MTA members remain committed to creating safe in-person learning environments in all of our public schools. Doing so as cases of COVID-19 surge amid the presence of the highly transmissible omicron variant requires a comprehensive strategy.

As of today, the state is not providing adequate plans or resources to educators, school districts or communities. We must act now – and act together – to ensure that we can give our students a meaningful education while protecting our communities.

In the absence of leadership from the state, our public education system is being undermined. In districts where schools are severely understaffed, too many students are spending too much time consigned to auditoriums and cafeterias or doubled up with other classes. School nurses are overwhelmed. Paraeducators – already underpaid – are being misused to the detriment of students with special education plans. Governor Charlie Baker’s mishandling of this public health crisis has led to a shortage of school bus drivers. The systemic problem of not paying fair wages to substitute teachers is making it impossible to hire qualified staff to cover for those who are ill or in quarantine.

Public health experts are standing with educators’ unions in calling for a comprehensive strategy providing for regular testing of students and school staff, high-quality masking, readily available vaccines and boosters, and ensuring that school buildings have adequate ventilation systems.

We need a plan to get us through the emergency of the moment and then through June – not Band-Aids to patch over failures of policy and logistics.