Philadelphia's Educators Demand: Masks, Tests, and Vaccinations for All Staff and Students!
To: Superintendent William Hite, Members of the Philadelphia School Board, and Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole

At this moment, the number of people hospitalized for Covid in Southeastern Pennsylvania is quickly surpassing the all time record daily number of hospitalizations from any time during this pandemic. The vast majority of those hospitalized are patients who are not fully vaccinated, including children. According to PA Open Data there will soon be fewer than 10 pediatric ICU beds available in the entire city of Philadelphia. In light of this reality, we demand that you immediately change course. Our schools are currently hotbeds for Covid infection due to poor and inadequate masking, lack of rigorous Covid testing, lack of sufficient staff to conduct Covid testing, and lack of easy access to Covid vaccination.  

We ask that you immediately transition all learning to virtual until infection rates decline and the following demands have been met:

1) HIGH QUALITY MASKS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF: Omicron is far too contagious and virulent to be contained by either cloth or surgical masks. You must purchase and distribute sufficient N-95 masks for daily use for every staff member and student, and develop a clear enforcement plan to send home students and staff who refuse to wear masks.

2) WEEKLY TESTING FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF: Current testing protocols are insufficient. You must provide sufficient tests and personnel to provide weekly rapid testing for all staff and students, faithfully implementing the “Test to Stay” model and make sure that Covid positive students are not staying in class with other students.  Any school that does not have an appropriate health care provider on site to provide rapid testing for all staff and students should not be open for in-person learning.

3) SCHOOLS AS VACCINATION SITES: Offer free vaccination on site for every interested student and their family members.

Until you have taken these practical and reasonable measures needed to slow the current wave of Omicron infections, you have not created a safe workspace for your employees to work in, or for your students to learn in.  

We cannot be expected to continue working and learning under these conditions.

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This petition is organized by members of the Caucus of Working Educators, rank and file members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers:  https://www.facebook.com/workingeducators
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