Teachers' Unions Call For Remote Learning

HARTFORD, CT—Unions representing teachers and education workers delivered a petition to the state Capitol Thursday calling on the state to enact statewide COVID-19 protocols for schools or transition entirely to remote learning until mid-January.

Representatives of the unions gathered for a press conference on the North steps of the Capitol Building. They unfurled a long list of signatures from more than 14,000 education employees, who had signed the petition. The list, which stretched about 20 feet down the steps, didn’t last long. Within seconds a cold gust of wind tore it from the stairs and ripped it into pieces.

The teachers persevered. They called on the state to enforce consistent safety protocols across Connecticut schools. Mary Yordon, president of the Norwalk federation of teachers and vice president of the American Federation of Teachers Connecticut, called the petition an “unfortunate last resort.” She said no one was “pleased or satisfied” with having signed it but the document represented the interest of educators who face unacceptable risks.

Although districts across the state used remote learning at the beginning of the pandemic, many have struggled to maintain either in-person learning or a hybrid of both models this fall.

Read more: https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20201210_teacher_unions_call_for_remote_learning/