Dear John,
Staying safe and protecting our communities
CFT’s primary concern is the health and safety of our students, our members, and our communities. During this time when COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic and a state of emergency has been declared at both the national and state level, we want to provide some critical information to you to make sure you are as knowledgeable and as prepared as possible.
For more information on coronavirus, check out CFT’s online toolkit
Out of an abundance of caution, some of our K-12 schools and districts have made the decision to temporarily close, with more likely to do so in the coming days and weeks. Some of our community colleges and universities have begun the process of temporarily moving online, and there is a recommendation from the state that all of our higher education institutions do so.
While some of the decisions to close schools and colleges are reactive to actual or suspected cases of COVID-19, many are being done proactively to help slow the spread of the virus.
During this time, CFT leaders have been in touch with the Governor’s office, the California Department of Education, and the Community College Chancellor’s office, and will continue to advocate for the safety and security of our members, our students, and our communities.
As part of this advocacy, we are urging Governor Newsom to grant local school districts the unilateral right to close in response to COVID-19, bypassing the need for approval from county health agencies. This would enable school officials, in consultation with parents and labor and community leaders, to make the best decision regarding the safety of their students and their communities.
We are also working closely with our local unions to advocate that CFT members not be adversely harmed as our community colleges move courses online and our K-12 schools are temporarily closed or go online as well, including advocating for our members to not lose pay and benefits.
Equally important, we join AFT and the rest of the labor movement in advocating for support for the most vulnerable among us – including seniors and those with underlying health conditions, and those who will suffer the most from the economic impacts of the pandemic. We support Speaker Pelosi’s multibillion-dollar package that includes funds for emergency paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing, and food assistance for seniors and vulnerable children and families.
On the state level, the recent waiver the California Department of Education received to continue feeding students during school closures is an important step in this direction. The Governor’s recent executive order to waive the one week waiting period for unemployment insurance and state disability insurance is another positive step.
The leaders and staff of the CFT will continue to work to gather resources and information and share what we know with CFT members. Our greatest commitment in a time like this is to one another, and we stand ready to work with our local leaders, members, and our communities to navigate this threat and the potential outcomes.
As we continue to address the coronavirus, let's all keep safe and protect our communities. For more information on coronavirus, CFT has set up this online toolkit. Additional resources can be found on the AFT coronavirus page.
