DC Public Schools (DCPS) delayed starting in-person Term 2 education in select elementary schools, which was originally scheduled for November 9.
The announcement came from DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee on Monday, following the Washington Teachers Union’s call on its members to take a mental health day or call out sick on Monday in protest of the school system’s reopening plan.
As per the reversal, students from grades pre-kindergarten through 12 will continue all-virtual learning from home, according to Ferebee’s statement. Reopening of in-person classes will be rescheduled based on opinions of the school community.
“We commit to supporting our students, families, teachers, and staff in our urgent mission to safely reopen schools. We have heard feedback from many in our community about #ReopenStrong plans, and we will use this moment to adjust our timeline and staffing plans for reopening,” said Ferebee in a letter to the DCPS school community.
DCPS violated the law by announcing their reopening plan in late October without negotiating with them, according to the Washington Teachers Union.
“When teachers are pressed up against a wall, they’re going to do whatever they have to protect themselves and their families,” the union’s president Liz Davis told WUSA9.
The school system is planning to reopen CARE classrooms as soon as staffing plans are confirmed. Families who have accepted an in-person learning seat will be able to get their child in a CARE Classroom. They will be contacted first by DCPS, which will offer additional seats to other families afterwards.