Muji, be open and honest with them. Since you have been there awhile, they are likely to to hear you out. You may also consider how that 1 year would affect your retirement. I was really upset that I had to retire early or suffer. Because I no longer had to pay for the union, and certain benefits, I actually make almost the same amount as I when I was working. I retired in January to to work on my PTSD and to free myself from abuse. Sometimes if things don’t work out then you have to weigh your options, but I have a feeling that they will work with you. Best of Luck tomorrow.

You can share how student scores improved.... so being online was not a negative thing.

In such a time as this, your death and dying classes are all the more important for future healthcare workers.

Please do what is best for your health,Muji.

i'm willing to bet that some of your fellow teachers will also be requesting the safety of teaching online classes.

Secouya, I need to see a financial advisor, because when you wrote " I actually make almost the same amount as I when I was working" that may be true of me, too, at least as far as net income goes. Hmm. Blue, you make a great point. I should make hay about those test scores rather than feel put on the defensive, right? And sil, it is often a strategy on the part of bosses to make you feel like you're the only worried employee. But no way could that be true these days. So I shouldn't feel alone about this, right?

Be honest with them muji. If they dont listen then they dont listen but atleast uve given ur opinion. U wont be the only one to want to do it how u do there will be others too. Ur only giving ur opinion they will make the decision at end the day but they cant punish u for just giving ur views. Good luck.

It hink you got good advice ---- point out online school scores were good. And that it might be worthwhile feeling out friends within the faculty, in a casual chatty way, to see if you're not alone. B/c I agree, I think by fall we'll still need to be cautious for vulnerable populations. (My mom and hubby among them.) And people's lives will not be "all settled" again, I suspect, so online teaching will provide flexibility for *students*, too.

Puma purrs and support and power, Muji!

Muji, they sent out a feeler. I also do not expect you to be the Lone Ranger. Much will depend on what your state decides, which would take it out of admin's hands. There is no doubt there will be a second wave, and that may change the game. Even if they do decide to open, you will follow all necessary steps to keep your area there safe, and can give online exams to avoid handling paperwork. No matter admin's decision now, it is not a done deal. Hugs.

Big hug for you Muji and I think you're the one who really needs to advocate for your health

I don't think that you would have any problem getting your doctor to give you a note stating that you're high risk and would be in danger of catching this virus..... I won't even go to medical appts at present.... They have to be on the phone

This isn't even close to being contained from the news I'm seeing and we're supposed to be in for a second wave for it

The school is a money making venture and it's going to do whatever they think is in their best interest … Please take good care of you my friend....xo

Muji, today I was contacted by Kaiser. I was asked about teaching part of their chronic pain program in the spring. Well I figured everything was cancelled and spring is almost over. Today I received an email asking me to teach face to face in a classroom setting. Like you I am a little nervous with my health conditions. I told them I would get back to them next week because I am not sure like you and I may have to have total knee replacement and I wouldn’t know if I had to have it what that timeline would look like. Let me know how your meeting goes. I am really going to have to think about it. It’s only a six week course, but still exposure makes me nervous.

Thanks, everybody. Writing here before going in to that meeting really settled me down as to how to speak up for my needs and concerns. I miss my students and our face to face interaction, but there still is no coronavirus treatment if I were to get it, much less a vaccine to prevent my getting it. So until there's some progress of some kind in that direction, I consider returning to face to face instructions to continue to be the same risk it has been for the last two months. 88,237 have died of COVID-19 so far, and I am a higher risk to become one of them what with my age, diabetes, kidney disease, and unresolved collapse and over night hospital stay Feb 24.

That led me to speak up in my community college's department meeting about that. It was daunting, as my chair earlier had brushed off my Feb. 24th hospital stay as "nothing" in front of my classroom full of students. Now in yesterday's meeting my chair was pushing a survey of students showing they overwhelmingly preferred face to face over teaching online. I don't blame them, face to face is clearly better. But they're young and the coronavirus is singling out elders with underlying health conditions like me, so I have to speak up for myself as to taking the risk of dying for what others want the most.

When I spoke up in the meeting yesterday in front of all of my coworkers, though, my department chair acknowledged my concerns. Everybody else in the meeting was talking in circles about what they wanted to to. However, since I came with a clear request honed here first, my department chair made a decision on the spot in the meeting and agreed I should teach online in the Fall.

My stress level immediately dropped and I relaxed. It's so nice and not just because it may keep me safer from being a high coronavirus risk. It is also nice just because it eliminated the uncertainty for me about the Fall so I could go ahead and plan and prepare.

I'm grateful to you all for how your words translated into action. It really took the stress out of my PTSD about this.

Good on u muji. Glad it worked out how u wanted it to.

Glad it worked out for you! There may be enough progress on treatments or vaccines that you can go back to face to face later.

I am happy for you. :)

That’s great Muji! I am thinking that I might drop from the fall program and let Kaiser know if things get better, I might consider later next year.

Thanks, everybody. Secouya, sounds good to pass on the fall since that option stays open for you later.