We are parents of Arlington ISD students deeply troubled by the district's choice to keep our schools open during this pandemic. We strongly believe, as do the overwhelming majority of the public health sphere, that the time to close our schools down to protect our community is NOW—not waiting until cases appear. We are at an inflection point. We do not have time to wait. The data and both historic and recent history of such pandemics supports this conclusion.

We know this decision would cause tremendous short-term disruption, but it is worth doing for the continuing safety of our community—our parents, grandparents, and teachers. Yes, lower income communities will bear the burden. But low-income communities will also bear the burden of a pandemic-level healthcare crisis. This is precisely where government officials, school district employees, and the community in general will need to step up to protect and support the most vulnerable in our communities. It won't be easy, but that's because no choice is easy. It will be harder and worse the longer we wait.

Additionally, the USA is significantly behind the rest of the world on actually testing and diagnosing COVID-19, so we are farther along this process than the even published numbers would imply.

Published analyzed data regarding the Spanish flu in 1918 examined proactive versus reactive school closures. Proactive school closing saved substantial numbers of lives. Schools in St. Louis closed around a day before the Spanish flu spiked. Pittsburgh closed 7 days after the peak. The result? The death rate for the epidemic in St. Louis was roughly one-third as high as in Pittsburgh.

We are determined to be a St. Louis and not a Pittsburg.

We are crying out to close Arlington Independent School District Schools without delay.