Reader input: Get Placer teachers vaccinated – ASAP!

Get Placer teachers vaccinated – ASAP! Open letter to leaders of the state of California, Placer County and news media, Placer County teachers need your help! From the urging of the Placer County Supervisors and Placer County Office of Education, most districts in Placer County sent teachers back in person to the classroom, unvaccinated last year in October or November. Teachers WANT to be in the classroom with students, as our passion is education and the welfare of our youth in academics and mental and social wellbeing (not to mention the need of school services for families' ability to hold jobs to support the local economy). We've done OUR BEST in the classrooms with students while putting ourselves and our families at risk, as our students drop in and out of class due to contracting COVID or contact with COVID. We've been patient and understanding while our elders and vulnerable populations were vaccinated first. Now it's the turn of teachers who are already back in the classroom. Please PRIORITIZE and ORGANIZE PLACER COUNTY TEACHER VACCINATION CLINICS ASAP. SHOW US YOU CARE! We can hold on, if you give us hope of a chance at a vaccine soon. Currently, many teachers don't have a chance. Now, Placer County Health offers vaccinations for teachers, but the appointment system asks us to monitor our phone 24/7 in order to go online when vaccination appointments become available at random times of the day. Scrolling through five screens of questions, only to find all the appointments have been filled in 30 seconds or less, is distracting and time wasting. This distracts teachers from their job of teaching students. The system positions teachers in an unhealthy competition for limited vaccination appointments. Do the right thing, HOLD VACCINATION CLINICS FOR TEACHERS ALREADY BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. Why were medical organizations able to get critical care, ICU and all medical workers vaccinated so quickly in Placer County? Because they CARED and VALUED their employees and the services they provide their medical patients. It was as simple as sending their employees an appointment prioritized and coordinated by the employer. The Placer County Office of Education has all teachers' information of record, so they could easily coordinate appointments and hold special vaccination clinics for teachers. But instead, they are allowing HR directors and assistant superintendents of certain districts to take vaccines before classroom teachers. Disgraceful. I believe we can do better. Teachers of Placer County already back in the classroom need your help! With sincere concern, Ann Kight, a Placer County teacher in the classroom Auburn DeWitt buildings need work but are worth saving Last Valentine's Day, I was with a group of friends at the DeWitt Center placing hearts on the fencing surrounding the DeWitt Theater and Senior Center. We were trying to draw attention to what we think is a travesty, the decision of the Board of Supervisors to demolish these buildings. You may have seen the pictures taken that day here in the Journal. While we were affixing our homemade paper hearts, a couple of men walked by. They came by to look at the construction of the new housing going up nearby. They spotted us and looked quite puzzled at what we were doing. I decided to walk up to them to explain why we were there. I explained the buildings' impending doom and they listened patiently. I told them the history of why the seniors were kicked out (remember Costco?) and I also mentioned the theater's history and that Bob Hope even entertained the troops in that building. They hadn't known a military hospital was once located at DeWitt. It is my fervent hope that the Board of Supervisors revisit its decision to raze these buildings. Yes, both buildings need a bit of work but they are structurally sound, according to an independent engineering study. If you feel strongly about saving these treasures, please get in touch with your supervisor and let them know. Bulldozing has already started and we haven't much time. Rosalie Wohlfromm Auburn They need the Senior Center, and so do many others It has come to our attention that the Senior Center no longer has a place to service us and hundreds of seniors to get help with taxes and a place to get help with many services. We have been with the center for two decades and we need their help there. What is the Senior Center future? Please reconsider our request regarding the Senior Center. Sandy Hennig and Jon Forslund Auburn Something happening in your community you have an opinion about? Gold Country Media welcomes Reader Input letters in all of its area publications. Letters should be no longer than 350 words and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. All topics must apply to the local community in which they are to be published. Letters must include publication of the author's name. Letter writers are limited to one letter every 30 days, and content is subject to review and approval by the editorial board before publication. Reader Input letters can be submitted by CLICKING HERE: https://goldcountrymedia.com/live-content/form-letter-to-the-editor/