AUBURN — Teachers and parents told the School Committee on Wednesday night that its school reopening plan is unacceptable.

Educators and parents protested before the meeting and by 9:30 p.m., 2½ hours into the session, more than three dozen had addressed the committee, asking it to reconsider its plan.

“We know our classrooms, we know our kids and we know our buildings, and the plan you’ve come up with will not work. It is not safe,” Auburn Education Association President Courtney Pierce said.

The committee voted 4-2 on Aug. 5 to approve a plan that allows parents and students to choose to attend classes two days a week or four days a week or to opt for fully remote instruction.

Earlier in the meeting, a hybrid plan — two days in classrooms and three days of remote education — offered by teachers and administrators was rejected by a vote of 3-3.

Schools closed in mid-March to help limit the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The Maine Department of Education has said the rate of infection in all 16 counties is low enough for schools to reopen safely, but that decision will be re-evaluated every two weeks.

Auburn parents and teachers also protested the four-day attendance option Aug. 12.

“We came to you last week in hopes you would reconsider the reopening plan,” Pierce said Wednesday night.

Association Vice President Bree Crocker noted that the “vast majority” of districts in Maine have offered the hybrid model (two days in class, two or three remote) and a fully remote option.

“What makes us believe that we are so much more prepared to have four days per week here in Auburn?” she asked. “We are not. It is irresponsible and it is not safe.”

She said a survey completed by more than half of the educators in Auburn showed that 81% did not agree with the committee’s plan and that 65% believe it is very unlikely or somewhat unlikely that opening schools will be safe under the plan.

“The AEA implores the School Committee to reconsider its plan,” Bree said. “We would not be here tonight if we did not believe the committee’s plan puts the welfare of students, staff and the community at terrible risk.”

Safety issues include busing two-day and four-day middle and high school students together and keeping the different groups separated in hallways and cafeterias, Pierce said.

Superintendent Connie Brown responded by saying that the Maine DOE has offered little solid guidance, especially on busing.

“That is still squishy,” she said.

Business Manager Adam Hanson said the district has chosen to go with the model that most everyone else is using: one child per seat, masks and 3-foot distancing.

Teachers and parents were also concerned about the poor ventilation at Edward Little High School, about teachers teaching outside their certification areas and how to protect teachers with underlying health issues that could be exacerbated by COVID-19.

Brown said no teachers would be teaching outside their certification areas, no education technicians would be teaching classes and three companies were working on upgrading the ventilation at Edward Little.

“We are doing our level best,” she said.

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