The president of the American Federation of Teachers on Wednesday called out the Trump White House’s chaotic response to the coronavirus pandemic ― and its confusing messaging ― as the union laid out its own road map for safely reopening the nation’s schools. “Our blueprint serves as a stark contrast to the conflicting guidance, bluster and lies of the Trump administration,” Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member AFT, said of its five-stage plan in a statement. The 22-page proposal — titled the “Plan To Safely Reopen America’s Schools and Communities” — is “based on the science as well as educator and health care expertise ― not on politics or wishful thinking,” the union said. It is a “living document” that will be guided and updated “by constantly evolving expert advice,” it added. The plan calls for social distancing measures to be maintained “until the number of new cases declines for at least 14 consecutive days”; the appropriate infrastructure “to test, trace and isolate new cases”; the deployment of public health tools to prevent the further spread of the contagion; the involvement “of workers, unions, parents and communities in all planning”; and the investment in public health and education as “a priority” in the recovery.

Source: Huffington Post April 30, 2020 10:49 UTC