ALBANY, N.Y. Jan. 4, 2021 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta released the following statement today regarding state guidance for schools in counties where the COVID-19 infection rate is more than 9 percent:
“Our number one priority continues to be the health and safety of students and educators, and that means it’s important to err on the side of caution. Testing data is important, but we believe school districts must still make decisions about in-person and remote instruction in consultation with parents and educators. The entire school community must have the confidence in a district’s plan to stay open, reopen or expand its in-person offerings as infection rates rise in the surrounding community and regions surpass a 9 percent infection rate. Where there isn’t confidence, remote education is the only viable option.”
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.