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CDC is not communicating with teachers on COVID safety, unions say -Breaking

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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A sign from a teachers protest a few weeks ago remains on the fence of Brentano Elementary Math & Science Academy in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, as Chicago Public Schools suspended in-person learning after Chicago Teachers Union membe

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By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Teachers unions claim that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not communicated well with teachers, as records were set for COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States.

The safety of American public schools, which educate over 50 million kids, has become a hotly contested issue, pitting teachers’ unions https://www.reuters.com/world/us/chicago-teachers-backs-deal-reopen-schools-after-covid-walkout-report-2022-01-11 worried about the disease’s spread in sometimes underfunded, antiquated buildings against local and state officials who want to keep schools open.

Top union officials claim that the CDC, America’s national health agency, has not provided enough information to teachers or sought their feedback despite a history of good relations.

Randi Weingarten (NYSE :), president of the 1.7-million-member American Federation of Teachers, stated that “CDC doesn’t communicate as it used to” (NYSE :).

Weingarten explained that the CDC has not provided any guidance for schools regarding how to deal with new five-day isolation requirements issued Dec. 27 by infected individuals. It did so, however, after schools reopened last week after the holiday break.

Becky Pringle (president of the National Education Association with 3,000,000 members) said that her group is also looking for more communication from the CDC. However, she did not provide any details.

“I would hope that every person in this country would want CDC to be asking the largest union of educators— NEA — about how their guidance affects public education, so more, not less, communication is essential to getting this right for our students, schools and communities,” she said in a statement to Reuters.

When asked about criticisms, the CDC stated that it had included the AFT as well as the NEA when conducting education outreach and inviting people to meetings. A spokesperson for the CDC said that both were considered “valued educational partners” during its COVID-19 response.

Weingarten said her union’s contacts with the CDC dropped off after conservative news outlets Fox News and the New York Post reported in May 2021 that the AFT and CDC communicated on school reopening guidelines https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-cdc-recommends-schools-reopen-with-masks-rigid-health-protocols-2021-02-12 before they were issued on Feb. 1, 2021.

Reports were based upon emails obtained by the conservative watchdog Americans for Public Trust under Freedom of Information Act. These emails showed that teachers unions had made suggestions regarding school reopening, masking, and other policies.

Weingarten stated that Fox and other FOIAed papers, the result is that people don’t speak to them anymore. It’s an enormous disservice for Americans, I believe.

She said, “What you see is confusion and fear as well as misinformation.” They should be better at communicating and should have communicated in advance. However, they don’t.

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