Read on TwitterOk. I& #39;m seeing a lot of "hot takes" where people are taking shots at teachers for "not wanting to do their jobs." So, let& #39;s just pause for a second, take a breath, and dive into this. 1/n
Let& #39;s put aside for a moment the fact that teaching is regularly denigrated as a profession. From my understanding, the argument goes: "Nurses, grocery clerks, and other essential workers have gone to work without complaint. Why do teachers think they& #39;re special?" 2/n
1. EWs DID complain at the beginning of the pandemic, with good reason! Folx weren& #39;t being supplied w/ sufficient PPE to do their jobs safely, & that& #39;s a big problem! The problems were addressed BECAUSE folx raised their voices & said their working conditions were unsafe. 3/n
2. Teachers typically purchase their own supplies regularly in order to do their job because schools are inadequately funded. In order to have pencils, tissues(!!!), and other basic necessities, teachers already had to either rely on donations or come out of pocket. 4/n
So, their concerns about not being provided with PPE and other necessities for in-person learning? Those aren& #39;t unfounded fears. They are based on historically having to make do with nothing. 5/n
3. Other EWs are not expected to stay in an enclosed space, crammed so full of people that social distancing is not physically possible, for *hours* at a time. There is now mounting evidence for airborne transmission, and adequate ventilation is a must. 6/n
How can you open the windows if the windows don& #39;t open? And that& #39;s assuming your room has any - what about interior classrooms? How many school buildings have horribly out of date HVAC systems? (Hint: a LOT. Remember that whole "underfunded schools" issue?) 7/n
And, if students have to eat in the classroom because the cafeteria is unsafe, don& #39;t they have to take their masks off to eat? So there goes any sort of protection that masks were offering. 8/n
There& #39;s a lot more that can be said about what teachers did and did not sign up for. I know that the spring was rough - it was very much emergency learning.
We had time to get this right.
9/n
We had time to get this right.
9/n
We knew back in March that there was a very strong likelihood that we would be dealing with this virus until at least 2021.
We had time to get this right.
10/n
We had time to get this right.
10/n
We could have devoted time and energy to making sure that remote learning in the fall did not resemble emergency learning in the spring, and could be as meaningful as possible for as many students as possible.
We. Had. Time. To. Get. This. Right.
11/n
We. Had. Time. To. Get. This. Right.
11/n
Unions are making moves, but many teachers live in states where it& #39;s illegal to strike and they could not only be fired, but lose their certification and their retirement savings. Teachers need to community to rally behind them instead of demonize them. 12/n
Teachers need folks to harness that March/April energy of "teachers deserve six-figure salaries" and actually stand up for them. Demand accountability from district and state leadership. Demand transparency.
13/n
13/n
Demand humanity for the profession that creates all other professions.
14/14
14/14
Jefferson Parish is one of the worst hotspots in the NATION, but the school district is requiring teachers to report in person (even if we return to Phase 1!) armed with only 1 cloth mask, 1 bottle of hand sanitizer, and 1 bottle of disinfectant.
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