Education
Negotiations stall in Chicago amid nationwide campaign to open schools
By Kristina Betinis, 30 January 2021
Every effort is being made by the political and media establishment to vilify Chicago educators and wear down their opposition, to pave the way for profit-driven school reopenings at the most dangerous stage of the pandemic.
Montgomery, Alabama school district reneges on pledge to switch to remote learning
By Shelley Connor, 29 January 2021
Quickly wiping away their crocodile tears for deceased educators, the Montgomery Public Schools administration has quickly backpedaled on their pledge to allow teachers to work from home.
Staff at Toronto school walk off the job due to COVID-19 safety concerns
By Alexandra Greene, 29 January 2021
Many of the special needs students the school staff work with have compromised immune systems.
Reopening of Boston colleges threatens escalation of COVID-19 crisis
By Andrew Timon, 29 January 2021
Despite record numbers of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, Boston colleges are recklessly pushing to open universities at even higher capacities than during the fall semester.
Chicago teachers struggle at a crossroads
By Alexander Fangmann, 29 January 2021
The fight by Chicago educators to prevent the reopening of schools has become the focal point of the class struggle in the United States, with every other major district in the country looking to the city to set a precedent.
999 French pseudo-left hold demonstration for reopening of universities
29 January 2021
Australian university cuts to jobs and courses to intensify in 2021
By Mike Head, 29 January 2021
While facing huge revenue losses, university managements are also exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to bring forward restructuring plans.
Johnson plans end of UK lockdown, with terrible loss of life
By Thomas Scripps, 29 January 2021
Scientific studies prove that opening schools significantly increases rates of infection, meaning the pandemic will be pushed into a new period of exponential growth with tens of thousands more deaths.
999 Rebuttal of latest CDC reports justifying reopening of schools
29 January 2021
Chicago teachers lead resistance to Biden’s school reopening plan as pandemic enters deadlier phase
By Jerry White, 28 January 2021
Chicago educators are in the forefront of the resistance of educators across the US to the campaign by the Biden administration and the corporate media to reopen schools.
999 Alabama teacher update
28 January 2021
Network meeting of action committees for safe education discusses Europe-wide school strike
By Our reporters, 28 January 2021
The online meeting in Germany adopted a powerful resolution against the return to workplaces, schools and day-care centres under conditions of a widening pandemic.
For a European-wide strike against school openings!
Network of Action Committees for Safe Education, 28 January 2021
This statement was adopted by a meeting of the Network of Action Committees for Safe Education.
“We were just the test animals”
Victimized Chicago teacher speaks out against deadly school reopening
By Michael Walters, 28 January 2021
When Chicago Public Schools demanded Chicago teachers return to teach in unsafe pandemic conditions, hundreds refused and the district retaliated by locking more than 150 educators out.
The Chicago teachers’ rebellion and the fight to contain the pandemic
By Evan Blake, 27 January 2021
Acutely aware of the militancy among educators, the corporate media and political establishment are engaged in a frenzied propaganda campaign to vilify teachers and distort science.
New COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 identified at the University of Michigan
By Jesse Thomas, 27 January 2021
Five of six cases of the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, identified in Washtenaw County, Michigan, have been associated with the University of Michigan Ann Arbor (UMich) campus.
999 Alabama teachers
27 January 2021
Chicago educators to remain teaching remotely on Wednesday
By Alexander Fangmann, 27 January 2021
Overwhelming opposition to reopening schools among educators and other workers leads Chicago mayor to back off from threats of retaliation.
French government determined to keep schools open as virus spreads
By Samuel Tissot, 27 January 2021
Despite over new 1,000 admissions to ICU beds in the last 48 hours, the French education minister doubled down on lies to justify keeping schools open.
999 Boston college/universities opening
27 January 2021
A revealing episode
Chicago teacher opposing return to school maligned for citing anti-Nazi poem
By Kristina Betinis, 27 January 2021
The Chicago Teachers Union’s support for the Anti-Defamation League’s specious attack on high school teacher Stu Abram highlights the CTU’s complicity in the reopening of schools, and its downplaying both the severity of the pandemic and the danger of the far right.
Oppose the unsafe reopening of colleges and universities!
By International Youth and Students for Social Equality (US), 26 January 2021
The reopening of schools amid a raging pandemic is a criminal act that will only add to the already horrific toll of death from the coronavirus.
US educators confront Democrats and the unions in battle to close schools and save lives
By Evan Blake, 26 January 2021
Biden is aggressively pursuing school reopenings in coordination with Democratic politicians and the teachers unions, as opposition among rank-and-file educators mounts to this homicidal policy.
UK Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee discusses school reopenings and lessons of Trump’s attempted coup
By our reporter, 26 January 2021
UK Educators Rank-and-File Committee passes resolution in support of US Covid whistleblower Rebekah Jones
999 Boston college/universities opening
26 January 2021
Montgomery, Alabama schools announce a switch to full-virtual learning following teacher sickout
By Emma Arceneaux, 26 January 2021
Growing actions by teachers and parents, including the formation of an independent safety committee by rank-and-file educators and sickouts Monday, forced the school board to announce the suspension of in-school instruction.
Millions of Brazilian students refuse to take exam amid rising opposition to back to school campaign
By Eduardo Parati, 26 January 2021
The unprecedented mass absence from one of Brazil’s most important national yearly exams is a statement of opposition to the government’s herd immunity policy and the reopening of schools.
999 Oppose unsafe reopening of colleges, IYSSE
25 January 2021
MIT faculty defend professor against trumped-up charges related to China ties
By Mike Ingram, 25 January 2021
A letter signed by 100 faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology calls for the defense of Professor Gang Chen, whom the US government is prosecuting on charges of wire fraud and tax violations as part of its witchhunt against academics who collaborate with Chinese institutions.
Overwhelming opposition among Chicago educators to deadly school reopenings
By Alexander Fangmann, 25 January 2021
After teachers overwhelmingly approved a union resolution to continue teaching remotely, CPS CEO Janice Jackson announced the return of K-8 educators would be delayed to Wednesday.
Chicago schools chief threatens to lock out teachers who don’t return to school buildings Monday
By George Gallanis, 23 January 2021
The Lightfoot administration has indicated it will treat teachers following through with a union resolution to continue teaching remotely as engaging in an illegal strike, even as she and Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker push to open restaurants and businesses.
Southern California school districts plan reopenings despite dire spread of COVID-19
By Melody Isley, 23 January 2021
In the past two weeks, COVID-19 deaths have increased by 82 percent throughout California as the virus continues to spread unabated. Despite the surge, multiple Southern California school districts plan to reopen in the coming weeks.
Alabama teachers speak out as four more teachers die of COVID-19 this week
By Shelley Connor, 23 January 2021
The staggering impact of these educators’ deaths upon staff and students is incalculable, and there have been numerous heartfelt tributes made by community members in Montgomery.
Government statistics reveal vast scale of UK school teacher and staff COVID-19 infections
By Tania Kent, 23 January 2021
The statistics are a devastating indictment of the Conservative government’s policy of forcing schools to stay open, supported by the Labour Party and the trade unions.
Texas educators call for full investigation of fascistic coup plotters!
Texas Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 23 January 2021
Our committee calls for the fullest investigation into the high-level connections between Texas Republicans, the Trump administration, and the far-right and fascistic groups that coordinated the January 6 coup attempt in Washington, DC.
Chicago Public Schools brands collective action to stop in-person learning “illegal”
By Michael Walters, 22 January 2021
The district’s top human resources official issued a highly provocative letter threatening Chicago educators that any “collective failure” to return for in-person instruction “constitutes an illegal strike.”
Baltimore City Schools announces wide reopening of schools in mid-February
By Harvey Simpkins, 22 January 2021
The move has the support of the city’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott, making Baltimore the latest Democratic-led city or state to aggressively reopen schools as the pandemic rages out of control.
999 TX Educators R&F statement calling for investigation into Texan coup plotters
22 January 2021
The science of the pandemic supports teachers’ concerns over the dangers of school reopening, Part two
By Benjamin Mateus, 21 January 2021
Science validates teachers’ concerns that in-person education during the pandemic is a dangerous proposition. This article reviews some of the more recent scientific findings.
Despite outbreaks at 373 New York City schools, Democrats and unions conspire to keep the district open
By Sandy English, 21 January 2021
Since New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unilaterally reopened schools in early December with the support of the teachers union, statewide daily new cases have reached their worst point since the start of the pandemic.
Boston Teachers Union agrees to return to in-person classes for thousands of students
By Julian James, 21 January 2021
The agreement was reached a day before the BTU took part in last week’s phony “Day of Resistance” protest aimed at appealing to Biden and the Democratic Party.
Chicago educators form independent rank-and-file committee to fight school reopenings
Close schools and nonessential production until the pandemic is contained! Full income protection to all!
Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 21 January 2021
We call on all educators and support staff, and workers from all industries, to join and help build our committee in your school or workplace, independently of both big-business parties and their backers in the CTU and other unions.
Tennessee educators and parents call for fully funded remote learning to contain the pandemic
By Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 21 January 2021
In opposition to Governor Bill Lee’s scheme to pressure schools to reopen, we call for the immediate closure of all schools and for the provision of ample resources to provide high quality remote learning to all students.
New York City educators call for unified struggle with striking Hunts Point market workers!
New York City Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 21 January 2021
Our brothers and sisters at Hunts Point have taken a courageous stand for the rights of workers everywhere, and we call on them to form their own rank-and-file committee independent of the Teamsters to carry forward their struggle.
Chicago Teachers Union postures with “strike” vote as schools continue in-person learning
By Alexander Fangmann, 20 January 2021
In response to overwhelming anger from teachers and parents over the continued drive to reopen schools and businesses in the city, the union’s House of Delegates is calling an emergency meeting Wednesday.
Alabama educators launch rank-and-file safety committee to close schools and save lives!
Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 20 January 2021
We call on all educators and support staff, and workers from all industries, to join and help build our committee in your school or workplace, independently of both big-business parties and their backers in the unions.
999 Boston schools reopening facilitated by union
20 January 2021
999 Chicago Educators R&F Committee founding statement
20 January 2021
The science of the pandemic supports teachers’ concerns over the dangers of school reopening—Part one
By Benjamin Mateus, 20 January 2021
Science validates teachers’ concerns that in-person education during the pandemic is a dangerous proposition. This article reviews some of the more recent scientific findings.
School worker deaths mount in Florida as virus spreads without restraint
By Alex Johnson, 20 January 2021
Two public school workers from Florida died earlier this month after contracting COVID-19 under conditions of an unmitigated spread of the virus in school districts statewide.
Local reports of COVID-19 deaths in UK schools confirm concealed impact of pandemic
By Harvey Thompson, 19 January 2021
Prior to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s January 4 lockdown announcement, the government had even threatened legal action against those schools intending to close due to high infection rates.
999 Tennessee Educators R&F statement
19 January 2021
999 Boston schools reopening facilitated by union
19 January 2021
999 Chicago schools update or r/f statement
19 January 2021
Educators and workers across the US denounce arrest of whistleblower Rebekah Jones
By Matthew MacEgan, 19 January 2021
Jones, who faces persecution in response to her efforts to expose the spread of the pandemic in Florida and in K-12 schools across the US, was released on bond after turning herself in to Florida police.
School nurses return to campuses as United Teachers Los Angeles covers for Democrats
By Tadakatsu Čapek, 18 January 2021
Two years after betraying the strike by 33,000 teachers, the United Teachers Los Angeles is collaborating with state and local Democrats to reopen schools in the epicenter of the world pandemic.
999 Chicago schools update or r/f statement
18 January 2021
Canadian educators must mount a political struggle to oppose school reopenings and save lives
By Omar Ali, 18 January 2021
Whatever the specific timetables of the various provincial governments, they are all determined to force educators, students, and support staff back into unsafe school buildings as the COVID-19 pandemic surges.
Ontario teacher denounces unions’ “feckless response” to government’s ruinous handling of the pandemic
By A letter from an Ontario teacher, 18 January 2021
“What is emerging among educators not just in Ontario or Canada, but throughout the world is the realization that educators must rely on our biggest asset and resource—that is ourselves!”
999 Latest science on school reopenings
18 January 2021
Network Meeting of the Action Committees for Safe Education: Pupils, workers and students discuss perspectives for a European-wide general strike
By Our reporters, 16 January 2021
In introducing the meeting, Gregor Link of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality referred to the now almost 400,000 confirmed COVID deaths in the European Union.
Teachers and parents speak out on deadly reopening of Chicago Public Schools
By Our reporters, 15 January 2021
There is growing opposition throughout Chicago to the city’s Democratic leaders aggressive push to reopen schools, bars and restaurants as COVID-19 infections are ripping through schools and other workplaces.
Sri Lankan education safety committee holds well-attended online meeting
By Our correspondents, 15 January 2021
Participants discussed the need to build a network of education action committees to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.
Chicago Teachers Union accepts further reopenings as virus outbreaks erupt in schools
By Alexander Fangmann, 15 January 2021
A potential cluster of infections has emerged at McCutcheon Elementary on the city’s North Side, leaving just one educator in the building, while the CTU works to isolate teachers and prevent them from taking any independent initiative.
Biden’s top economic advisor demands that “schools open” so parents “can get back to work”
By Bryan Dyne, 15 January 2021
Such efforts will only spur the pandemic to ever greater heights of death in a country where there are already more than 3,400 newly reported deaths each day.
Poorest UK schoolchildren sent meagre pandemic food parcels, as contractors reap massive profits
By Robert Stevens, 14 January 2021
Many expressed disgust and denounced the profiteering from poverty during the school closures necessitated by the pandemic
Australia: Regional high school teachers walk out over understaffing and unbearable workloads
By Kaye Tucker, 14 January 2021
The stoppage is the latest indication of growing opposition to the program of school amalgamations being enforced by the New South Wales Liberal government, with the assistance of Labor and the unions.
New data shows that nearly 1400 kids in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have caught COVID-19
By James Vega, Debra Watson and Eboni Davis, 14 January 2021
Since mid-October more than 13,500 people in the U.P. contracted the virus, a three-fold increase since the pandemic began in March.
999 Exposure of NEU, teachers unions' "Day of Resistance"
14 January 2021
DSA-aligned teachers unions’ “Day of Resistance”: a pathetic appeal to Biden and the Democrats
By Evan Blake, 14 January 2021
Tuesday’s event, organized by an umbrella group of teacher unions led by pseudo-left officials, was a political stunt aimed at channeling opposition to in-person instruction behind dead-end appeals to the Democratic Party.
999 Exposure of NEU, teachers unions' "Day of Resistance"
13 January 2021
UK Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee warns of packed schools amid an escalating pandemic and third lockdown
By Our reporter, 13 January 2021
The first Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee meeting of this year met after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a third lockdown, after being faced with the threat of mass walkouts and boycotts by educators and parents that could spread to other sections of workers.
Chicago teachers docked pay and locked out of virtual classrooms for not teaching in-person
By Alexander Fangmann, 13 January 2021
As district officials continue to peddle lies about the safety of reopening schools, CTU is negotiating over a reopening plan that would split the working class and undermine the struggle to close non-essential workplaces until mass vaccination is carried out.
999 Exposure of NEU, teachers unions' "Day of Resistance"
12 January 2021
Report documents education inequality in Australia
By Carolyn Kennett, 12 January 2021
The data points to the long-term impacts on young people of a two-tiered system of education that perpetuates inequality.
Massive protest in Berlin against plans to reopen schools
By Markus Salzmann, 12 January 2021
Despite widespread opposition and clear scientific evidence that schools are a major driver of the pandemic, the Berlin state legislature of the Social Democrats, Greens and Left Party is sticking to the herd immunity policy in the interests of big business.
999 Standardized testing in schools during pandemic
12 January 2021
Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee in US holds first national meeting of 2021
Matthew MacEgan, 11 January 2021
The first ERFSC meeting of 2021 was attended by over 150 educators and other workers from across the US and around the globe.
West Virginia schools slated to return to in-person instruction next week
By Naomi Spencer, 11 January 2021
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has ordered elementary and middle schools to reopen for daily in-person instruction beginning January 19, even as infections and deaths surge.
German schools and day-care centres to reopen despite record death rates and new infections
By Gregor Link, 11 January 2021
Despite schools being the central driver of the pandemic, the education ministers in Germany’s federal states have decided on a “resumption of face-to-face teaching” as soon as possible.
As students return to Chicago schools, educators face battle against Democrats and the CTU
By Alexander Fangmann, 11 January 2021
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and school officials continue to press bringing children back into classrooms on Monday in the face of widespread opposition among parents, teachers and other educators.
Texas educators oppose Trump’s fascist coup and the drive to reopen schools
Texas Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, 9 January 2021
We are fighting to unify the working class across Texas and throughout the region to close all schools and nonessential businesses and oppose the fascistic conspiracies of Trump.
Tennessee Education Association estimates more than 16,000 Tennessee educators have had COVID-19
By Harvey Simpkins, 9 January 2021
In response to a recent survey conducted by the Tennessee Educators Association over 84 percent of educators reported a negative “emotional impact” from working in public education during the pandemic.
School districts across the US push to reopen as COVID-19 infections and death soar
By Emma Arceneaux, 8 January 2021
With the surge of infections overwhelming health systems across the country, state and local governments led by both Democrats and Republicans continue to restart in-person schooling.
Arts, humanities are first on the chopping block as US state governments face deficits
By Andrew Timon, 8 January 2021
These cuts are just the first expression of what is to come if there is no organized opposition in defense of education and particularly the arts and humanities.
Shippensburg faculty member demands action to save jobs and university education for working-class students
By Douglas Lyons, 8 January 2021
Layoffs, the closing of schools, and academic cuts are being pushed by the new chancellor at Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
“It’s going to take the working class to stop them”
Workers denounce Trump’s coup
By our reporters, 8 January 2021
Autoworkers, teachers, retirees and other sections of the working class reacted with outrage as fascist supporters of President Trump stormed the US Capitol Wednesday afternoon, forcibly disrupting the certification of Biden’s presidential victory.
German teachers’ union backs in-person learning as COVID-19 deaths soar
By Martin Nowak and Christoph Vandreier, 7 January 2021
In enforcing their inhumane pandemic policies, the federal and state governments, consisting of a broad range of political coalitions, can rely on the close cooperation of Germany’s trade unions.
California governor pressures schools to reopen as health care system nears collapse
By Dan Conway, 7 January 2021
As COVID-19 cases and deaths break records, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state will provide cash-strapped districts with extra funding if they resume unsafe in-person learning.
COVID-19 deaths surge amid record new cases as Britain enters lockdown
By Robert Stevens, 6 January 2021
At a Downing Street press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to acknowledge that more than 1.1 million people now had the virus in England.
999 CTU official travels to Puerto Rico as schools open
6 January 2021
Chicago Teachers Union leader partied in Puerto Rico as teachers were herded back into schools
By Kristina Betinis and Jerry White, 6 January 2021
The incident exposed the class gulf between the union and rank-and-file educators, who are fighting to protect their lives as the Democratic Lightfoot administration forces a return to dangerous schools.
Brazilian state governments push to reopen schools as COVID-19 deaths approach 200,000
By Gabriel Lemos, 5 January 2021
Brazil’s ruling elite is declaring education an essential service in order to reopen schools, even as the pandemic spirals out of control.
999 El Paso teacher's death and reopening of Texas schools
5 January 2021
Hundreds of Arizona teachers stage sickouts to prevent in-person learning as cases skyrocket
By Renae Cassimeda, 5 January 2021
At least 750 Phoenix-area teachers are expected to participate in sickouts Tuesday in opposition to schools reopening to in-person instruction this week amid record surges in COVID-19 cases throughout Arizona.
Chicago schools press ahead with reopening despite wide opposition among teachers and parents
By Alexander Fangmann, 5 January 2021
Even though only 23 percent of families opted to return their students to in-person schooling, the district has maintained its aggressive push to bring educators and children back into classrooms.
999 CTU official travels to Puerto Rico, right wing uses to push to reopen Chicago schools
5 January 2021
Beloved El Paso, Texas teacher dies from COVID-19 as Governor presses schools to reopen
By Tony Jackson, 5 January 2021
The reopening of schools across Texas, enforced by Republican Governor Greg Abbott has been a major factor behind the surge of the pandemic in El Paso and throughout the state since August.
Sri Lanka webinar: Education safety committee to discuss the fight against unsafe school reopenings
By Safety Committee of Teachers and Students and Parents (Sri Lanka), 4 January 2021
Urgent action must be taken to save lives, and secure the right to education, against the Rajapakse government’s hazardous return-to-work policies.
With 4,500 deaths in just eight days and nearly 400,000 new Covid cases
UK teaching unions call for no work in “unsafe schools” as opposition among educators mounts
By Robert Stevens, 4 January 2021
Schools have been a major vector for the spread of COVID-19, worsened by a new and more contagious variant of the disease.
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