Friday, August 14, 2020

WESTCHESTER-PUTNAM COUNTY TEACHER UNION PRESIDENTS OPEN LETTER TO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

 Michael Lillis is the President of the Lakeland Federation of Teachers. He ran for NYSUT President in 2017. He and his fellow union presidents write about the pitfalls of reentering schools this fall. My favorite part: 

Every plan assumes a well-behaved student body that will follow all directives and maintain masks and social distancing, even during hall passing.  Plans assume we will be able to hire enough leave replacements, substitutes, and monitors to supervise students in the next three weeks.  This will not occur.  When schools reopen with the potential of being understaffed, it will make an already unsafe situation even worse.

In every survey conducted about re-entry, the most important condition people require is that the schools be safe.  The phrase “Maslow before Bloom” is never more applicable than the current situation.  It is irrational to expect students will be able to learn in any reasonable manner when their teachers and administrators are constantly conveying the need for vigilance in mask- wearing and social distancing.  The constant need for vigilance cannot help but be internalized as fear and anxiety.  At best, schools will be more similar to a well-meaning prison than an actual rich learning environment where thoughts can be shared and joy can be expressed.

Well said Michael. The entire letter follows. I wish we had union leaders in NYC who acted like this. Westchester-Putnam are so close to us yet so far away.

An Open Letter to the School Communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties from the Leadership of Teacher and Staff Unions

We feel compelled to write to you in a shared voice, as there are universal elements to our concerns about re-entry into the schools this September.  It is important to note that this is a discussion about re-entry, not re-opening.  The education of children has always been our top concern.  One truth that cannot be ignored as a necessary precursor to any successful model of instruction is a safe learning space.  Though we will open this September for instruction, the only question is the modality of that instruction.

All districts in New York were required to create a re-entry plan that addressed three options: full virtual, hybrid, and full in-person instruction.  The hybrid model is the most popular one for re-entry this September, but it poses significant risks.  The hybrid model requirement gained traction in the state early on, but unfortunately, most of what we have recently learned about COVID-19 and children calls the safety of this model into question. These risks are not a reflection of inadequate efforts by any district or administrative team in protecting the children and staff in their schools.  Rather, they are inherent inadequacies when a system designed around instructing students is tasked with creating learning environments that will protect children and teachers during a viral pandemic.

Additionally, there has been a failure in state and federal governments to ensure that adequate testing, PPE, and HVAC filtration systems are readily available. The requirements for the district plans were provided by the Governor’s office and the State Education Department in the middle of July and they were to be completed by July 31.  The Governor even added new testing and contact tracing requirements in the first week of August.

To create truly safe re-entry plans, districts would require more time, direction, and resources. It is telling that neither the state nor federal governments have provided additional resources to help ensure a safe re-entry; districts have been on their own.

Educators approach every task with a “can do” attitude.  Throughout the months of July and August, teams in each district leaned in and got the job done.  The plans were made and it is truly impressive work.  The problem, however, is that they are plans to meet government requirements for safety; they are not necessarily plans to make the schools as safe as they can be.  The limits of these plans hit close to home this summer when the Greenburgh-North Castle school experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, despite meeting or exceeding all Department of Health guidelines and having a very small student population. As anyone with any experience planning school events can attest, even the best plans on paper never match what happens once actual students are brought in.  

Every plan assumes a well-behaved student body that will follow all directives and maintain masks and social distancing, even during hall passing.  Plans assume we will be able to hire enough leave replacements, substitutes, and monitors to supervise students in the next three weeks.  This will not occur.  When schools reopen with the potential of being understaffed, it will make an already unsafe situation even worse.

In every survey conducted about re-entry, the most important condition people require is that the schools be safe.  The phrase “Maslow before Bloom” is never more applicable than the current situation.  It is irrational to expect students will be able to learn in any reasonable manner when their teachers and administrators are constantly conveying the need for vigilance in mask- wearing and social distancing.  The constant need for vigilance cannot help but be internalized as fear and anxiety.  At best, schools will be more similar to a well-meaning prison than an actual rich learning environment where thoughts can be shared and joy can be expressed.

Before we can return to schools, we must be sure that every reasonable precaution has been met in order for schools to be safe.  The goal cannot be to just mitigate risk, but to create the safest possible learning environment.  Many of these requirements go well beyond the capability of an individual school district and require action at the state or federal level.  We may feel powerless to secure what is necessary; that, however, does not change the reality of its necessity.

To ensure that in-person instruction begins safely, every school district should be putting into place the following measures that create the highest health and safety standards for our students, teachers, and staff:

1.  All building-wide HVAC systems must be upgraded to a minimum of MERV-13 filtration, and if existing systems cannot be upgraded, portable units with HEPA filtration must be available for all indoor spaces.

2. There must be uniform standards for COVID testing that help monitor asymptomatic spread. COVID testing must provide accurate and reliable results within 24 hours in order to monitor asymptomatic spread. The current wait time can be as high as 12 days, which is not adequate to help prevent the spread of COVID by asymptomatic individuals infected with COVID in our schools.

3. Supply lines for PPE must be prioritized to deliver all necessary PPE to schools in a timely fashion. All schools must have an adequate supply of PPE at all times, including enhanced PPE for students and employees who require it.

4. School districts must be able to guarantee that there is sufficient staff to supervise students and provide instruction, even as individual staff members are absent for illness or quarantine, child-care, or personal leaves.

5. There must be a 100% virtual option for teachers and students who are medically compromised.

6. Plans should require a minimum 14-day shutdown once closed for COVID-19 issues.

Last year was the most challenging instructional year any teacher experienced.  There is no teacher who looks forward to beginning the year using remote instruction. Everything about teaching virtually is more complicated.  For educators, their classroom is their space.  It is where they conjure children’s dreams and give them the tools to fulfill them. Computers are sterile imposters that rob the experience of the richness of our relationships with our students.  Educators and students need to not only feel safe but must actually be safe in their working and learning environments.  Districts and governments need to strive to meet these expectations.  There is too much at stake to fall short of the safest possible model.

Testing: https://covidstates.net/COVID19%20CONSORTIUM%20REPORT%208%20TEST%20JULY%202020.pdf

New Information on Children and COVID-19:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-scientists-know-about-how-children-spread-covid-19-180975396/

https://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/2020/08/12/westchester-doctor-school-chronic-illness/3331348001/

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/health/covid-kids-school-gupta-essay/index.html

https://www.lohud.com/story/news/education/2020/07/29/greenburgh-north-castle-summer-school-coronavirus/5530181002/

Co-signing Presidents

Michael Lillis, Lakeland Federation of Teachers

Nate Morgan, Hastings Teachers Association

Vanessa Vaccaro, Ossining Teachers Association

Tom McMahon, Mahopac Teachers’ Association

Jennifer Maldonado, Hendrick Hudson Education Association

Elisa Rosen, Hendrick Hudson Education Association

David Wixted Scarsdale Teachers Association

Anthony Nicodemo, Greenburgh North Castle United Teachers

Mary Claire Breslin, New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees

Samantha Rosado-Ciriello, Yonkers Federation of Teachers

Brenda O’Shea, Somers Faculty Association

Andrea McCue, Haldane Faculty Association

James Groven, Irvington Faculty Association

Judith A. Kelly, Teachers’ Association of the Tarrytowns

Chris Tyler, Harrison Association of Teachers

Jeanne Whelan, Tuckahoe Teachers’ Association

Roseanna Cutietta, Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Federation of Teachers

Rick Tivnan, Brewster Teachers’ Association

Carene Domato, Mt. Vernon Federation of Teachers

Melissa Barreto, BOCES Teachers’ Association

Jeff Yonkers, NYSUT ED 16 Director

Sean Kennedy, Yorktown Congress of Teachers

Lisa Jackson, Carmel Teachers’ Association

Janet Knight, Mamaroneck Teachers’ Association

José Fernandez, Peekskill Faculty Association

Amy Geiger, Katonah-Lewisboro District Teachers’ Association

Kathleen Fox, Edgemont Teachers’ Association

Miriam Longobardi, Chappaqua Congress of Teachers

Jennifer Cole, Greenburgh Eleven Federation of Teachers

Clare Delongchamp Eastchester Teachers’ Association


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's nice to know that some people aren't afraid to tell it like it is and don't mince words.

Anonymous said...

Everybody in NYC should read this letter. This is an example of people who really care for the wellbeing of students, staff and families.

Anonymous said...

There is a sickout being planned by nyc doe teachers chat for the 1st 3 days in September. Join us.

Anonymous said...

School is a joke anyway. It is a fraudulent babysitting service.. Simply say that...Why risk your life with these results? This is what's going on...

Summer school
Teachers are openly saying and putting in writing that they are passing students with edmentum averages well below 65. I'm talking about averages in the 20s.

"If they completed all the assignments but had an average below 65, I just passed them all."

"I just dropped all the low grades so the average went up to 65."

"I just deleted all the assignments they were missing so the average went up high enough to pass."

" I dropped the lowest scores, in some cases dropped a unit, and dropped or curved the end of semester test."

Well, how can they fail? Sounds like our expectations are sky high, as usual. You can go into edmentum, write anything, get a 0 on every test, but since you "completed" everything, they all pass. Fraud? Wow.

Anonymous said...

Ny post

Number of children infected with COVID-19 is on the rise, CDC says
By Dana KennedyAugust 15, 2020 | 9:14am

Anonymous said...

As a NYC Teacher, I have no idea what I will be doing, I've been teaching for 15 years and Have never been more stressed about the beginning of a school year. I literally have no plan to go on - the
@DOEChancellor

@NYGovCuomo

@NYCMayorsOffice have made my job impossible right now

Anonymous said...

DeBozo and Moldgrew have to let a few teachers die before they’ll react with common sense. Randy Andy will blame DeBozo. DeBozo will blame Trump. Moldgrew will the DOE , (he doesn’t want to mention anyone by name) and the only ones NYC teachers will have to blame is themselves.

Anonymous said...

Logistically, I have no idea how blended learning is going to happen.

In the blended model, are the teachers staying home 2 - 3 days a week also? or are the teachers supposed to go in 5 days a week?

Anonymous said...

Blended model teachers go everyda . You will be responsible for a small group that will rotate daily. 12 kids Monday, different 12 on Tuesday and keep rotating.. However they have admitted they don't know how to service the kids at home while the teacher is in school . So this is all theory still.. The city wants teachers to teach in school then go home and teach remote, the union says no. The city currently doesn't have an answer or backup plan to that question. They are grumbling about using central staff to help with remot .. But that is code for schools will need to figure it out on their own and there will be a ton of principals telling teachers what to do. Good luck everyone

Anonymous said...

I did not taught summer school and I failed almost 90 percent of my kids. Maybe the doe will realize that nothing they do works.

waitingforsupport said...

@9:18am: Someone called me lazy when i suggested a similar action. You can't help stupid. Good luck to you.

waitingforsupport said...

the chickens have come home to roost.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the error, it was supposed to read I taught summer school...

Anonymous said...

Thanks 10:42 for a little clarification.

So, as a seventh grade math teacher, on Monday, I will be teaching 5 math classes with 12 students. Where are the rest of the students from these classes? and who is teaching them math?

I still don't understand how this is going to work. It just seems so obvious that this is going to be a disaster.

Anonymous said...

To those of you commenting that doe doesn't know what it's doing and it will be a disaster: we know doe will lie and say everything is great. Principals will bully teachers into silence. Mulgrew will claim another bullshit victory. No one will know it's a disaster except us. When we start dying doe will cover it up like in March. Yup. Chickens coming home to roost. Decades of spineless behavior from teachers and now they can literally kill us and yet we still obey.