This afternoon, the Baltimore Teachers Union, Maryland PTA, and the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA)—representing all school employees and parents in the state—jointly called for virtual learning for the fall semester of the upcoming school year.
Any return to in-person learning must prioritize and guarantee the highest standards for health and safety. Any return must be guided by science and the expertise of educators. And any return to in-person learning must have renewed commitments to funding and supports so schools can stay open safely.
If we open our schools too quickly and without adequate safety precautions, the result will be that some educators, students, and their family members will contract the coronavirus. Some will recover. Some will face debilitating health consequences or healthcare bills that they cannot pay. And some will die. This is a cost and consequence that we must refuse to accept.
A perfect solution does not exist. A safe one does. Click here to view our full letter.