State’s largest teachers union calls on governor to shut down all public schools
Click here for updates on this story
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — Connecticut’s largest teachers union is calling on the governor to either make classrooms safer or shut down all public schools.
The Connecticut Education Association recommended that all Connecticut schools shut down and transition to remote learning next week after the Thanksgiving holiday.
It said teachers feel the only other option is to immediately make several safety upgrades.
Monday, several unions comprised of Connecticut educators, including the CEA, issued a report claiming that as COVID-19 numbers rise, classrooms across the state are not safe enough.
Their plan was simple.
They argued that all schools should go fully remote after Thanksgiving through Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18 to help minimize the spread of coronavirus after the holidays. They only way schools should remain open, they said, was if statewide standards proposed in a document released on Monday were implemented and schools were fully staffed.
The safety improvements the teachers demand included:
Teacher input on contact tracing procedures
Statewide safety protocols
Stricter social distancing enforcement
Full classroom quarantines after a positive test
A statewide standard for quarantine length
“We need strict, statewide oversight and assurances that districts are uniformly following the health and safety procedures established by the CDC and SDE, because right now, they are not,” the CEA said in a statement.
Gov. Ned Lamont could respond to the demands on Tuesday.
In the past, however, he has argued that closing schools across the state would be a mistake because in-person classroom learning is important and that COVID numbers can vary between districts.
Stay with Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
