Union-sponsored deal announced in Philadelphia to reopen elementary schools on Monday
the network of Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees.
With the collaboration of the teachers unions, Philadelphia schools will begin in-person classes for about 3,000 kindergarten through second grade students Monday, despite the spread of new and more infectious coronavirus strains that are making their way into the population.
The move comes as the result of a ruling by an “independent” mediator appointed by the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) as part of a Memorandum of Agreement signed last fall. The mediator, Chicago doctor Peter Orris, reviewed the condition of buildings, in particular the ventilation systems, and issued a ruling determining whether they are currently “safe” to reopen or whether rudimentary changes should be made.
Co-organizer of walkout in suburban Philly school district explains opposition of parents and teachers to school reopenings wsws.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wsws.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Philadelphia teachers union endorses bogus claims of school renovations as cover for reopening schools
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the network of Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees.
As the March 1 start date nears for the first phase of reopening for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), the eighteenth largest in the country, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) is continuing to provide political cover for the school district’s reopening plans, worked out with the union behind closed doors.
The PFT, while posing as “concerned” about certain elements of the reopening plans, claims falsely that schools can be made safe through updates to decrepit school buildings, in particular, improved ventilation systems. In comments before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ Education Committee, PFT Legislative Representative Hillary Linardopoulos said, “Let’s be clear: our goal at [the PFT] has been, and will continue to be, to reopen buildings, be
Stop the deadly reopening of Philadelphia Schools! wsws.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wsws.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Biden falsely downplays dangers of COVID-19 in schools
Speaking at a CNN town hall event in Milwaukee on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden made a series of patently false statements about the threat posed by COVID-19 to children and their parents. Biden’s false claims were aimed at convincing educators, students and parents to resume in-person learning, even though schools are major vectors for the spread of COVID-19.
In a chilling exchange with a second grade student rightly concerned that she might catch COVID-19 and possibly infect her parents, Biden flatly lied, stating, “You’re not likely to be able to be exposed to something and spread it to mommy or daddy.”