Change.org - Bring Ms. Garcia back

Michelle is a high school student. One of her favorite teachers, Ms. Garcia, can’t return to in-person teaching during the pandemic due to health concerns. And the school will not allow her to teach online, so she has been forced on leave. Michelle says Ms. Garcia makes students feel safe and allows them to explore their creativity. Other teachers at the school are allowed to teach from home. Michelle thinks it’s only right that Ms. Garcia is able to teach online as well. Add your name now to help bring Ms. Garcia back. Bring Back Ms. Zoila Garcia! 2,706 have signed Michelle Paderni’s petition. Let’s get to 5,000!

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My fourth year in high school, and I have never been more disappointed in the school system. I am a student at Felix Varela Senior High School, my name is Michelle Paderni, and I am the Editor in Chief of Crotalus Yearbook. Recently I had found out that Ms. Zoila Garcia has temporarily taken leave because she will not be allowed to teach online.  Ms. Garcia is one of the few teachers at Varela whom I can personally say has made school feel safe. She teaches us great values that will facilitate us in making decisions as we grow up. Not only that but in eleven years at Varela and twenty in Miami-Dade, she has been an excellent example of what a teacher should be. She has helped countless students mentally, and through their high school experiences.  She is currently considered to be elderly as she over 60 years old. Additionally, she lives with her mother who is over 90 years old. Garcia has severe asthma, and her mother has multiple conditions, meaning for the sake of her health she should not come back physically.  We ask for these teachers who are truly dedicated to their job be allowed to do it online. If students have the opportunity for their health to be at home, then so should the teachers. At Felix Varela, there are over 200 faculty members and only 5 were given the opportunity to work from home.  Garcia has been the yearbook and journalism teacher at Felix Varela for over 11 years. Every year we have award-winning publications, and our school doesn’t seem to showcase enough appreciation for the communication students. Even closing out our creative writing programs this school year, we can’t help but feel vulnerable in the student population. We like to express our creativity in the format of writing, art, and photography. It is not something that should be taken away amidst a pandemic, that has affected the lives of everyone.  All we ask is for students, parents, teachers, and fellow members in our community to sign this petition, to bring Ms. Zoila Garica back online, to bring other fellow teachers who cannot teach at the risk of getting sick back online. It is an injustice for them not to get paid, and lose their job for the year when all these teachers do is care about us the students.   Photo Credit- Fox Mar Photography

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