Providence educators to Superintendent Harrison Peters: We need honesty, transparency and collaboration to fix the crisis in our schools
Superintendent Harrison Peters
Now that schools have reopened, educators, students and families in Providence know what we’re facing. We know that there are glaring, unacceptable educational and safety-related concerns that must be addressed immediately. As educators of the Providence Teachers Union, we must join together to call on Superintendent Harrison Peters to change course and work with us to fix the crisis in our schools.
We believe there are five pillars representing what it would take to reopen Providence schools with the education justice our students, families and educators deserve: Respecting and including all stakeholders in any process; fostering real connection between students and educators; providing the equity in resources and services our students deserve; offering high-quality, rigorous education in any education model; and ensuring safety for all entering our school buildings, many of which were unsafe in “regular times,” and even more so during the pandemic.
Across Rhode Island since this pandemic began, district leaders have worked with families, teachers and school staff in ways that honor these values. They have set aside differences and come together to solve new challenges. Sadly, that has not been the case here in Providence.
We know that it’s time to act.
Please sign the petition—for the education our students deserve and for the health and lives of all of us in the Providence school community.
Sponsored by
To:
Superintendent Harrison Peters
From:
[Your Name]
We, the educators of Providence public schools, are standing together as the Providence Teachers Union to express deep concern and reservations regarding each of these pillars critical to education in Providence: safety, respect, equity, connection and quality. There is still time to correct the course.
Specifically, we make the following demands:
● That Providence Public Schools and the Rhode Island Department of Education come to the table and negotiate with parents, students, educators, school staff and community groups on urgent educational issues, including:
● A Virtual Learning Academy that promotes high-quality learning and social-emotional skills and builds community with students and families, implemented by Providence educators.
● Accessible, well-publicized training for families, students and educators on best practices for remote learning, with translation services available.
● Clear schedules and equitable distribution of learning tools/resources for students and educators.
● Direct services for the highest-needs students.
● That PPS and RIDE improve and maintain safety measures in schools to maximize social distancing and minimize transmission of COVID-19, including:
● The implementation of truly stable student groups across the district.
● Enhanced safety measures for schools in ZIP codes with the highest COVID-19 caseloads.
● Frequent, randomized testing of school populations of teachers and staff.
● Installation of air purifiers in every classroom to improve air circulation and lower the transmission risk for teachers and students.
● Complete transparency and regular updates on caseloads and exposure within school communities.
● Improved contact tracing procedures at the school and district level.
● Regular safety-focused walkthroughs of schools by parent and teacher representatives, particularly when a safety concern has been identified.
We remain open and committed to working with you to meet the challenges of this pandemic and to building a culture of respect, connection, equity, quality and safety that will help our children and our schools thrive for years to come.