NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Amid a staffing shortage at New York City schools, some teachers who have tested positive for COVID-19 claim they are being pressured to return to work, even if they are symptomatic.
In an email to New York City teachers, obtained by WCBS 880, the Department of Education said when there are critical staff shortages, fully vaccinated teachers with mild symptoms can return to work after five days.
However, some teachers feel that the DOE is pressuring them to work, even when they still may be contagious. One teacher told WCBS 880 that she feels the department is unconcerned about spreading COVID-19 inside school buildings.
United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said that the union does not want teachers coming to classrooms while they are still infectious, but stressed that teachers should come to work if they are feeling “fine.”
“We do not want them coming to school,” he said. “If they're showing symptoms, we do not want them in school – but if you're fine, we want you to be in school.”
As per new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, employees do not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to return to work.
“New York City adopted the CDC guidelines last week so that is what's on the books,” Mulgrew said.
However, that guidance may change.
“The CDC is now rethinking its position,” Mulgrew said. “Whatever the Department of Health agrees to follow, that's what city workers have to follow.”
CDC guidance recommends that schools maintain 3-feet of distance between students within classrooms and insists on universal indoor masking by all students, staff, teachers and visitors.
New York City also requires that all teachers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to work in a public school in the five boroughs.
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