, he would need to isolate while I manage our kids. If any of us were to catch it from him, we could only hope we wouldn’t require hospitalization while juggling childcare. The thought of this terrifies me, often waking me up in a panic at night.
What would we do in such a situation?
I’m also considered high-risk.
It feels as though we’re living on borrowed time. Since March, we’ve taken drastic measures to avoid this very scenario. Now, we’re thrust into it because my husband cannot afford to abandon his career. He reassures me he is taking every precaution, but it only takes one slip-up.
He never signed up to risk his life for your children. He never agreed to teach in person during the worst pandemic in modern history—especially when numbers are surging. Yet, he has been sent back to do just that. To those responsible for the anxiety and sleepless nights my family has endured, for the image of my husband struggling to breathe, I have three words: Go to hell.
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Summary:
In the face of COVID-19, a teacher’s wife expresses her fears and frustrations about her husband being asked to risk his life for his students. Despite taking every precaution, the reality of potential exposure looms over their family, raising concerns about the consequences of such decisions in the education sector during a pandemic.