US COVID-19 New 'Hotspot Areas' Teachers Oppose School Opening

Opposition to Accepting Trump’s Pressure on School Opening

A high school in New Jersey, USA, held its graduation ceremony on the 8th while adhering to social distancing guidelines. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Teacher unions in regions of the United States where the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) resurgence has not stopped have announced a refusal to conduct in-person classes ahead of the fall semester.

Although President Donald Trump repeatedly insisted that schools must open their doors for the fall semester, frontline teachers opposed this, saying, "If we recklessly open schools and teachers get sick, they won't be able to teach the children."

According to CNN on the 10th (local time), the largest teachers' union in California, the 'California Teachers Association,' sent a letter to the state education authorities on the 9th, stating, "Schools should not reopen unless the safety of teachers and children is guaranteed," and demanded 100% online classes instead of offline classes.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as of the 9th, the number of COVID-19 infections in California reached 302,949. California is the second state in the U.S. to surpass 300,000 COVID-19 cases, following New York.

The Los Angeles (LA) teachers' union also expressed opposition to in-person classes, stating, "It is not safe for children to attend school in person while new COVID-19 cases are hitting record highs every day."

The 'United Educators Association' (UEA) union of teachers in northern Texas issued a statement pointing out, "Social distancing among children in classrooms, school buses, and cafeterias is almost impossible." Texas has been setting new daily records for new infections, with 11,600 new cases reported on the 9th.

Arizona has set a policy to resume in-person classes starting from the 17th of next month, but public school board members across the state sent a joint letter to Governor Doug Ducey requesting to postpone in-person classes until October.

Patrick Ingram, chairman of the largest teachers' union in Florida, the 'Florida Education Association,' criticized the resumption of in-person classes as "an irresponsible measure" in an interview with local media. He said, "If schools open without a proper plan, people could die."