Dupage Policy Journal

A substitute teacher and parent said she witnessed students being sent to school bathrooms that were crowded to take COVID-19 saliva screening tests.

Dana Van Sleet said what the district's website said was going to happen was not how it went down.

"On the district’s website, it said we’re going to do this mandate … if the student doesn’t submit a sample, the parents will be notified by email and if it continues to happen, the student will be moved to remote learning," Van Sleet said in an interview with DuPage Policy Journal. "But, kids that did not have their sample with them were corralled into the library and … these are sixth through eighth graders and they’re being given the test to do themselves and told to go to the bathroom."

Van Sleet said she witnessed at least seven boys in a bathroom less than a foot apart spitting into the vials for the COVID-19 tests. She saw a line to the bathroom and she even saw one little boy whose mother didn't want him to provide a sample at school and he was placed on a bench until the school decided what to do with him.

"Based on what I heard, students who wouldn’t submit a sample were asked to go home," Van Sleet said. "That was what I witnessed yesterday and that is not what (the website says). I don’t even know where to start with what is illegal and unethical and doesn’t make sense. There are so many levels to this."

Van Sleet said she spoke with a parent at another middle school the following day and the procedure was different at that school.

"I talked to somebody at the other middle school and she saw kids outside, so maybe they got my email and addressed it, or maybe that school had a different plan," Van Sleet said.

Van Sleet said her friend saw at least 20 kids outside spitting in the vials.

Beverly Redmond, the executive director of communication and public relations at Elmhurst Community School District 205, said the district is working on the new process.

"On this week, the District began its COVID-19 Saliva Screening Program for students in grades 6-12 who are attending in-person learning or participating in extracurricular activities," Redmond said to DuPage Policy Journal. "The screening program is intended as one part of the District’s overall safety protocols that includes masks, social distancing, cleaning, and other mitigation strategies to maintain a safe environment for our school community."

Redmond said they are listening to what parents, students and staff have to say about the process.

"Students who provided a screening at school did so in areas that were monitored for social distancing as much as possible," Redmond said. "We continue to listen to our parents, students, staff and principals for feedback on ways to be more efficient. We thank our school community members for their patience throughout the onboarding of this new process."