With the 2020-21 academic year at our doorstep -- and amid all of the discussion about plans for reopening the schools -- there has been a lot of concern about COVID-19, especially among teachers. Recently, a rumor began circulating that the U.S. Department of Education had issued an advisory to all educators encouraging them to make or update their Wills before returning to the classrooms.
As it turns out, this rumor was false.
In a brief interview, the Deputy Press Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education stated that the Department "has not and would not make such a recommendation. The science shows that returning to school can be done safely, and the CDC has released guidelines to help schools do just that."
While James Legal, PLLC would be more than happy to assist you in preparing for the future, rumors like this serve only to generate fear and confusion. Future prep, including Wills, Trusts, Medical Directives, Powers of Attorney, etc., isn't something you should approach with a fearful outlook. The entire point of these legal documents is to provide reassurance, so when we sit down to map things out I need you to be clear-headed and focused on building the plan that you want. If you are terrified or otherwise distracted, we run the risk of missing something important.
So, to all of my West Virginia Educators out there:
There is no recommendation from the U.S. Dept. of Ed. that you should have a Will made before school begins. But, if you decide that you would like to do a little future prep and make a plan the right way, please get in contact!