Buffalo teachers: School year must start with remote learning only

The Buffalo Teachers Federation released a survey of teachers opinions on the school district's reopening plan.

Of the more than 3,000 teachers who completed the survey, an overwhelming majority stated the Buffalo Public Schools 2020 Reopening Plan does not...

THE UPCOMINGSCHOOL YEAR.MOST TEACHERS INTHE BUFFALO SCHOOLDISTRICT ARE MAKINGSURE THEIR VOICESARE HEARD...HUNDREDS OFEDUCATORS DONOT THINK THEDISTRICT'SREOPENING PLANSARE SAFEAS A RESULT... THEBUFFALO TEACHERSFEDERATION ISCALLING ON THEDISTRICT TO KEEPSTUDENTS AT HOMEFOR THE START OFTHE SCHOOL YEAR.OLIVIA PROIA BREAKSDOWN WHAT THATCOULD MEAN FOR THEFIRST DAY OFSCHOOL..PHIL: YOU'RE TALKINGABOUT LIFE OR DEATHHERE.

IT'S NOT JUSTFOR THE INDIVIDUALPERSON.

IT'S FOREVERYBODY IN THEIRAREA ANDSURROUNDING AREAAND THEIR FAMILIES.BUFFALO SCHOOLTEACHERS SAYTHERE'S NO OPTIONBUT TO START THESCHOOL YEAR FULLYREMOTE... TO KEEPNOT ONLY STUDENTS,THEIR FAMILIES, ANDSTAFF SAFE... BUT THEENTIRE COMMUNITY.PHIL: IF IT WEREIMPLEMENTED THE WAYIT IS, WE WOULDBECOME A TEXAS OR AFLORIDA.BUFFALO TEACHERFEDERATIONPRESIDENT PHILRUMORE SAYS THEDISTRICT'SREOPENING PLAN HASTO CHANGE BEFORESCHOOL STARTS INSEPTEMBER.PHIL: IF THEY GOFORWARD WITH A PLANLIKE THIS, WE WOULDBE IN COURT WITHINTWO MINUTES AFTERTHEY PASSED IT.RUMORE SURVEYEDABOUT 3 THOUSANDBUFFALO SCHOOLTEACHERS... ALMOST87 PERCENT BELIEVETHE BUFFALOREOPENING PLANDOES NOT PROVIDE ASAFE REOPENING FORSTUDENTS PARENTSAND STAFF.MORE THAN 90PERCENT OFTEACHERS ALSO DONOT SUPPORT THEDISTRICT'S APPROACHTHAT MASKS SHOULDBE ENCOURAGED, BUTNOT MANDATORY.PHIL: THAT THEYSHOULD MAKE MASKSOPTIONAL ISABSOLUTELYLUDACRIS.

YOU HAVETO WEAR A MASKEVERYWHERE YOU GO!RUMORE SAYSTEACHERS DON'T FEELTHEIR INPUT WASINCLUDED ... ANDMOVING FORWARD...THAT NEEDS TOCHANGE.PHIL: THERE SHOULDBE A VOTE OF THEPARENTORGANIZATIONS THATARE SANCTIONED BYTHE BOARD, THEBOARD OF EDUCATION,ANY EMPLOYERORGANIZATIONS THATWAY YOU KNOW THATEVERYBODY'STOGETHER.CASH: I'VE CALLED FORTHESE MEETINGS WITHTHE BTF.

THAT'S WHYI'VE SAID TO THEIRPRESIDENT AND TOWHOEVER WILLRESPOND, 'WHATSHOULD IT LOOK LIKE?WHAT DO YOU THINK ITSHOULD LOOK LIKE?IT'S YOURRESPONSIBILITY.

YOUHELP US ENVISIONWHAT A DAY IN THE LIFESHOULD LOOK LIKE."THE DISTRICT ISSUEDA STATEMENT INRESPONSE TO THE B-T-F SURVEY, SAYING:"AS WE CONTINUEOUR MEETINGS WITHDISTRICT PARENTSAND STAFF IN THEFORMATION OF A FINALDISTRICT REOPENINGPLAN, WE WILLCONSIDER THISBUFFALO TEACHERSFEDERATION SURVEYAS STAKEHOLDERINPUT, WHICH WEVALUE AND HAVEASKED FORTHROUGHOUT THEPLANNING PROCESS."IN BUFFALO, OP,7EWN.