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Teachers gather outside Samuel Gompers School in Philadelphia to protest the district s plan to reopen classrooms for 9,000 pre-K to second grade students. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Thirteen city nonprofits that work with children and families released a statement Tuesday calling on the teachers union to abandon its battle with the School District of Philadelphia and allow some teachers to return to their classrooms.
The district had asked some teachers to report to school buildings yesterday ahead of a planned return of up to 9,000 young children to their classrooms later this month. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has objected, arguing that buildings are not yet safe because of ventilation problems and that members should be vaccinated before returning. Both sides now await a decision from a city-appointed mediator.
Updated on February 11, 2021 at 9:03 am
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A proposal to use the Eagles’ stadium as a mass coronavirus vaccination site has buy-in from some City Council members, but Philadelphia’s top doctor says it could leave out those who most need a vaccine, exacerbate racial inequities and possibly divert vaccines toward non-Philadelphians.
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Northeast Times
Are public schools safe to reopen?
Laura H. Carnell Elementary School faculty want to return to classrooms, but only if it is safe.
The School District of Philadelphia hasn’t had any in-person learning since last March, though that is scheduled to end in two weeks.
The school district plans to open schools on Feb. 22 for some 9,000 pupils in pre-kindergarten through second grade whose parents previously said they supported the move back to in-person learning. The kids would attend school two days a week and learn virtually the other three days.
The district asked teachers in those grades to go back to school on Monday for two weeks of preparation leading up to the reopening.