By: Emdad Swapan & Grace Kennedy
News Editor, Opinions Editor, Social Media Managers
First year Herndon HS biology teacher Mrs. Desiree Hurtado submitted her resignation on March 2nd. In February, Hurtado was placed on unpaid leave for a few weeks after defying FCPS COVID-19 policy for staff. Current FCPS Human Resources rules states, “if a teacher is unvaccinated: they must test weekly outside of work hours.” Hurtado became insistent on refusing to test weekly or take the vaccine. During her leave, she took to Schoology to leave her students a message: “At the moment I am refusing to take the test (for COVID-19) because I refuse to be ‘singled out' as a dirty, sickly and unvaccinated individual who does not deserve to get paid. I am currently being 'disciplined' by FCPS because I am a 'non-compliant' employee.” Parents received an email from HHS principal Dr. Liz Noto responding to Hurtado, "While I respect an employee's right to disagree, it is not appropriate to communicate personal grievances to students and families.” Noto is not able to comment further on the resignation at this time. Hurtado went on to send numerous messages through Schoology, the final one saying, ”I may not be able to speak to you again after this because people don't want people to talk about these things,” claiming she was being silenced.
Hurtado has expressed her grievances multiple times since the start of the school year, often disagreeing with her science department colleagues. She even expressed her grievances in an email sent out to the entire HHS faculty, mirroring her Schoology messages. An anonymous HHS teacher told us, “I just can’t believe a teacher could do such a thing. Our number one priority is to put our students first, and Hurtado seems to have forgotten those principles we agreed upon for when we became educators. It was totally inappropriate for her to say these things to her students.” Multiple sources have knowledge that Hurtado was offered another position at HHS, away from Biology, but she declined the offer.
As freshmen, the transition to high school can often be difficult, and a teacher's resignation partly through the year in a core class can certainly add more to their plate. One of her students told us, “I feel she was being selfish over everything because it's not even about not getting tested or vaccinated, she was just being difficult and childish.” Another student said, “She seemed like she knew what she was teaching but sometimes it felt she didnt know how to communicate that so every once in a while her personal views on vaccines or anything unrelated would slip into the lesson. It made the class kind of uncomfortable to be in.”
Additionally, Hurtado was in charge of choreographing a salsa for our Show Choir. They were saddened by her sudden leave, the day before they were supposed to begin learning the dance. Hurtado’s dance will be replaced by choreography by student leaders.
Hurtado’s class will now be taught by well-known substitute, Mrs. Ness, who has experience teaching Biology classes. On Monday, February 14th, Hurtado's students came to class to see all of Hurtado’s belongings being cleared from the room, with Mrs. Ness being present. Dr. Noto stated in an email, “Currently we have a seasoned substitute, in consultation with our science department chair, covering Hurtado’s classes. I assure you appropriate teaching and learning will continue in this classroom.” On March 4th, Hurtado confirmed her resignation to the Stinger, saying, ”It was the only choice I had left.”