School leaders are basing their decisions on science, Walsh said, and the plan to return to school will continue to form in the coming weeks.
“Let’s not make it political,” said Walsh. “Let’s keep our children ahead of the curve.”
Walsh spoke Friday with Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, who asked all Boston residents to follow coronavirus-related precautions in an effort to safely bring students back to school.
“We cannot just raise our hands and do nothing,” he said. “We are all reinventing education, and we have to do it because our children are not rewinding. There is no question, and we know how this will continue if our children do not have us working in their best interest. They need us to unite for them right now. ”
“I ask all of Boston to help us bring our children to school safely,” he said.
Cassellius also spoke about the work the district is doing to prepare schools for reopening by addressing restroom changes, fixing windows, and ordering HVAC filters.
All Massachusetts school districts were to submit their various reopening plans by Friday to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Districts were asked not to announce any final plans until early August.
Each district is expected to create three plans: one for fully in-person learning, one for a remote experience, and a hybrid model.
Governor Charlie Baker and his administration have repeatedly encouraged schools to prioritize in-person education.
“We want to see the children return to school because all the evidence is that it can be done safely, and for many children, it is a very important part not only of their educational development, but also of their social and cultural development”, Baker said. she said during her own press conference at the State House on Friday.
Baker acknowledged earlier this week that schools should be prepared to “swing” their plans in the middle of the year if coronavirus outbreaks occur in specific schools or communities.
Earlier Friday, the Boston Teachers Union released the results of a survey that found that about three-quarters of city teachers would prefer distance learning this fall. Of the nearly 2,000 people who completed the survey, only about 22 percent supported a hybrid model that would include both face-to-face and remote learning for students.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers union, also urged local school districts to start the year remotely, pointing to old ventilation systems in schools that will not adequately protect students and staff members. staff contracting the coronavirus.
On Wednesday, Boston nurses, teachers, and school bus drivers held a rally at City Hall to argue against the reopening of schools unless significant investments are made in protective equipment, new staff, rapid tests of coronaviruses and air ventilation systems.
“We want to come back when it’s safe,” chanted the staff members.
Felicia Gans can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @FeliciaGans.
