D.C. Teachers Offer Recommendations For Safe Return To School

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Teachers in Washington, D.C. are expressing their concern and offering recommendations on how to safely reopen schools in the fall for in-person instruction following closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a report released Monday, the Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) makes recommendations on improving distance learning, technology requirements and steps that will need to be taken in order to keep students and teachers safe. According to a release on the union's website, a task force of more than 200 teachers convened in order to make the recommendations.

"The move to close our schools and move to Distance Learning in the spring was the right choice," said WTU President Elizabeth Davis in a prepared statement. "However, Distance Learning shined a new light on the widespread opportunity gaps and the digital divide that plagues our city. As we move to reopen our schools this summer, we must do so in a way that protects the health of our teachers, students and communities while also investing in our technology infrastructure."

In the report, the WTU wrote that while the school system does not meet the criteria to fully reopen until a vaccine is developed and widely available, it "is aware of the unique role that our schools play in the District's ability to reopen our broader economy."

The union recommends providing protection for teachers and school-based staff, including installing physical barriers at teacher desks and updating classroom furnishing to promote social distancing. This also calls for providing personal protective equipment to all staff and students and developing protocols to ensure their use is consistent throughout the district.

Under the proposed recommendations, large gatherings would be limited, which is consistent with CDC guidelines and D.C.'s phased reopening.

The recommendations also include increased health care staffing and testing, with a licensed nurse present at all times when students are present and requiring all teachers and staff to be frequently tested.

The WTU is also calling for the school system to establish protocols in the case that a school community is exposed to the coronavirus. Under these recommendations, teachers who are exposed to the virus at work and are subject to a 14 day quarantine will not be required to use sick leave and will be allowed to work remotely as their health allows. Students who are exposed will revert to distance learning for at least 14 days.

The task force also recommends considering non-traditional school hours, in order to limit the risk of exposure for those who commute via public transportation. This includes staggered entry and exit times for students.

Lastly, the WTU recommends enhancing cleaning protocols across the school system. This includes ensuring all common areas are sanitized regularly and any classrooms that are used for multiple groups must be sanitized between groups.