Only 48 more hours of covid

People are going to die.

That's been the biggest fear of educators since schools in Arizona began re-opening in August.

Now, we know people have died. In the last four days, we've learned about two deaths which have shaken school communities.

In Tolleson, a teacher who coached football and baseball passed away Saturday night. Ash Friederich was 40 years old.

Reportedly, he developed flu-like symptoms and was admitted to the hospital, where he was put on a ventilator.

Just days prior to his death, the Wolverine Football Facebook page was organizing protests to allow the football program to start its season. On Friday, the Tolleson Union HS District announced it was canceling the entire season.

In a post on Sunday on the Wolverine page, a much different tone. "WE ARE NOW UNDERSTANDING WHY THE DISTRICT DIDNT WANT TO START THE SEASON. They are protecting the staff and students," said a post announcing the coach's death.

On Friday, I spoke with friends of Joseph Sadri, an IT employee in the Chandler Unified School District.

Sadri tested positive on October 13, went into the hospital a few days later, and passed away early Thursday morning. A close co-worker of Sadri's also tested positive and was hospitalized. Fortunately he recovered, and was released from the hospital on Thursday night.

I asked Chandler school officials why there was no public announcement of his death. They responded by saying, they'd notified those he worked with directly -- as if they didn't know already.

You may be reading this thinking, 'but how do we know they got it at school?' And you would be missing the point. They had it at school.... period. Unknowingly, they exposed others to it.

Sadri worked in IT and traveled to schools all over the district. Friederich coached two different sports teams.

The danger of re-opening schools is: someone will be positive, show up at school and give it to others.

Yes, the virus presents a minimal danger to students, but the same cannot be said of the adults in the room.

People are going to die. They already have.