So much for the children!
In another line of hostage-taking ultimatums, the LA Teachers Union released their demands before the teachers will go back to the classrooms. Some of the items are reasonable but the main two would require the city to defund the police and put a moratorium on Charter schools. So either LA does what the union demands or the children will not have any teachers, in the event the schools re-open.
The Los Angeles Teachers Union issued a research paper arguing schools in the district can’t reopen without certain policy provisions in place ranging from mandatory face masks to a “moratorium” on charter schools and the defunding of police.
With classes set to begin on Aug. 18, United Teachers Los Angeles, a union consisting of 35,000 members, outlined a series of demands that should be met before reopening. The union stressed the need for precautions to stem the spread of the coronavirus, including students being assigned to small sequestered groups, face masks, protective equipment, and school campuses being reconfigured to allow the maximum possible social distancing.
The paper argued that the pandemic “underscores” inequality in the United States. “The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States underscores the deep equity and justice challenges arising from our profoundly racist, intensely unequal society,” the paper read. “Unlike other countries that recognize protecting lives is the key to protecting livelihoods, the United States has chosen to prioritize profits over people.”
. . .
The paper ended with a section titled, “In Conclusion: Normal Wasn’t Working For Us Before. We Can’t Go Back.”
Eric Thompson – DJHJ Media – July 17, 2020.
