“It speaks volumes about the overall approach to reopening buildings at all costs. There’s nothing ‘good faith’ about this,” he said.
Superintendent Hite released a statement Friday afternoon in response to the PFT’s call for teachers to stay home Monday.
“It is deeply disappointing that PFT has directed their members to disregard the district’s plan to return staff to buildings …” Hite said.
He added that this direction from the union goes against “their collective bargaining agreement and the Memorandum of Agreement that PFT reached regarding the reopening of schools just a few months ago.”
In an email sent to all PFT members Friday afternoon, the district’s representative Larisa Shambaugh, said those who do not show up on Monday “will be subject to disciplinary action.”
City Councilmembers Helen Gym, Kendra Brooks, Derek Green, and Jaimie Gauthier, and state Reps. Rick Krajewski and Chris Rabb released a joint statement Friday calling on the school district to delay reopening.
The officials said the current conditions are unacceptable for a safe reopening, and the consequences will disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. “[The consequences] will be borne in Black and Brown neighborhoods already disproportionately impacted by COVID, by vulnerable families with chronically sick or disabled loved ones, by immigrant families terrified to access medical treatment.”
“We are troubled that for months we have heard complaints from hundreds of parents, school staff, principals, and community members about the lack of communication and clarity regarding air quality standards, testing protocols, vaccination prioritization, improvements in virtual learning, and more,” their statement said.