The Montgomery County Education Association, the union for public school teachers, gave a no-confidence vote Wednesday to the education board-approved school reopening plan, chiding it as “inadequate.”
In addition to safety concerns, officials raised questions about a lack of people and a need for more space in order for the reopening plan to work without negatively affecting low-income students as well as pupils of color, WTOP reported.
“MCEA cannot support the current plan, which will only increase inequity in Montgomery County schools,” union officials said, WTOP reported.
The union shot down the plan at an emergency meeting Wednesday in which it passed a lack of confidence vote, WTOP reported.
Specifically, the union wants a plan aligning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on reopening of school buildings, a contact tracing and testing program and full employee inoculation for returning to in-person instruction.
The union has requested a meeting with the board to discuss its concerns, WTOP reported.
In a statement, the Montgomery County Public Schools system said a diverse set of stakeholders had input in the plan designed to “benefit students, staff and community.”
As of Wednesday, roughly 112,000 county residents have received the first dose of the two-shot coronavirus vaccines currently available, with about 36,000 of those receiving both shots, according to a county tracker.
