GREENSBORO, N.C. — School starts in a matter of days but Guilford County teachers are already at work and preparing instructions for students.
While students are remote learning for at least the first nine weeks, some teachers would be required to teach from school buildings for four hours each day. The teachers are being allowed by the district to bring their own children with them to school so they can be supervised alongside.
However, not everyone is on board with this plan and some teachers have said they feel uncomfortable being in the building.
The GCS teachers were unable to go on camera for fear of reprisal but said they're concerned the four-hour in-person requirement exposes them and their family to the potential risk of contracting the coronavirus. The teachers also said they were only notified about this on Wednesday when they reported for their first mandatory day of school.
Teacher advocates for the state of North Carolina said they have been advised of the concerns expressed by Guilford County teachers and others across the state.
"Educators being asked to return to school buildings is and can be a problematic thing," Tamika Walker Kelly said. Walker Kelly is the president of the North Carolina Association of Educators.
"We know that educators have the ability to work from home, we've seen that happening in the spring," Walker Kelly said.
At a board meeting on Tuesday, Guilford County School board members asked for clarification about teachers teaching from school buildings. GCS leaders explained the rationale behind the decision.
"We do welcome all teachers back into the building. However, we've been very clear about teachers who have some special situations that we are being flexible for those teachers," Dr. Sharon Contreras, Superintendent, GCS said.
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