A cacophony of car horns filled the air around in Springdale Thursday as part of a protest against Prince George鈥檚 County鈥檚 plan to return students and teachers to the classroom in the Maryland county amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the people behind the wheels of those cars were teachers in the school system, which is with an enrollment that tops 131,600 students.
鈥淚t’s a shame that educators are afraid to go back into the buildings,鈥� said Theresa Mitchell Dudley, president of the . That remark was followed by the crowd chanting 鈥渟hame, shame, shame.鈥�
Dudley said the union and its teachers do not feel community spread levels are low enough or that enough has been done at schools in order to ensure a safe return.
Teachers are expected to report to schools March 17 to prepare for returning students. The first wave of students will begin hybrid learning April 8, the second on April 15.
This afternoon teachers with the Prince George鈥檚 County Educators鈥� Association took part in a car caravan to protest the hybrid learning plan beginning in April. Teachers set to return next week.
鈥� Mike Murillo (@MikeMurillo海角社区app)
Dudley said teachers shouldn鈥檛 be required to come back 鈥渨hen the ventilation is not right, when you don鈥檛 have 6 feet where you can socially distance, when the schools are not disinfected as they should be, windows don鈥檛 open.”
When reached by 海角社区app for comment, the school system provided聽a Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson sent to teachers in the school system that is among the 20 largest in the nation.
鈥淚 understand your anxiety around returning. I too had it when I had to come back to work,鈥� Goldson said in the video.
The schools CEO said there would be personal protective equipment for teachers, who would also have opportunities to wash their hands throughout the school day. She said buildings will have space for social distancing and vaccines have been offered for teachers who want them.
Goldson also said 27% of staffers have continued to work throughout the pandemic.
鈥淪ome changes are good but we are a long way from being comfortable,鈥� said Jacqueline Gaskins, a teacher at Charles Flowers who spoke at a rally before the car procession.
The union has deliveredAmong them are more investments into making sure classrooms have adequate air ventilation systems. The union wants more testing, COVID-19 case tracing and vaccination opportunities to be made available.
The union would like more money spent on improving distance learning and more time for teachers to transition from virtual to hybrid learning.
Some students in attendance also called for a continued delay of any form of in-person learning.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe that it’s safe for us to come back, which is why I will not be coming back,鈥� said Shemar Cooke, a senior at .
鈥淥ur voices need to be heard, our kids need to go into an environment where it’s safe,鈥� said Yvette Reyes, a parent at .
PGCPS also shared with 海角社区app a report from the that looked into the reopening of schools. The report found that returning to class does not increase the risk for children to contract COVID-19 or lead to transmission rates higher than those seen in the community. The report claims the impact of loss of learning, particularly for children of color, 鈥渨ill lead to lower educational attainment and lower future earnings.鈥�
Not all families are against the return to class, according to Goldson. About 42,000 students have elected to take part in hybrid learning.
In the parking lot of Charles Flowers after the protest, Ebere Opaigbeogu, a parent of two students, told 海角社区app while she feels for the concerned teachers, she is excited that her children will be able to return to the classroom.
鈥淚 really think it鈥檚 time for us to get up and going and life needs to move on,鈥� she said.
