ALBANY, N.Y. Aug. 12, 2021 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement today on the State Education Department’s reopening guidance for K-12 schools:
“We applaud the State Education Department for stepping in and issuing statewide guidance on reopening schools. As educators, we know that the best place for students to learn is in the classroom. We must do everything we can to ensure every student has access to full-time, in-person instruction this year. That includes ensuring our schools are safe and healthy for students and the people who serve them.
“We support the recommendations of public health experts and SED to implement universal masking, robust surveillance testing and other measures as part of a layered, holistic approach that ensures the health and safety of everyone in our schools.
“We also believe district plans should be developed in partnership with educators and parents. We believe this because safe and healthy schools are critical to empowering every student in New York to thrive and succeed this year.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.