The Texas State Teachers Association is asking the governor to suspend in-person instruction until at-risk teachers can receive the vaccine. | Pixabay
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has begun but remains in the beginning stage, leaving Texas teachers and others vulnerable leading into the new year.
Ovidia Molina, the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) president, has released a statement to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to suspend in-person instruction until some conditions can be met to protect teachers. Those conditions include ensuring teachers over the age of 65 or those with underlying health conditions can receive the vaccine, TSTA reported in a press release.
Until those teachers can receive the vaccine, Molina and the teacher’s association ask for school districts to have the flexibility to close school buildings in lieu of online instruction while keeping their state funding. This association also noted online instruction could last through the remainder of the school year under this condition.
“We also urge the governor to keep all districts fully funded for the remainder of the school year regardless of attendance losses. Schools cannot afford funding cuts, especially in the middle of a health crisis,” Molina said, the press release reported.
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