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Commonwealth’s largest teacher’s union pushes back on new school guidance

The state is switching course with its recommendations, calling for elementary students to be brought back into classroom regardless of their county’s rate of community spread.

  • Julia Agos/WITF
In this Jan. 14, 2019 file photo, books are pictured at the Bache Martin School Library in Philadelphia.

 Samantha Madera / City of Philadelphia

In this Jan. 14, 2019 file photo, books are pictured at the Bache Martin School Library in Philadelphia.

(Harrisburg) – The Pennsylvania State Education Association is worried new coronavirus-related guidance from the Wolf Administration could put teachers at risk.

The state is switching course with its recommendations, calling for elementary students to be brought back into classroom regardless of their county’s rate of community spread. Officials point to data showing lower rate of transmission in young children.

But the PSEA is concerned about the health and safety of staff as COVID-19 cases surge well beyond the peak that occurred last Spring when schools were first shuttered.

Association President Rick Askey said bringing students back into the classroom is especially risky in schools that are not enforcing mask wearing and social distancing.

“From what we have been seeing, there are districts not following the guidance,” he said. “So, if (the state) wants to encourage districts to bring students back, then they have to play a role in making sure all the mitigations are in place and are being done.”

Askey is calling on the state to increase contact tracing efforts at schools and create a reporting system to keep track of which districts are shirking the rules.

In December, the Wolf Administration began requiring schools using in person learning to sign an attestation form to demonstrate their commitment to mitigation efforts.

The state maintains schools should use remote learning for middle- and high-school students in counties with substantial spread of the coronavirus.

“Recent studies have shown that when mitigation efforts, such as universal masking, physical distancing, and hand hygiene are followed, it may be safer for younger children, particularly elementary grade students, to return to in-person instruction,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said during a news conference last week.

The decision whether to bring students back into the classroom remains with district leaders.

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