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CEA Media Release: More than 13,000 Educators, Parents and Community Members Demand Educator Voice in School Districts’ Plans for Return to School this Fall

Jul 22, 2020 | Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 21, 2020

CEA Says Nearly 80% of Members Polled Willing to Refuse to Return to Work over Safety Concerns

DENVER –

The Colorado Education Association (CEA) today delivered a petition to Gov. Polis and Colorado Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes, Ph.D., outlining the four expectations that must be met to ensure the safe return to school in the fall. The petition, signed by 13,457 educators, parents and community members, demands educator voice, safety protections, transparency and equity be included in districts’ return to school plans.

“We’ve been clear with our demands to ensure the safety and well-being of students and educators during an eventual return to in-person instruction,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor and President of CEA.“Educators should be involved not only in the creation and implementation of district plans, but also have the opportunity to vote on those plans.

“In addition to providing personal protective equipment and making sure health protocols are in place, disease data must be made available to all families, staff and community members immediately and consistently,” continued Baca-Oehlert.“And students, staff and families must be provided with equitable access to education, including ensuring school districts have a plan to reach out to our most vulnerable students to ensure their academic needs are being met regardless of where the learning occurs.”

Colorado’s local control public school system results in 178 separate school districts, each making its own individual plans for a return to school in the fall. Currently, there are significant variations among the state’s districts and their return to school plans.

“What we need right now are requirements, not recommendations. The governor, department of education, superintendents and school boards are positioned to guide and provide consistency to school districts to ensure the health and safety of the state’s nearly 914,000 students and more than 55,000 educators,” added Baca-Oehlert.

CEA also made available the results of a member survey conducted last week and completed by nearly 10,000 educators. Seventy-eight percent of respondents indicated they would be willing to join their colleagues in refusing to return to work if health and safety concerns were not addressed and protective measures not implemented.

Other highlights of the survey:

  • 95% of respondents say educators should vote on districts’ return to school plans
  • 53% want to start the school year 100% remote
  • 8% want to start the school year 100% in person
  • Fewer than 1/5 of respondents believe districts can keep them safe

“No one wants to return to schools and classrooms more than educators, but the decision to do so must take into account guidance from the state and local health departments as well as the necessary safety precautions,” said John Robinson, a 20-year high school teacher and president of the Poudre Education Association.“If school districts aren’t able to guarantee the health and safety of their students and educators, then we must delay the return to school and continue with distance learning.”

To download the member survey results, visit https://bit.ly/ceabacktoworkreport.

The petition language that was delivered to Gov. Polis and CO Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes Ph.D, and signed by 13,475 is as follows:

‚ÄãThe Colorado Education Association believes that in-person learning is essential for students and educators and looks forward to returning to school in person this fall as long as districts ensure that the safety and health of all stakeholders are in place.

To ensure our schools are safe to learn this fall, the following expectations must be met:

  1. Employees voice and safety must drive decision making through honoring bargaining rights or a vote of approval from all employees.
  2. Safety protections, protocols, and precautions must be provided by our school districts for all students and staff.
  3. Our community must be provided with transparency and data that has driven the decision making process.
  4. Equity for students, staff, and families must always be provided, no matter where the learning is occurring.

Signed,

Our Colorado Community

CEA Media Release: CEA Calls on All School Districts to Involve Educators in the Planning for a Return to School this Fall

Jul 8, 2020 | Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2020

Association Says Certain Expectations Must be Met to Ensure Safety of All Students, Staff

DENVER – The Colorado Education Association (CEA) and its more than 39,000 members, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are calling on all school districts across the state to involve educators when planning for the safe return to in-person classroom teaching for the upcoming 2020-21 academic school year.

“Educators want nothing more than to return to their schools and classrooms, knowing in-person instruction is preferred, but it must be done in a thoughtful, safe and responsible way, taking into account not only the recommendations and guidelines of public health officials, but also the voices of parents, students and educators,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor and president of CEA.

Complicating the issue is the state’s system of local control. Unlike most states in which the public school system is administered by the state, public schools in Colorado fall under the control of local school districts, resulting in 178 separate districts each making their own decisions as to whether or not a physical return to school in the fall is plausible and what the conditions will be if and when students and educators do return.

There are a number of significant variables among Colorado districts’ plans for a return to school in the fall, including but not limited to whether temperature checks and mask wearing will be mandatory or not.

To ensure consistency and the health and safety of the state’s nearly 914,000 students and more than 55,000 educators during a return to in-person instruction this fall, CEA and its members’ are asking to be included in the decision-making process. The expectations include:

  1. Involving employee voices. Districts and educators should bargain the necessary conditions to return to school and confirm with a vote of approval by all employees.
  2. Safety protocols and protections must be provided. PPE and health protocols must be in place for students and staff.
  3. Transparency. Disease data must be available to all families, staff and community members immediately and consistently.
  4. Equity for all. Students, staff and families must always be provided with equitable access to education and tools, no matter where the learning occurs.

“There are countless justifiable reasons that students should return to the classroom in the fall,” added Baca-Oehlert.“In addition to their academic and social-emotional development, and physical and mental health needs, many students depend on school for their daily meals. Parents and family members rely on schools for economic reasons, allowing them to return to work.

“But those reasons alone don’t dismiss educators’ valid fears and concerns and the risk of being exposed to the virus, especially as we see cases spiking in parts across the country.”

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