AUSTIN (1080 KRLD) - An influential teachers union is asking Governor Abbott to keep schools closed for the rest of the academic year.
On the day before Governor Abbott is set to announce steps to reopen the economy in the state, the Texas American Federation of Teachers sent him a letter asking him to keep schools closed until the fall.
"Given the nature of the virus, we are deeply concerned that a brief reopening of schools in May could result in longer-term closures due to a spread of infections," Texas AFT President Zeph Capo wrote.
Rob D'Amico, Texas AFT spokesman, says union leadership heard from several teachers and other staffers.
"The feedback we've been getting is that, you know, yes, it's certainly not safe now for us to go back to the campuses," says D'Amico. "And by the time that we get to a point where we could even look at starting to go back, it would be such an enormous task and so much preparation would need to be done that essentially the school year would almost be over anyway."
The teachers say the best thing to do at this point is to finish this academic year remotely and bring the students back in the fall.
"The priority now should be looking at ensuring that our campuses are safe for the fall so that we can start afresh and really get the students back into the swing of achieving academically," says D'Amico.
The letter from Texas AFT to Gov. Abbott is as follows:
Dear Governor Abbott:
On behalf of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, thank you and your team for your efforts in responding to COVID-19, especially the efforts made for the millions of Texas public-school students and their families, their teachers, and the staff who serve them. As you work to determine how Texas should continue to respond to this unprecedented crisis, we ask that the health and safety of Texans continue to be your guiding principle moving forward.
Specifically, we ask that you officially close all Texas public schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the school year, allowing districts to plan for a safe reopening in fall of 2020. We certainly do not undertake this request lightly, as our members want to be back in their classrooms educating students. However, given the nature of the virus, we are deeply concerned that a brief reopening of schools in May could result in longer-term closures due to a spread of infections.
Our members see their work as a calling. Throughout the past month, educators and support staff have gone beyond the call of duty. From our teachers changing to distance learning practically overnight to our food service workers feeding our communities, public-school employees have stepped up to the challenge presented by COVID-19.
However, our members also realize that prematurely returning to schools would threaten the health and safety of all on campus. The threat of a school-wide outbreak and the ripple effects necessitate the continued closure of schools until we know with certainty that our children and all school staff are safe.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff, as we continue to navigate this crisis together.
Sincerely,
Zeph Capo
Texas AFT President