ST PAUL, Minn. — Educators in St. Paul are calling their current teaching conditions "unsustainable" and are asking the district to roll out a broader response to the recent surge in COVID cases among students and staff.
In a statement released Tuesday, the St. Paul Federation of Educators Local 28 union called for the district to take several actions, including making a temporary shift to remote learning, providing masks, expanding testing and maintaining a 10-day isolation period for those who test positive for the coronavirus.
“The current situation is unsustainable. Student absences are high. We don’t have enough bus drivers to get children to and from school. Many staff are out sick, quarantining or caring for loved ones and there aren’t enough substitutes to fill in,” said Leah VanDassor, the president of the Saint Paul Federation of Educators.
According to the union, 80% of students in St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) are students of color, which is why it says that it's all the more "crucial to have a consistent and sustainable plan."
"In the midst of a public health crisis, which we know impacts our communities of color at a much higher rate, it’s crucial to have a consistent and sustainable plan for safe in-person learning, teaching students who are in quarantine and handling a rash of staff absences. We cannot ignore racial health equity at this time," the statement read.
In addition to an improvement in working conditions, the teachers union is also calling on the school district and SPPS Superintendent Joe Gothard to look to the city and county for "solutions to make sure our students and families are safe."
“To do nothing is abdicating the school district's responsibility to our community,” VanDassor said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Gothard said in a statement that he is committed to doing everything that the district can to serve students and staff and that the omicron surge is hitting the school district hard.
"Our community depends on us to open our doors so we can do what we do best: teach, support and nurture our students in an environment where they feel cared for with adults they trust," Gothard said. "We are keeping a close eye on our staffing levels and case rates and are prepared to shift if and when doing so is the best option for our students, staff and community as a whole."
He added that SPPS is working with city and county health officials to watch COVID cases in the community and district. Gothard also said that they are meeting or exceeding CDC guidelines.
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