Title
Calling on the School District of Philadelphia to promptly negotiate a mutually agreeable new contract with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers that prioritizes the health and safety of school staff and students and acknowledges the contributions of teachers and other staff, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Body
WHEREAS, On August 31, 2020, the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) expired with no new agreement in place; and
WHEREAS, The PFT represents over 13,000 individuals working in Philadelphia schools as teachers, counselors, nurses, secretaries, librarians, paraprofessionals, and more. These workers are the lifeblood of our public schools, and their support of young people and families has been an invaluable source of stability during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for teachers and other school employees, including the rapid transition to virtual instruction. PFT members have nevertheless risen to meet these challenges, even though many youth and their families lack reliable access to the internet and have suffered from the health and economic fallout of COVID; and
WHEREAS, The eventual return to in-person instruction will bring additional challenges, including the necessity of safeguarding the health and safety of student, teachers, and staff; and
WHEREAS, The PFT has led the fight for healthy schools, partnering in the founding of the Philadelphia Healthy Schools Initiative, developing a school-based mobile application to report dangerous building conditions, decrying faulty construction, and supporting school communities and parents who have demanded school improvements. In August 2020, the PFT led a coalition of educators, school administrators, support staff, parents, caregivers, community members, and students to demand that the 2020-2021 school year begin virtually, given th...
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