'This is not the time to open the doors': Omaha teachers union calls for school to begin remotely

[Omaha Steve]

Source: KETV

The Omaha Education Association represents 2,800 staff members at Omaha Public Schools

OMAHA, Neb. —
The Omaha Education Association is calling on Omaha Public Schools to start the school year with remote learning.

In a statement released Friday, the OEA's board of directors says it believes the remote learning environment is the best option for students in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases in Douglas County, including students involved in extracurricular activities.

"OEA deeply appreciates the difficult work of the OPS Board and administration has undertaken in attempting to find the best option possible for re-opening schools. However, we believe that opening school buildings with this model brings a great deal of risk, anxiety and fear for educators, students, families and our community," the statement said.

"We feel it is not the best use to open our classroom doors and allow students to come flooding in and then the cases of positive COVID continues to escalate," said president Robert Miller. "Teachers want to be back in the classroom. They want to have their students in the classroom. They just want to do it with safety measures being met."

Read more: https://www.ketv.com/article/this-is-not-the-time-to-open-the-doors-omaha-teachers-union-calls-for-school-to-begin-remotely/33352131

[usaf-vet]

1. For years IT experts have been asking (begging) for a national infrastructure program to bring high

speed fiber optics to every corner of the country. Many of us cited national disasters as a reason for everyone to have access in their home or workplace of high-speed internet communications. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple offered to help finance the project and to provide the technology.

Now as the country faces a national disaster wouldn't it be great if every school-age child could get live online classes while staying safely at home. And just as great for the teacher to safely teach the classes from home.

Yes, there would be technology and logistical problems initially but those have been worked out in certain regions of the country.

I live next to a small community where EVERY home has high-speed fiber optics right to their home or business. All underground and safe from national disaster.

But in my opinion (now retired) it was always more important to give away HUGH tax breaks to the rich than plan for the future and maintain the infrastructure we already have.

Think of this SOMEDAY every piece of copper communication cables in this country is GOING to get replaced with fiber-optics. Hundreds of thousands of new high paying jobs are going to be some of those jobs in the future.

Once we have leadership that see the value of maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure.

One final point IF I HAD KIDS I WOULD NOT BE SENDING THEM TO SCHOOL THIS FALL. As a former medic, it is my opinion that it is not safe. And probably won't be until we have a working safe vaccine and a working proven system for contact tracing.

None of this will happen as long as we have a lying denier in the White House.

[Alliepoo]

3. I agree with you a thousand percent!!

[ancianita]

2. This past week, Chicago announced the same.

Glad to see that Nebraskans don't do everything their stupid governor tells them.