Tucson Unified School District is the largest school district in Southern Arizona. How TUSD schools open following the COVID-19 closures will drastically impact the lives of tens of thousands of Tucson families.

It is critical that plans to reopen our schools:

• Include the voices of all stakeholders in the decision-making process
• Ensure the safety of all students and employees
• Provide equity in remote learning

The Tucson Education Association's COVID-19 Task Force, made up of TUSD educators and staff, put forth these guiding principles that will help ensure the safety and equity for all students, families, and educators involved in our school system.

Add your name to the petition in support of TEA's Principles to Safely and Equitably Re-open Schools.

Tucson Education Association - Principles to Safely and Equitably Re-open Schools

The Tucson Education Association (TEA) affirms that every student deserves the highest quality education. This includes all the academic, physical, and social/emotional services and resources that our district schools provide. Parents, students, faculty, and staff must have confidence that these services can be provided safely. Based on discussion and feedback from hundreds of dedicated educators and stakeholders, the TEA COVID-19 Task Force has developed the following principles to ensure that TUSD schools will open safely and equitably in the Fall.

STAKEHOLDER VOICE

To ensure plans to reopen TUSD schools meet the realities of our classrooms, TEA educators and all stakeholders must be included in the decision-making process, not simply provided briefs on top-down decisions. Public school educators have unique perspectives, expertise, and insights regarding the management of safe physical classroom environments and the crafting of quality in-person and remote educational experiences. Given the nature of this on-going pandemic, there must be a commitment to effective implementation, ongoing evaluation, and appropriate modifications to all reopening plans. Additionally, all temporary adjustments to employee bargaining agreements must be negotiated. We are all in this together, so we need to work together.

SAFETY AT WORK

Plans to reopen must prioritize the safety of students and school employees, following the guidance issued by those with public health expertise, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pima County Health Department. Plans should be proactive and enforceable. They must be clear, fair, and considerate of diverse populations including very young students, Exceptional Education students, as well as students and employees with high-risk factors and/or underlying health conditions.

Plans must address the following concerns:

• social distancing in both closed and open spaces
• regular cleaning by appropriate professionals
• access to personal protective equipment including masks, soap, sanitizer, and cleaning supplies
• CV-19 testing, monitoring, and access to aggregate data at sites
• site-based protocols to be followed in the event of possible exposure
• appropriate ventilation in all classrooms and work spaces

EQUITY IN REMOTE LEARNING

The COVID-19 school closures and the implementation of remote learning this past Spring further exposed inequities in our education systems. Plans to continue remote learning, whether in whole or in part, must ensure equitable, high-quality teaching and learning for all students

This will require:

• improved access to technology
• clear expectations and accountability measures for students and teachers
• equitable distribution of work for students and teachers
• flexibility to meet the needs of individual students where necessary
• professional development for employees as needed
• support for parents and students struggling with remote learning