MADISON, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network-WSAU) – Wisconsin’s coronavirus crisis has some public school teachers demanding that Governor Tony Evers shut down in-person instruction.
Teachers unions from the state’s largest cities want the state Department of Health Services to order all K-12 schools, colleges and universities move to virtual instruction until community spread of the virus is contained. Amy Mizialko is President of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association. “We’re here this afternoon calling on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to do their job, and protect Wisconsinites, protect our students, protect our educators, protect our families. Wisconsin has reached out of control, uncontained, exponential spread.”
The MTEA’s Ben Ward notes Madison and Milwaukee schools are already doing all virtual learning, “but we have school districts all over the state . . . where educators are forced to work in person, despite numerous cases. Now, a death of an educator here in Wisconsin.”
Mizialko noted that large gatherings in poorly ventilated spaces are being discouraged — and that in-person classes are gathering in large groups in poorly ventilated spaces.
Governor Evers has said repeatedly that he has no plans to order that schools be closed, instead allowing school boards to make those decisions based on local conditions. But more recently the Governor has said the state is in “crisis” as COVID-19 numbers continue to rise.
