CHANDLER, Ariz. — Arizona continues to see a rise of positive COVID-19 cases in young people and with parents putting their children in daycare or preschool, what happens if the virus makes its way into the classroom?
According to a former employee of the Maxwell Preschool Academy located in Chandler who asked to remain anonymous, school officials knew of a student and two teachers allegedly testing positive for the virus and failed to inform staff and parents.
“One of them was at the desk reading aloud the email entailing that a child had tested positive," says the former employee. The former employee quit her job due to living with immunocompromised family members.
According to the employee, mangers wanted the student’s family to be tested because of a sibling who also attends the academy. The employee told 12 News the sibling continued to remain in the classroom the next day.
“As of yesterday I know that staff an parents were not made aware of the fact that a child tested positive and I felt an obligation to let teachers know this information, most importantly the primary teacher know due to the fact that she was in close contact and pregnant."
The former employee says that teacher then told them, that two other teachers tested positive but says the rest of the staff were not notified.
Maxwell Preschool Academy would not go on camera but provided 12 News with this letter.
School officials did not confirm or deny the former employee's allegations. Officials tell us they are following CDC guidelines and instructing parents to "wear a mask when dropping off and picking up your child. We will continue to do our part in helping to stop the spread of Covid to the best of our abilities by continuing to take temperatures, washing hands, and disinfecting throughout the day."
Officials tell us the school is an essential business and that many of the student's parents are healthcare workers. They tell us their students are like family and they will do everything to protect them.