District to require a teacher app.

You know what teachers love, to find out about things that are going to affect their lives out of the blue like say in the news or in interviews.  

Greene in an interview said there were big changes coming to Duval Homeroom, though what they are has not been relayed to teachers. Maybe the district is waiting for staff week to spring them on us because you know it won't be like we have anything else going on.   

Then there is the new app all teachers will be required to add to their phones.  

From News4Jax,

A new screening method will check Duval County Public Schools staff members for signs of the coronavirus or exposure to a COVID-19 case, Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene told the school board last week.

The application, which was still in development as of June 23, will be installed on employee’s mobile devices and is meant to be used before the employee enters a school building.Greene told the Duval County School Board during a June workshop that the app will ask a list of questions related to any possible exposure to a case of COVID-19 and about any symptoms or signs of the virus. The system will then issue a response to the employee with what they should do.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/07/01/new-screening-app-will-check-duval-county-teachers-staff-for-covid-19-symptoms/?

You know I don't have a problem with a daily app. I think it will be hard to enforce but the app itself I don't.  I do however have a problem that teachers have found out about it in the news and that their concerns and thoughts weren't considered. How hard would have it been for the district to poll or ask the staff? The district cannot continue to ignore staff and pass along edicts from on high and expect us to do achieve at a high level. This may not be the biggest example but it is yet another example. 

Also, I think it's fair to have privacy concerns with this one. A couple years ago the district almost implemented a card reader system that would track teachers' movements throughout their buildings. Teachers especially where their personal devices are concerned should be able to opt-out without fear of repercussions. 

Over and over I keep saying we could and should be doing better and step one is to include the people doing the job in decisions that will affect them.