Teachers take their COVID safety protests to the state capitol
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HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — Teachers once again protested the COVID-19 safety conditions in schools.
Thursday morning, Connecticut educators rallied outside of the state capitol.
Their message, as it was during Wednesday’s rally in Willimantic, was that Gov. Ned Lamont should either make schools safer or shut them down.
The protestors claimed more than 14,000 people signed a petition urging state leaders to shift to online learning through January.
Wednesday in Willimantic, educators who are part of some of the largest teachers’ unions in the state, staged a rally at Jilson Square Park.
At that point, they called for all schools in the state to go fully remote because they have not been able to get any traction on their proposed safety enhancements.
The enhancements include consistent social distancing and contact tracing protocols, along with upgraded HVAC systems.
“We’re putting ourselves and our students and our community at unnecessary risk,” argued Marissa Copley, a teacher. “And that’s really the bottom line. Unnecessary risk. We can do better.”
The teachers’ second, larger protest of the week kicked off at 11 a.m. on Thursday outside of the state capitol. They sought to raise their voices together.
Windham bilingual educator Rosa Reyes told Channel 3 on Wednesday that teachers will continue to sound the alarm about safety until state leaders act.
“This by far has been the most fatiguing and the most stressful because livelihoods are at stake,” Reyes said. “Wellness is at stake. Stability is at stake.”
Stay with Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
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