Teachers group asks Governor Abbott to close Texas schools through end of school year
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has already closed schools through the beginning of May.
Now the Texas State Teachers Association is calling on him to go ahead and cancel school for the rest of the school year, as a growing number of states — including New Mexico and California — have done to try to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“Disease experts expect this pandemic to get worse, maybe much worse, in Texas before we see any relief, and the governor must take these steps now to protect millions of school children and the adults dedicated to serving and caring for them,” Noel Candelaria, president of TSTA, said in a statement.
“A comprehensive, statewide school closure order is necessary because the outbreak is expanding across the state, and we don’t know which counties it will strike next. Leaving this decision to individual districts creates unnecessary confusion and stress across Texas.”
In Fort Worth, where schools have been closed “until further notice” because of COVID-19, the school year currently is scheduled to end May 28.
Abbott on Tuesday, while putting in restrictions geared to keep Texans safe, extended school closures until at least May 4.
TSTA also called on the governor to make sure that all students — including those with special needs — can still receive lessons “in a safe and secure manner” while schools are closed. And the group asked the governor to make sure that teachers and school employees will continue to get paid and get health care benefits.
“Educators, as always, are dedicated to their students, even under extremely difficult and trying circumstances, but they must know that they will have the resources to meet their own families’ needs during this emergency,” Candelaria said.
TSTA also called on the governor to: make sure schools keep distributing free meals “in a safe way;” ensure that school districts are fully funded; guarantee paid sick time for any school employee impacted by coronavirus; waive teacher appraisals this school year; and help districts best serve students with special needs, those who are economically disadvantaged and those who are learning English.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 11:01 AM.
