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Jerry Jordan has headed the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers since 2007. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Updated 4:22 p.m.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has directed its members to stay home on Monday because of COVID-19 concerns.
In a statement, PFT President Jerry Jordan said the district’s school buildings aren’t safe for occupancy.
“I am disgusted that the district would continue forward with a path towards reopening buildings that again puts my dedicated members in harm’s way,” said Jordan.
According to Superintendent Dr. William Hite’s reopening plan, teachers, and staff who work with children in kindergarten through second grade are due back on Monday, Feb. 8. Children in that age group who are opted into the hybrid plan will return on Feb. 22.
Union tells Philadelphia school district teachers not to go into buildings Monday
WPVI
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) The union representing teachers in the School District of Philadelphia is telling members not to go into the buildings on Monday over COVID-19 safety concerns.
Jerry Jordan, the president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, sent an email to members Friday saying they should not go into buildings on Monday, but should continue to work. I believe that you can do your job remotely, he continued.
Some 2,000 teachers were expected to return Monday to prepare for hybrid learning, which is set to start on February 22.
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More than 30 public schools in Philadelphia have either no ventilation system or a faulty one that needs fixing, and some of those schools will be part of a Feb. 22 planning reopening for 9,000 elementary school students.
The district will utilize window fans as the main component at those schools to ventilate the air in classrooms, and Superintendent William Hite Jr. on Thursday defended the reopening. He cited federal guidelines that approve of the air flow provided by those fans and promised daily monitoring in every classroom.
The School District of Philadelphia is installing window fans to create better airflow in classrooms before teachers and students are back. Some have wondered.
Penn professors reflect on balancing childcare and work ahead of Phila schools reopening thedp.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thedp.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.