Push to delay in-person classes

SEVERAL MARYLAND EDUCATIONSWANT TO KEEP KIDS AT HOME THISFALL INSTEAD OF HEADING BACKTO THE CLASSROOM.

THIS COMESAS SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSSMARYLAND ARE DEBATING WHETHERTO BRING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL━ CONTINUE ONLINE LEARNING AHOME━ OR A COMBINATION OFBOTH.

WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGEWITH WMA━2 NEWS' MEGAN KNIGHTAND MARK ROPER ON THIS ISSUE.WE WILL START WITH MARK LIVEOUTSIDE POL━ WESTERN HIGHSCHOOL IN NORTH BALTIMORE.MARK, WHAT IS THE MARYLANDTEACHERS ASSOCIATION ASKIFOR?AS YOU CAN SEE━ THE DOORSHERE AT POLY WESTERN ARECLOSED FOR NOW AND THEMARYLAND STATE EDUCATIONASSOCIATION WANTS TO KEEPSCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATECLOSED AT LEAST FOR THE FALLSEMESTER.

SUPPORTERS OFVIRTUAL CLASSROOMS FOR THESTART OF THE 2020━ 2021SCHOOL YEAR MADE THEIRRECOMMENDATION IN A VIRTUALPRESS CONFERENCE TUESDAY.

ANDTHE ONES WHO ARE MAKING THEPUSH FOR STUDENTS TO STAY HOMETO STAY SAFE DURING THEPANDEMIC INCLUDE THE TEACHERSGROUP━ THE MARYLAND STATEEDUCATION ASSOCIATION BUT THEBALTIMORE TEACHERS UNION ANDTHE MARYLAND ━━A.

ADVOCATESOF LEAVING THE CLASSROOMSEMPTY THIS FALL SAY PROBLEMSPROVIDING COVI━19 TESTING━PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTAND EVEN THE AVAILABILITY OFSUPPLIES SUCH AS SOAP ANDWATER FOR HANDWASHING PUT SOMEDISTRICTS AT RISK OF EXPOSINGTHEIR TEACHERS━ STUDENTS ANDSTAFF TO THE VIRUS.

SOMECONCERNS RAISED BY TEACHERSINCLUDE━ WHAT HAPPENS IF ATEACHER TESTS POSITIVE FORCOVI━19?

WOULD THE TEACHERRECEIVE SICK PAY IF FORCED TOQUARANTINE FOR TWO WEEKS?

ANDWHAT ABOUT ALL OF THEIRSTUDENTS?

TEACHERS INSECONDARY SCHOOLS TEACH MOTHAN ONE CLASS THROUGHOUT THEDAY.

WOULD EVERY ONE OF THEIRSTUDENTS HAVE TO QUARANTINEFOR TWO WEEKS AS WELL IF THEIRTEACHER TESTS POSITIVE?

ALSO━ SUBSTITUTES TEACH INMULTIPLE SCHOOLS.

A SUBSTITUTETEACHER WHO TESTS POSITIVECOULD INFECT MULTIPLE STUDENTSAT MULTIPLE SCHOOLS.

THESE AREJUST A FEW OF THE MANYQUESTIONS EDUCATORS WANTANSWERS TO BEFORE THEY HEADBACK TO TEACHING INSIDECLASSROOM.

3:34 CherylBost/President, Maryland StatEducation Association:“have not been provided funfor the upcoming year from thefederal or state level neededto make our schools healthyand safe.

Health experts stillconsider an i━person returnto school as high risk, anddistricts have yet to includein preliminary plans how toappropriately address andmaintain the health and safetyprotocols needed to resumeeven minimal i━personlearning” OTHER CONCERNSTEACHERS HAVE IS WHAT WILLHAPPEN WHEN THE FIRST TEACHERDIES FROM THE VIRUS AFTERBEING IN THE CLASSROOM━ ORONE OF THEIR STUDENTS OR ACHILD'S PARENT.

LIVE IN NORTHBALTIMORE━ MARK ROPER WMARNEWTEAM COVERAGE CONTINUE