AFT, which represents about 1.7 million educators, is one of the country’s largest unions for teachers.
“We have the highway or the road map that allows us to ‘reopen schools,'” Weingarten said. He pointed to CDC guidance and resources contained in the Joe Coronavirus proposal for coronavirus, which is being presented for a vote on the Hill this week. “It comes down to three things: the low mitigation strategies, the testing so you can see asymptomatic distribution, and the vaccination of vaccines.”
“Not that every teacher has to be vaccinated before schools reopen,” she continues, “but you have to bring the vaccination in line with the reopening.”
Asked about states that have reopened schools well, Weingarten admits, “There is no perfect solution.”
“But New York City has done a pretty good job of pointing the way,” she said. She also pointed to the District of Columbia, which she said “made sure every teacher and school employee who wanted the vaccine had to be vaccinated in the past few weeks,” as well as Oregon, West Virginia and Ohio.
Local unions have in some cases insisted on higher standards for reopening. Labor organizations in California left Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom so frustrated at a recent meeting that he said: we can just as well pack it in and be honest with people that we are not going to open up for personal education this school year. “
When asked about the issue, Weingarten replied: “Teachers’ unions are not monolithic.”
“What you hear is that people are scared,” she continues. “I think what we need to do is answer our fears with facts.”