Gov. Abbott needs to slow down school reopening plans, Texas teachers warn

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants to rush to reopen schools when the peak of COVID-19 cases isn’t in sight, the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) warned.

Record numbers of new coronavirus cases continue, but Abbott gives the impression that the crisis is over, TSTA President Noel Candelaria said, the organization’s website reported.

“We don’t even know when the pandemic will hit a peak, and part of the reason is that Gov. Abbott rushed to reopen restaurants, amusement facilities and other businesses too soon,” Candelaria told the TSTA. “Now, he seems to be in a big hurry to reopen schools, putting the health and safety of millions of Texas school children, educators and their families and communities at risk.”

The state needs to put safety first before rushing to reopen schools, he told the TSTA. The governor and state education commissioner should consult teachers and other school employees to make reopening plans, since they are the people who work in school facilities.

“When schools are reopened, the governor and the Texas Education Agency must require, among other things, that all students, employees and anyone visiting a school have a mask available and be given temperature checks and other observations for COVID‐19 symptoms before entering,” Candelaria told the TSTA members.

Safety standards that the TSTA wants the state to follow for every school and district were developed by epidemiologists and other health care professionals, he told the TSTA.

The standards include each district developing a plan with participation by all stakeholders, including employees, parents and community groups. All must agree before the schools reopen. Face masks must be worn by everyone, though adjustments would be made for meals. Enough health care professionals need to be available at schools to check the temperature and screen everyone who comes to the school. Class sizes must be limited to enable social distancing, according to the TSTA document.

Plan developed with full participation of employee, parent and community groups

“We all want to see Texas’ economy begin to recover. But safe schools and healthy students, educators and communities are key to that recovery,” Candelaria told the TSTA.