CT Teachers Worried About Safety Of Reopening Plans: Survey

CONNECTICUT — A new survey shows area educators have concerns about safety and funding when school reopen in the fall.

The Connecticut Education Association, a lobbying group based in Hartford that advocates for public school teachers, conducted the survey statewide. Nearly 16,000 educators responded to the poll, conducted July 13-20, before Gov. Ned Lamont's reversal allowing schools to reopen with a hybrid attendance model.

The survey found 39 percent of teachers support the hybrid approach and 46 percent favor continued distance learning. A total of 74 percent of the teachers surveyed opposed the previous state plan to fully reopen schools.

Although they recognized the value of remote learning in keeping everyone healthy, most teachers weren't fans of it. A majority of teachers surveyed — 89 percent — believe there is a drop in learning when schooling from afar, with 62 percent saying there is a slight dip, and 27 percent calling the learning loss significant.

Funding is an issue, as it always is. The survey showed that 68 percent of the teachers believe their school districts will not be able to adequately implement the new health and safety guidelines.

"We need to listen to the concerns of our educators, parents, community members, and health experts during a life-threatening pandemic,” said CEA President Jeff Leake. "We can't expect to reopen our schools in a usual fashion, especially as new evidence demonstrates that school-age children 10 years and older spread the virus as readily as adults."

A majority of teachers — 90 percent — support masks for students and educators, but they have no illusions about the kids keeping them on all day. That same number said that task will be "difficult," and 54 percent said it will be "very difficult." Special education and elementary teachers expect mask adherence to be most difficult among their charges.

"We know the importance of following safety protocols, but we also know that our students, especially our youngest learners, are going to have extreme difficulties keeping their masks on, keeping their hands to themselves, and staying away from their friends and teachers," Leake said.

Teachers surveyed also did not hold out much hope that social distancing could be maintained in the schools come September, with a whopping 96 percent saying it will be difficult to implement.

CEA members aren't looking forward to whatever surprises school buses could bring, either. A majority of 87 percent buses should all be operated at half-capacity or less, and 68 percent described themselves as "uncomfortable" loading and unloading them.

Safety was clearly the main driver of the educators' concerns.

A quarter of the teachers surveyed reported considering leaving the profession earlier than planned. A full 100 percent said they believed it was important for teachers to be included in the decision-making and development of their districts' reopening plans.

The teachers overwhelmingly agreed with the following practices:

1. Requiring students and educators to follow CDC recommendations about regularly washing hands (99 percent) and making hand sanitizer available throughout buildings (99 percent).
2. Limiting groupings of students and educators in a way that reflect schools’ ability to physically distance 6 feet apart, including in classrooms, gyms and school buses (97 percent).
3. Providing and requiring masks for educators and students (96%) and prohibiting visitor access (96 percent).
4. COVID-19 testing protocols at each school (95 percent).
5. Hiring bus monitors to help enforce social distancing and mask wearing on school buses (91 percent).

You can view the survey results online here.

See also: Coronavirus Clusters Among Teens, Young Adults Worry CT Officials

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