Public school students in New Orleans return to the classroom for in-person learning today.
This comes as Orleans parish sees a surge of COVID-19 cases putting the city above the 5% positivity rate for two consecutive weeks.
Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis said it is essential that students return to the classroom for the best educational experience.
“I am hopeful our families, students and staff stayed safe during the holiday break, but now is not the time to let our guard down,” Lewis told WWLTV.
However, the United Teachers of New Orleans says the Superintendent’s move is reckless and they request Superintendent Lewis take action to reduce the covid risk in classrooms.
“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel with the distribution of the vaccine, but we cannot act with reckless abandon in the face of a rapidly spreading virus,” UTNO President Wanda Richard said in an open letter to the Orleans Parish School Board and Superintendent Lewis.
“We are currently experiencing the highest case numbers and the highest percent positive that we have experienced since returning to schools,” the union said in a social media post.
Below is a list of covid mitigation measures the teachers union is urging the superintendent to take to ensure the safety of students in the classroom.
- Set clear thresholds for action to reduce risk of transmission
- Give schools the option to start school virtually
- Give school staff members the option to work from home if they so choose
The UNTNO also says if the superintendent insists on keeping Orleans Parish students in the classroom; they ask the following:
- Require 6 feet of distance be maintained in schools
- Rearrange school schedules so students are not eating together
- Require those who were in higher risk situations to stay home after the holidays
- Return to a 14 day quarantine period requirement
- Require schools to provide paid leave to staff for quarantines and isolation periods due to COVID-19 without use of regular sick or PTO days
- Provide information about COVID-19 cases contracted inside of school buildings