Is your school prepared? Review this checklist to determine if your school is safe for students and staff.
Workplace Checklist for Prevention of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Virus in K-12 Education
Feedback from the Virtual Town Hall: Do You Really Think It’s Safe To Reopen Schools?
On July 8th, six organizations came together for a virtual town hall: UTNO, FFLIC, RETHINK, STEP UP Louisiana, OPEN, and Familias Unidas en Acción. Community feedback was collected during break out sessions, which allowed participants in small groups to voice their concerns and raise questions about the upcoming school year. We want to share these notes publicly in order to continue the conversation, especially as schools will eventually need to recalibrate as they consider transitioning from phase I to phase II. We believe strong and safe decisions are made when we incorporate as many directly impacted voices as possible, including parents, students, teachers, and school staff. We want those making decisions about our lives to read and listen to the comments and concerns of over 300 people in our community. Together we can improve the decisions about teaching and learning for the 2020-2021 school year.
Reopening School Buildings
School buildings cannot open for in-person instruction until the below conditions are met:
- Community transmission of COVID-19 is under control in the region;
- There is a public health infrastructure to support effective disease surveillance, tracing and isolation in schools;
- Staff who are at high risk have access to special accommodations;
- The district and school have funded safeguards and implemented protocols, including physical distancing, face coverings, access to hand-washing facilities, cleaning supplies, and updates to ventilation and;
- AFT members and leaders, families and community partners are included in the reopening planning process.
COVID-19 Legal Reference
Louisiana Federation of Teachers has compiled the following resources to help inform members of their rights as schools begin to reopen in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic:
AFT Frequently Asked Questions Q & A
U.S. Dept. of Labor Employee Rights
U.S. Dept. of Labor FFCRA Excerpt
Some New Orleans Black History You Should Know
In New Orleans, history is just as vital an element in the city’s culture as food, music, architecture, spirituality, and celebration. In fact, history may be the most powerful force, because the stories we know shape how we view every other aspect of the culture. Because many histories in New Orleans are passed down orally, they often aren’t captured in textbooks or assessed on standardized tests. And when powerful stories of resistance, ingenuity, and solidarity aren’t told, we risk losing the power they have to inspire subsequent generations.
Reopening Schools: Survey Results
LFT has conducted a comprehensive survey to evaluate the concerns of educators and community members with regards to schools reopening later this summer. LFT received responses from nearly 15,000 teachers, support staff, parents, students and concerned community members regarding the reopening of schools. The survey was conducted electronically between June 30-July 10, 2020 and distributed widely through various online platforms.