Boston Teachers Union says they had no input into reopening plan for Boston Public Schools

BOSTON — For a lot of people, getting students back in the classroom is the goal.

Annissa Essaibi-George is a Boston Public School parent.

“We’ve been talking about opening schools since we closed schools in March,” she said.

And teachers like Brett Gormley want to be there.

“We all want to go back for the most part,” Gormley said.

But Gormley, who teaches at the McCormack School in Dorchester, said teachers need to have their say on what that will look like.

“If we as teachers are not included in the conversation and our kids too, we need to be at the table to at least share our thoughts,” he said.

Essaibi-George agrees.

“They play a really important role around how schools should look come September,” she said.

However, the Boston Teachers Union sent a letter to members saying they had no input into the re-opening plan for Boston Public Schools. Their letter says in part:

“It is unfathomable that not a single teacher has been at the table where these conversations and decisions have been happening.”

—  Boston Teachers Union

Besides being a Boston Public School parent, Essaibi-George is chair of the Boston City Council’s Committee on education. She’s also a former BPS teacher.

“It’s important that schools are open. It’s important that we open them safely and for families and kids that are not comfortable being back in school, that they have an option to do school from home and virtually," she said.

The Boston School Committee highlighted three potential plans for re-opening at Tuesday night’s virtual meeting. Final versions of those three must be submitted to the state by Aug. 10. All of the Commonwealth’s school districts must do the same.

Gormley likes the hybrid plan.

“I think a hybrid plan is definitely a good idea. I think we need to stay flexible,” Gormley said.

But he wants to be sure his voice is heard and Essaibi -George wants to be sure everyone’s is heard.

“It’s important that we’re all at that table so we can all inform that plan so we can help our kids,” Gormley said.

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