New York City’s most prominent teacher’s union on Wednesday warned that they will go on strike unless the city’s education department is willing to comply with a list of safety demands before public schools reopen for in-person classes, including every person who enters a school building be tested for coronavirus.
What We Know:
- Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers Union which represents 75,000 of the city’s teachers, stated the union is ready to strike if schools open before meeting its requirements. These requirements include applying one-way lines in hallways and providing schools with N95 face masks and other personal protective equipment.
- President Mulgrew stated every single person, both adult, and child, who is to enter a New York City public school must have proof that they do not have the COVID virus meaning they are strongly advising at this point for all adults and all parents first to consider going for an antibody test.
- On Wednesday, during a news conference at Lower Manhattan, President Michael Mulgrew elaborated a three-phase plan with an extensive checklist to determine whether schools will be ready. Based on the union’s criteria, most schools will not be prepared to open for the start of the new school year.
- The plan calls for proper personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies. It also states a COVID-19 response team needs to be located at each school. The union would like screening and testing of everyone going into school buildings. Only those who can demonstrate proof they are free of coronavirus would be allowed to enter.
- The UFT is dispatching about 100 members into 1,400 school buildings to check for health and safety measures, including the presence of a school nurse, a six-foot separation between student desks, enough masks, and other protective equipment, working ventilation units to lessen the concentration of air-borne virus specks, and an isolation/quarantine room or space for students who show symptoms of infection.
The possible opening date for NYC schools is on Sept. 10. The UFT says it wants the date pushed back to ensure all schools meet the criteria.
