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* Click here for background information if you need it. Press release from Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery and Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin…
“The guidelines ISBE released today provide a road map as we return to in-person instruction, but they don’t address some of the most pressing concerns that make it difficult to social distance appropriately and monitor the health and well-being of all our education support staff, teachers and students. We are especially concerned about the lack of personal protective equipment and providing a safe learning environment.
It is no secret that remote learning has been a challenge to teachers, parents and students and our membership looks forward to returning to in-person instruction, but anxiety remains high over class sizes and the lack of school nurses and other health and safety resources. We continue to be concerned about the deep disparities that exist in schools, especially in our Black and Brown communities, who still lack access to the internet and computers. We need to also consider our students who live in rural communities and their ability or lack-there-of to access information online. Parents, students and community members will feel safe returning to in-person instruction only when it is done safely by reducing class size and having a school nurse and necessary supplies in every school building.
Successfully incorporating the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) guidelines will depend largely on the labor management relationship and whether or not all the support staff, teachers and stakeholders have a real voice in determining what school looks like in our new normal.
We are committed to working with ISBE to help update the guidelines and give better guidance on what to do with crowded classrooms and schools, collective bargaining issues, and the lack of critical staff and resources such as school nurses and PPE. We are very much looking forward to working with our students, and we urge ISBE to assist every school in Illinois in getting the resources needed to keep every student and adult safe.
We are our students’ voice. It is imperative that as plans are developed for the year, we get a chance to ensure the safety of our students and our members, that some of our biggest concerns in this document are addressed, including resources and collective bargaining. We treasure the collaborative relationship we’ve had with ISBE throughout this pandemic and look forward to continuing our work together.”
* More on the IFT’s response in the Tribune…
Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said in an interview that the guidelines raised more questions than answers and appeared more “aspirational” than grounded in “reality” with no certification that safety rules would be implemented and practiced.
“The thing that gives me the greatest pause is that it’s very squishy on social distancing, so I have a real concern that there’ll be districts or schools where they’ll say, ‘Well, let’s just try to keep the kids separated’ as opposed to really working it through and figuring out how you’re going to keep kids actually apart,” Montgomery said.
“The PPE issue is huge. I would really appreciate it if the State Board or the governor’s office could actually make sure every school district has masks and soap and sanitizer, and I don’t have confidence that that’s where we’re going to be anytime soon,” he said.
Montgomery said given safety concerns and the number of students, teachers and staff in schools in the Chicago area, “it’s hard to see how we’re going to have widespread, uniform in-person instruction” and that blended learning, mixing in-person and home teaching, would be the more practical outcome.
* WTTW…
The Chicago Teachers Union criticized that guidance. A statement from CTU President Jesse Sharkey reads, in part:
“Today’s guidance from ISBE is both too general and too vague to serve as a useful road map for CPS. In short, we’re going to be required to figure out many of the most critical features of school work for ourselves, in bargaining.
“Science increasingly shows that the virus is spread mainly through people breathing on each other for prolonged periods of time. Unfortunately, so much of traditional school involves exactly that practice.
“Keeping us safe will require more than just hand sanitizer … having a nurse in every building every day is more important than ever.”
* The Illinois Association of School Boards, however, was fairly positive and part of the announcement process…
IASB Executive Director Tom Bertrand joined state officials for the public announcement. Bertrand commended the Governor’s efforts to provide a path for the safe return of children to in-person learning: “We know that during a national crisis, schools are often the institutions best positioned to address the academic and social-emotional needs of children and the basic needs of many families. It is important to connect every child with caring, committed, competent educators — starting with the first day of school. The opportunity to return to school for in-person learning is an important step toward establishing that connection that is so important to the academic and social-emotional growth of our students.”
* Meanwhile…
Some Mahomet-Seymour students have tested positive for COVID-19 following an “unofficial prom” earlier this month.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is investigating a COVID-19 outbreak associated with the “unofficial prom,” which was held in a private home on June 13. The event was not related to, sanctioned by, or endorsed by Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3.
CUPHD said it is following up with the 10 confirmed cases.
As a precaution, all in-person activities at Mahomet-Seymour High School have been temporarily suspended. This includes athletic conditioning and behind-the-wheel driver’s education.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:09 am
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I’ve had three days of in-person summer school so far in a highly controlled environment with extremely small classes. There’s no way we can go back to full capacity schools. We are constantly vigilant to make sure students keep their masks on, distance, and wash their hands.
I’ve read the entire report. It’ll be a huge learning curve but the only way it has a chance of succeeding is if the schools have staggered schedules.
The report is a good start but I hope it gets amended as we learn what does and doesn’t work.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:32 am
So what do the unions want? Let me guess….more staff who conveniently will pay union dues, eh?
A full nurse in every school is ridiculous. There is a national nurse shortage right now and a paramedic is more than sufficient to hand out band aids and baby aspirin to kids.
Comment by Just Me 2 Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:37 am
=== Let me guess….more staff who conveniently will pay union dues, eh?===
(Sigh)
This drivel only makes sense if you believe the safety of the teachers AND the students are safely addressed in the reopening.
It’s truly disappointing that people are cool with putting kids in harms way, “maybe”, if they can mouth breath “union bad”
I know people expect a great deal from their teachers for their kids, but get critically ill or worse, or get their kids infected seems silly.
But… unions?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:41 am
For CTU, that was a rather tame statement…so I guess that’s a good sign.
Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:42 am
=== A full nurse in every school is ridiculous.===
There is a shortage of nurses.
Stopping school wide infections by having a nurse in the building isn’t ridiculous when you think how difficult social distancing is going to be…
… just think about in “passing periods” and crowded hallways how that going to go… 6, 7, 8 times a day.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:43 am
Just Me 2, you have no idea how much work it is being a school nurse. And in rural areas, you get paid diddly squat. It’s a job you have to have an absolute passion for. Because it’s a lot more than bandaids and temp checks.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:43 am
Hey, Just Me 2, the reason for nurses is that aspirin is a no-no for kids. For the past 30 years or so. You need someone who knows a little something about health.
Comment by Groundhog Day Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:43 am
JB offended a union? quick better immediately recant and give them their wishes.
Comment by iggy Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:46 am
The teachers unions’ concerns are valid. How teachers will be able to get 20 first graders to keep their masks on all day every day is beyond me.
Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 9:50 am
Teachers are going to be one of the most at risk professionals for COVID-19 if in person school resumes.
Let’s assume: They teach 6 periods average class size 20 = 120 kids.
120 kids that are sourced from throughout the immediate area with parents in a variety of different vocations who also routinely interact, socialize, and share confined spaces. Community spread in a school will undoubtedly present a huge risk to our educators.
Community spread within a school creates a huge risk for the entire community at large.
Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 10:10 am
=There is a national nurse shortage right now= Very true and concerning.
Comment by Ostomie Wedgie Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 10:10 am
For what it is worth, it was the same reaction I had to the rules last night
Comment by Morty Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 10:31 am
As a school board member and a father of teachers Pritzker is right. Kids have to get back into the classroom. Online learning is a myth for the grade school kids, Lesson plans weren’t set up for this and the “digital divide” isn’t the issue. It’s the parent as teacher issue. If there isn’t consistent oversight of the younger children they don’t have the ability to stay on task. Also, parents have to go back to work so if kids aren’t in school are you going to have the older siblings become the teachers aide. Briefly, schools will need to reduce the curriculum and reduce expectations for how much learning can be achieved this year.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 10:54 am
Seems taboo to question the intentions of the unions on this subject. I will give them the benefit of the doubt for not until I see the rubber hit the road. Nurses and PPE are discussions that should be had. The unions should be at the table as systems are put in place for in person instruction. Lets just see if some demands appear that are not safety related. As I said I will give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
Comment by Nagidam Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 11:08 am
Well, it didn’t take long…..mention teachers, schools, everyone’s an expert.( having sat at a school desk as a student. Never planned, taught, coordinated, cared,y took responsibilit etc. etc.) Schools cannot do one thing right. I vaguely remember people saying anyone can teach. If so, why so many compaints from parents. Can’t they do it?
Comment by AnonymousOne Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 11:17 am
Education and Child Care is potentially in the worst spot during this pandemic. There are going to be some hard decisions made in the near future for these and it will have an impact on families across the state.
Get ready for split schedules and MORE e-learning. But then - what happens when a student gets sick and the whole class has to quarantine?
This is going to be real bad for a lot of parents who are trying to keep a job in bad economy right now.
Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 12:15 pm
==It’s truly disappointing that people are cool with putting kids in harms way==
My perspective as a parent is that online learning and lack of social activity with other kids, have been stressful on my child. Also, the adult members of my family need to go to work. Schools have to open. There clearly is going to be changing staff needs for schools. Or at least processes. It is unlikely that some schools can mandate smaller classrooms; I doubt it will work anyway. The kids will be around each other at different times of the day and draconian supervision won’t work.
Comment by Southwest Sider Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 12:19 pm
ß“Science increasingly shows that the virus is spread mainly through people breathing on each other for prolonged periods of time. Unfortunately, so much of traditional school involves exactly that practice.
“Keeping us safe will require more than just hand sanitizer … having a nurse in every building every day is more important than ever.”…… how exactly us one nurse going to keep anyone safe from a virus that you yourself said is spread thru the air???
Comment by Ex niu grad Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 12:26 pm
Interesting that what is being discussed for the return of Developmentally Disabled individuals to Day Training locations, et. al. is far more restrictive than the school protocols.
One would think that the number of children in the classroom (even if kids have to come every other day, or half days) and other precautions would be at least equal to what we are contemplating for those with disabilities.
Comment by On Point Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 1:13 pm
Interesting that what is being discussed for the return of Developmentally Disabled individuals to Day Training locations, et. al. is far more restrictive than the school protocols.
One would think that the number of children in the classroom (even if kids have to come every other day, or half days) and other precautions would be at least equal to what we are contemplating for those with disabilities.
Comment by On Point Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 1:13 pm
@ Just me 2,
I was a student in a k-12 rural school, and a school board member in a k-12 district with over 9000 students.
Are you even aware of what school nurses do?
Do you have any idea how many school nurses are monitoring the blood sugar levels and giving insulin injections to kids with type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Are administering medications for immuno-compromised students, and monitoring those students’ health and environment throughout the school day?
Are you aware of the shockingly large percentage of students for whom the school nurse is their primary healthcare provider? In America, the richest nation on the face of this Earth?
We didn’t have enough school nurses before the pandemic.
And now, we need what would be double staffing. Triple staffing, actually, when we consider how badly understaffed with school nurses before this pandemic hit.
Ignorance plays better on Facebook and Twitter. The folks around here don’t tolerate fools.
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 1:35 pm
There is still a teacher shortage and an even bigger substitute teacher shortage. If or when the older teachers get COVID, it won’t take long to shut down the schools again due to lack of staff.
Comment by Enemy of the State Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 1:43 pm
Should there be more nurses in schools, of course. Do we want smaller class sizes, obviously. How do we pay for this utopian vision of the perfect school environment? We know that schools are going to have huge additional, unseen costs for PPE and cleaning schools that were not levied for at the beginning of the school year. But, schools have to open for our society to function.
Comment by Nagidam Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 1:57 pm
They have to figure out something for in person instruction because remote learning doesn’t work for everyone. My daughter did horrible with remote learning. She needs in person contact to learn. And I don’t want to see her fall further behind.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 2:32 pm
“Community spread within a school creates a huge risk for the entire community at large” Teacher exposure will be equal to student exposure.
Comment by say_it_like_it_is Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 4:20 pm
‘There is still a teacher shortage and an even bigger substitute teacher shortage. If or when the older teachers get COVID, it won’t take long to shut down the schools again due to lack of staff.‘
Very true
Comment by Morty Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 4:40 pm
The take away from reading a lot of the comments here seems to be:
Distance learning doesn’t work
It is essential for schools to open
Our society can’t afford the costs associated with the union’s ideas for safely opening schools
There is a shortage of teachers and nurses
People, kids or staff’ will have to quarantine if they test positive
These things are not reconcilable
They just aren’t.
So, what we will have is throwing people into a building until they get sick and hope the attrition doesn’t get too bad
Comment by Morty Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 4:53 pm
Morty, you’re right, and your final statement is only half. You forgot:
“Or until community spread gets so bad we have to shut everything down again.”
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 4:59 pm
Even though I’m glad to be back to work, I find it ironic how IFT is speaking up about the Governor’s school re-opening plan.
Yet this same union didn’t utter a whimper when the Secretary of State (which has some IFT members under the IFPE 4408 umbrella) became the first constitutional office and major state agency to call back all their employees into the office at the beginning of June.
Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Jun 24, 20 @ 6:19 pm