She says they’ve seen schools in districts across the country that have been able to reopen safely. “And even in our own city, schools have been able to open the private and the parochial schools,” Dodson said.
That makes up more than 15,000 students who have returned for in-person classes already and with no major outbreaks, Dodson says.
The district and teachers union must come to an agreement before schools can be reopened. The city of San Francisco also sued the district Wednesday to reopen schools.
Multiple school unions said Friday they will agree to reopen when the county moves to the red tier and if all staff can get vaccinated. Without vaccines, they agreed to reopen under the orange tier. San Francisco is currently under the purple tier.
Dodson says the unions’ announcement is “a move in the right direction” but has concerns that these terms may still be “too stringent” and could prevent kids from returning to school for the remainder of the academic year.
The school district previously announced that its unlikely middle and high schoolers will be returning to in-person instruction this school year.
In a Friday press conference, Rafael Picazo, the school district chapter president of SEIU 1021 representing custodians and other staff, said he was concerned that COVID-19 impacts hitting Black and Latino populations the hardest would also be reflected in schools.
“Communities of color have been hit twice as hard,” Picazo said. “Reopening schools without proper safety protocols is irresponsible and dangerous to all students, teachers and families and workers, and especially our communities.”
Negotiations between the school district and its labor unions over reopening are ongoing.
This is a news brief. For the full story on the debate for school reopenings in San Francisco and the lawsuit to compel it, click here.
— Julie Chang
