CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi chapter of the American Federation of Teachers sent an email to local leaders in Nueces County on Friday asking that the start of the school year be delayed until after Labor Day because of COVID-19.
"Our school districts are ill-prepared right now -- to deal with the spikes in COVID that we're having in our community," CCAFT President Nancy Vera said. "It's time for us to make a decision -- to be courageous and bold and do it now."
Vera is concerned that teachers will be required to return to the classroom and possibly come into contact with the novel coronavirus.
Recently retired teacher Jeannette Krizak said many of the current teachers she knows share Vera's sentiments.
"I can’t speak for every teacher," she said. "I can tell you from talking to other teacher-friends there’s a lot of teachers very concerned."
CCISD responded to those concerns. Superintendent Roland Hernandez said that exceptions might be made for teachers with pre-exisiting conditions that make them susceptible to coronavirus.
"Those are going to be on a case-by-case basis, like on any day," Hernandez said. "Any teacher who has pre-exisiting conditions -- they would just need to work with their immediate supervisor and our district. That way we’ll know how to accommodate them the best as possible and keeping them safe.”