Public school teachers in the nation’s capital laid out fake body bags in protest against the possibility that schools could reopen in the coming weeks.
As cities and states across the nation wrestle with the choice between returning children to classrooms or continuing the distance-learning protocols that were implemented last spring, a number of teachers have come down firmly on the side of keeping schools closed. (RELATED: POLL: 20% Of Teachers ‘Unlikely’ To Return To The Classroom If Schools Reopen In The Fall)
D.C Public Schools teachers briefly lined up “body bags” outside school system offices, protesting plans that could send them back to classrooms in the fall
Mayor Bowser is expected to announce if schools will partially open in the fall later this week pic.twitter.com/ARmqgkBfrG
— Debbie Truong (@debbietruong) July 27, 2020
Along with the fake body bags, teachers posted signs that read, “RIP: favorite teacher,” “RIP: killed in the line of duty,” “You can prevent needless death” and “What number is worth the risk?”
Teachers in other cities staged similar protests, arguing that the potential risk posed by having students and teachers back in the classrooms was not worth it. (RELATED: CDC Director Says He’s ‘100’ Percent On His Grandchildren Going Back To School, Calls It ‘Critical’ To Get Schools Open)
Teachers will hold a mock funeral procession through downtown Nashville tonight called ‘Dead Students Can’t Learn, Dead Teachers Can’t Teach.’ https://t.co/hlnJOFlz6n
— WSMV News4 Nashville (@WSMV) July 27, 2020
Teachers across the U.S. have begun organizing protests to voice concerns about the Trump admin’s push for schools to reopen in the fall despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“At the end of the day, my life and my health is more important than any of this!”https://t.co/eD6qCVGJTE
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 28, 2020
Teachers in Florida held a car parade to protest the governor’s decision to reopen all public schools by August 31. pic.twitter.com/GSphJw8kgs
— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 26, 2020
Some studies have suggested that children are far less likely to contract the coronavirus and also less likely to spread it to teachers. President Donald Trump has recently toned down his adamant support for getting students back into classrooms full time, saying in recent statements that local authorities should include more choices for parents as they make that decision based on the perceived risk in their area.
