Trade unions representing San Francisco Unified School District employees said Sunday they have reached a preliminary agreement with the district to safely reopen the city’s public schools – a key step in a controversial, months-long debate that city officials are against regional leaders expressed.
In an important section, the unions said they agree to return to classrooms when the city is in the red level, the second least restrictive level of California’s reopening blueprint, if staff are vaccinated against the coronavirus. As the city progresses to the orange level, a less restrictive category that involves the “moderate” spread of the coronavirus will return teachers and other staff without vaccination.
As San Francisco currently remains in the purple level, it is the state’s most restrictive, meaning reopening would presumably still be in the direction of the deal. If it is time, health officials should also sign according to the procedures that are there.
Officials from the 53,000 student district did not immediately return calls for comment Sunday morning.
“This is an important step forward towards a goal we share with so many parents: safe reopening of school buildings for students and staff,” the unions said in a statement early Sunday. “In addition to reaching an agreement regarding the standard safety standards, the unions have also negotiated pioneering work that provides support to the school district for prioritizing the vaccine, availability and training for their members.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a week of heavy pressure on unions and district officials to reopen the pandemic-protected schools.
A tearful mayor, London Breed, stood in front of children at a Thursday press conference with families, holding signs: “I miss my friends.”
“It really breaks my heart to be here, to see these kids and these families, to know what they went through,” Breed said. “Children are struggling in our city and we all know that.”
SF public schools have been closed since mid-March, though 15,000 private school pupils in the city are back in classrooms.
The press conference took place a day after Dennis Herrera, the city attorney, sued the district and school board, claiming they had not drawn up a specific and concise, state-required plan to reopen. District officials said they did have a plan.
The union and district agreement provides for a return to personal instructions in the state’s coronavirus reopening of the red line – characterized by the “significant” spread of the coronavirus – if vaccines are made available to staff members and those who plan to personally sign up until San Francisco progresses to the orange level.
Schools in provinces at the press level may be allowed to open K-6 grades if their “average adjusted rate” is below 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and they submit a safety plan.
Official health officials allow schools to reopen with a waiver below the press level, but it appears the agreement announced by the union does not allow district schools to do so.
‘This agreement provides an opportunity to safely reopen schools in San Francisco. Now we need city and state officials to act and make vaccines available to school staff, while the UESF continues to focus on finalizing classroom education agreements, schedules, and improving distance education for students and families who prefer not to return. times not. with these standards in place, ”reads a statement from Susan Solomon, president of United Educators in San Francisco.
This story will be updated.
Tatiana Sanchez is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez.