We look forward to the continuation of the work to negotiate to reopen schools safely

WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - No one wants to return to in-person learning more than the educators who dedicate their lives to help students succeed. Teachers want to be back in classrooms for in person instruction because we know that is what’s best for students. That’s why for the last 11 months, the Woodland Education Association has been working in partnership with the Woodland Joint Unified School District to get students back in the classroom as soon as possible. We are also preparing to continue to serve families who are not yet ready for their children to return to in-person instruction. We are making progress. WEA has proposed a plan to achieve these goals, and looks forward to coming to agreement with WJUSD about the conditions of teaching and learning as additional students return to in-person instruction.

WEA is grateful that our district has remained committed to following the science throughout this global pandemic, following safety guidelines and ensuring they are applied equitably and universally. We would like to once again thank the district for helping to prioritize teachers and school staff for COVID vaccination because we know that this protects students and educators along with their families and communities, keeping all our loved ones and neighbors safe and healthy.

Earlier on Thursday, WJUSD published inaccurate statements about WEA’s proposal for a planned reopening, making misleading claims that teachers would not be ready to return to in-person instruction this school year. It is possible that some of the inaccuracy is due to typographical error. It is also possible that more clarifying conversations will help to resolve the misunderstanding the district has reflected in its published report. WEA has requested that WJUSD retract its inaccurate reporting. We hope that in the future the District will consider the tone and implications of its updates. We look forward to the continuation of the work to negotiate to reopen schools safely.

In negotiations, a proposal is a starting point, and the two parties work together from there to ask clarifying questions, make mutually agreeable adjustments, and ultimately come to understanding. After today’s bargaining update from the district, it is clear that there is some distance the two parties will have to travel to reach that mutual understanding we both seek. The district has made public a reflection of its misunderstanding and unfortunately the outcome is that the teachers are being blamed for a projected delay in the resumption of in person schooling.

In a community with a 21-year history of failed facility bond measures for public schools, in a state that invests half as much in per-pupil funding as elsewhere in the nation, this global pandemic has exposed the ways this district has been maximizing its resources for decades, as public education has been continually asked to do more with less. We see this in our large class sizes, small classrooms, and history of delays in HVAC system equipment replacement and maintenance at some sites. State and federal COVID funds to help districts mitigate the risk of transmission are welcome and needed.

WEA’s goal remains to return to in-person instruction as this is what is best for students. The topic of school reopening is held deeply within our community and the work that is being done to accomplish this goal is not taken lightly. The obstacle to reopening in person schooling is not the superintendent nor the board of trustees. The obstacle is not the teachers, the school staff, nor any labor union. The obstacle to reopening in person schooling is COVID-19, one that each community member and stakeholder must work together to overcome.

The Woodland Education Association is the labor union for the certificated employees of the Woodland Joint Unified School District, and represents guidance counselors, school psychologists, education specialists, speech language pathologists, school nurses, teachers on special assignment, classroom teachers, and other certificated professional educators who serve students in the communities of Knights Landing, Yolo, and Woodland.