Dear John,
Governor Newsom announces K-12 schools to remain physically closed for the remainder of the school year
Yesterday Governor Newsom announced that California’s K-12 schools should expect to be physically closed through the end of the school year and that districts should focus on improving and enhancing distance learning. The announcement did not include community colleges or universities, but the expectation is that they will follow suit.
While the physical closure of schools will bring hardship to many of the families that we serve, the decision was a prudent one based on the guidance of public health officials. Maintaining social distancing, along with regularly washing hands, will continue to be our most effective strategy in order to minimize infections and save lives. And reports from the Governor’s office indicate that so far our collective efforts in California have been successful in flattening the curve.
The move will also help districts and local unions better plan for the remainder of the school year, focusing on distance learning over the course of the final few months, rather than cobbling together plans week-by-week.
CFT leaders at both the state and the local level will continue to advocate for our members and our students, especially those who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. As a union, we have always fought not just on behalf of our members, but for the common good of our communities as well. Using those values as a guide, we will continue to fight for our members' pay and benefits as well as for the welfare of our students and their families.
Join CFT President Jeff Freitas Friday at 3:00 p.m. as he answers members’ questions on Facebook Live
CFT President Jeff Freitas will once again answer CFT members’ questions this Friday at 3:00 p.m. in a Facebook Live broadcast via the CFT Facebook page.
If you have a specific question or comment for CFT leaders, please take a moment to go to cft.org/ask. Answers to the most commonly asked questions can be found in our FAQ for members on the CFT web site. The FAQ is updated regularly.
1.7 million signatures submitted to qualify the Schools and Communities First initiative for the November ballot
Thanks to the tireless work gathering signatures by CFT members and our allies, today the Schools and Communities First campaign turned in over 1.7 million signatures to qualify the initiative for the November ballot. When passed by voters in November, the initiative will bring in over $12 billion a year for our schools and communities, resources that will be critical to help California recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Whether in a crisis or back in normal times, schools and community colleges are at the center of our communities,” says CFT President Jeff Freitas. “I’m grateful for all of the CFT members who did the hard work of collecting signatures to help get the Schools and Communities First Initiative on the ballot.”
Don’t forget to fill out the Census!
Self-responding to the Census is the easiest way to make sure you are counted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Filling out the questionnaire is quick, easy, and can be done online, by phone, or by mail. Please take a moment to complete the Census questionnaire online or over the phone in English by dialing 844-330-2020 or in Spanish at 844-468-2020.
Every 10 years, the federal government is required to count everyone in the United States. Your census response influences funding for schools, businesses and hospitals in your community and has never been more important than it is today.
And in the face of our current COVID-19 pandemic, it’s now even more imperative to complete the 2020 census, because it provides the necessary data to better plan for emergency responses.
More COVID-19 resources added to CFT.org
Regular COVID-19 updates, information, and resources are continually posted at cft.org. New this week are resources for educators and parents on Learning at Home, including information on general education, art, English, history, science, and social sciences. We’ve also added some very useful new resources on Culture & Calm at Home, which includes things to help you relax, laugh, and move — at home.
