-Brittany Hennis-

Cousins!

Welcome to the new normal!

A few teachers in Oakland were not playing regarding their safety and the safety of their students regarding COVID 19.

Blavity reports that The Oakland Unified School District had nearly 500 teachers not come in on Friday, forcing 12 schools, 9 more high schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 elementary school, serving about 8,400 students to close.

The students and teachers are demanding stricter safety guidelines and regulations after returning to school while COVID 19 numbers continue to increase.

Teachers have come  together to form a “sickout” to convince the Oakland Unified School District to meet with teachers to address safety concerns with their students. This “sickout” is just one of many that is taking place across the country from teachers and staff protesting COVID 19 conditions within their schools. 

In San Francisco and Chicago teachers have formed a sickout as well. The teachers in Chicago are even pushing to switch back over to remote learning for the rest of the year. 

“It’s a way of demonstrating that if we don’t have what we need to be safe, and safety is a number one concern for learning, then we don’t do it. We shut it down!”

Students are standing beside their teachers during their sickout and a petition asking superintendent and board member Kyla Johnson-Trammel t,o demand more testing, more KN95 masks for all staff members, outdoor eating areas, and remote learning. They are also requesting high-grade air filters in shared spaces. Even though the sickout is illegal, the district will not pursue disciplinary action towards the teachers. 

Cousins, what are your thoughts on this situation?