Special COVID-19 Bulletin: October 7, 2020

Published On: October 7, 2020

Just now, the Boston Public Health Commission released the new seven day city-wide average of percent positivity for COVID testing. The citywide average is now over 4%. To ensure the safety of educators, students, and our communities, 4% is the benchmark for full school closure established by the City of Boston and BPHC with the BTU through our memorandum of understanding. Per the BPHC and City’s guidance, all schools are supposed to transition to remote when this happens. This means that members cannot be directed to work in-person on Thursday or Friday. Working in-person on Thursday and Friday has become optional, per the safety-focused agreement put in place with BPS.

However, out of great concern for the needs of our highest needs and special education students, we know many educators will continue to work from buildings — and the union will not object if they opt to do so.

We continue to work with Boston Public Schools to devise a system that would minimize the number of non-essential educators entering buildings through flexible scheduling approaches.

We hope to have agreement on that process soon to ensure the safety of staff and students and to assure the needs of our special education students and families are met.

The language in our MOA reads:

“If the citywide COVID-19 positivity rate rises above 4% citywide, BPS will transition to full remote learning for all students, and BTU bargaining unit members will have the option to be remote as well.”

As we have been emphasizing throughout this pandemic and beyond, we are hoping to collaborate and to creatively problem solve. That is why we are disappointed the city has not adopted the solutions we put forward in recent months in anticipation of this scenario. Meanwhile, we will continue to push for progress throughout the day today and will communicate as things become clearer.

To be clear: According to the MOA, no BTU bargaining unit member can be directed to come in Thursday or Friday as agreed upon in the MOU, but educators may if they choose to do so. There have been several confirmed Covid cases in BPS schools just over the last four days and safety must come first. We remain open to negotiating a plan that will allow educators to voluntarily provide services in safe locations, but in the absence of such an agreement, educators will continue to do our very best to provide students with the best remote learning opportunities we can design until the positivity rate comes down. Our thoughts are with the BPS students and staff who were recently diagnosed with COVID. We wish them all a speedy recovery.

Please call or write the mayor, superintendent, and school committee and elected leaders of this city to share your concerns and solutions:

Boston Public Schools:

Dr. Brenda Cassellius: superintendent@bostonpublicschools.org

Tammy Pust: tpust@bostonpublicschools.org

Ethan D’Ablemont – Burnes: edablemontburnes@bostonpublicschools.org

City of Boston Mayor’s Office:

Mayor Marty Walsh: Mayor@boston.gov

Kathryn Burton: KATHRYN.BURTON@boston.gov

Boston School Committee:

Chair: Michael Loconto, mloconto@bostonpublicschools.org

Vice Chair: Alexandra Oliver-Davila, aoliverdavila@bostonpublicschools.org

Jeri Robinson: grobinson@bostonpublicschools.org