Critics roast school plan
Say it leaves students, teachers ‘stuck in limbo’
Boston’s latest school reopening plan rules out a full return but stops short of a final decision on whether classes will be fully remote or a hybrid of the two when classes resume next month, frustrating parents, teachers and students.
“I’m a parent. I want to know if on the first day my kids either tune in or show up,” said former Boston teacher and City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George. “It’s something that frustrates me certainly as a mother and as an elected official.”
Boston Public Schools released its 87-page reopening plan on Saturday — the day after districts across the state had to file their plans with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Districts were supposed to indicate whether they intend to pursue a full return, go fully remote or plan to use a hybrid instruction model this fall. Boston nixed a full return but opted to keep its options open. It emphasizes parent choice in how children will approach learning this school year. The document warns people that science will ultimately “drive the decision” on whether or not buildings reopen.
“There is no one solution that will work best for every student, every family, or every person who works with Boston Public Schools,” the plan states.
Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang said, “It feels like we’re stuck in limbo right now. There is certainly a sense of urgency to have a decision made as quickly as possible so we can start figuring out solutions.”
Tang called the district’s hybrid “hopscotch” proposal to bring some students back for in-person instruction on a rotating basis “terrible.” Teachers rallied outside City Hall last week to demand a remote start to the school year as coronavirus cases tick up in Boston.
“There is very wide consensus right now to start remotely so we can focus on building capacity to bring in the highest needs students first,” Tang said Sunday.
Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said in a statement, “I understand the urgency and appreciate the patience of our families and educators as we work to finalize our reopening plan to ensure it is thorough, thoughtful, responsive to our community, and allows time for our families and staff to adequately prepare for a safe and successful school year.”
Essaibi-George said she is pushing the district to make a final decision by Friday and favors a hybrid return. She worries the “achievement gap” already existing in Boston schools will widen if students don’t get back into classrooms.
“It will exasperate all of the inequities that we know our kids experience now. It’s going to become immeasurable,” she said.
Councilor Andrea Campbell called for a remote start, blasting the policy as “an 80-plus page document with no decisive plan,” in a statement on Twitter.