I would like to emphasize the sentence in paragraph three of the press release issued following the School Committee meeting that reads, "The Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance appreciates the School Committee’s decision to continue with remote learning at least for the foreseeable future, and we are hopeful that the Committee will revisit a potential return to in-person learning following the Rhode Island Department of Health’s full roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations for all educators."
Members of the Pawtucket Teachers' Alliance were surveyed about comfortability with returning to in-person learning, not about desire. Sixty-two percent of the members reported feeling more comfortable with virtual learning until there is an opportunity to receive the vaccine. Governor Raimondo consistently states that teachers are essential workers, yet she refuses to include teachers in her priority to be vaccinated.
I am the Union President you speak about in this article. You are 100% incorrect in your assertions about the union and the president. You state the Union President was thrilled with this vote. Actually, my head dropped into my hands and I wept over it. I was expecting the plan presented by the superintendent to be adopted and I would be returning to my classroom with my students. You say that the union refuses to answer whether or not kids would remain with their current teachers. Actually, NO ONE has asked the union that question. The answer is possibly not. It would depend on the number of students remaining virtual and the number of teachers needed to provide in-person instruction. For most students who return in person, they would have the same teacher. For some, their teacher may be assigned to virtual instruction, resulting in the student being placed into another teacher’s class. You are looking at student data from two years ago—a time when we had a home-grown curriculum in ELA, dictated by a status-hungry curriculum director who, to this day, chastises and degrades the teachers for delivering the curriculum she literally wrote. In fact, the curriculum she wrote has been criticized by the RI Department of Education, where she now works. You ask what on what do I base student success. I base student success by the work my students are doing. Pawtucket has purchased and implemented high-quality curriculum materials that the former director wouldn’t even consider. Our students are, in fact, succeeding. Perhaps you should attempt to speak to the I union president before making your false, anti-union rhetoric.
Then I owe you an apology—all the reporting I read, including quotes, led me to conclude that you were pleased with the decision. I will add a correction to the piece.
I would like to emphasize the sentence in paragraph three of the press release issued following the School Committee meeting that reads, "The Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance appreciates the School Committee’s decision to continue with remote learning at least for the foreseeable future, and we are hopeful that the Committee will revisit a potential return to in-person learning following the Rhode Island Department of Health’s full roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations for all educators."
Members of the Pawtucket Teachers' Alliance were surveyed about comfortability with returning to in-person learning, not about desire. Sixty-two percent of the members reported feeling more comfortable with virtual learning until there is an opportunity to receive the vaccine. Governor Raimondo consistently states that teachers are essential workers, yet she refuses to include teachers in her priority to be vaccinated.
Ron Beaupre
President
I am the Union President you speak about in this article. You are 100% incorrect in your assertions about the union and the president. You state the Union President was thrilled with this vote. Actually, my head dropped into my hands and I wept over it. I was expecting the plan presented by the superintendent to be adopted and I would be returning to my classroom with my students. You say that the union refuses to answer whether or not kids would remain with their current teachers. Actually, NO ONE has asked the union that question. The answer is possibly not. It would depend on the number of students remaining virtual and the number of teachers needed to provide in-person instruction. For most students who return in person, they would have the same teacher. For some, their teacher may be assigned to virtual instruction, resulting in the student being placed into another teacher’s class. You are looking at student data from two years ago—a time when we had a home-grown curriculum in ELA, dictated by a status-hungry curriculum director who, to this day, chastises and degrades the teachers for delivering the curriculum she literally wrote. In fact, the curriculum she wrote has been criticized by the RI Department of Education, where she now works. You ask what on what do I base student success. I base student success by the work my students are doing. Pawtucket has purchased and implemented high-quality curriculum materials that the former director wouldn’t even consider. Our students are, in fact, succeeding. Perhaps you should attempt to speak to the I union president before making your false, anti-union rhetoric.
Then I owe you an apology—all the reporting I read, including quotes, led me to conclude that you were pleased with the decision. I will add a correction to the piece.
Must read for families in Arizona. Thank you for being brave.