Name: Massachusetts Education Commissioner cracks down on 16 districts lacking in-person learning plans amid coronavirus
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Massachusetts Education Commissioner cracks down on 16 districts lacking in-person learning plans amid coronavirus

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By | Boston HeraldThe state’s education commissioner is throwing the book at 16 districts lacking in-person learning plans, asking them to lay out models for getting kids back in the classroom, which drew ire from teachers.“In light of the stark discrepancy between local public health data and your reopening plan, I am requesting a timeline by which you anticipate providing in-person instruction for the majority of your students,” wrote Jeffrey Riley, commissioner of the Department of Elementary &amp; Secondary Education, in a letter to 16 districts using remote-only plans.All of the districts, spanning from Greater Boston to the Berkshires, are in the green or gray zone for as designated by the state.The letter prompted a swift response from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which said the state is bullying districts.“Having failed to provide adequate guidance or state support to make it possible for our public schools to open safely, State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley and Governor Charlie Baker have the gall to threaten 16 communities that have wisely chosen not to pursue in-person learning at this time,” MTA President Merrie Najimy said in a statement.“It is naive at best and reckless at worst to assume that the coronavirus somehow does not travel across municipal borders,” Najimy said.The 16 districts include Amesbury, Bourne, Boxford, East Longmeadow, Gardner, Pittsfield, Provincetown, West Springfield, Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public, Hoosac Valley Regional, Gill-Montague, Mohawk Trail, Mohawk Trail/Hawlemont, Manchester Essex Regional, Belmont and Watertown.Mayor Kassandra Gove of Amesbury said she was “disheartened” by the letter, saying the district worked on its reopening plan for months.“We were consistently told by the Commissioner and the Governor that each district would be trusted to make the best decisions for our teachers, students and community,” Gove said.Mohawk Trail Regional School District’s School Committee Chair Martha Thurber and Superintendent Sheryl Stanton said in a joint statement that reassessing learning model decisions are based on a weekly review of state, regional and local health metrics.“The decision for a remote start was not taken lightly, but was made after we heard the clearly expressed concerns from our families and staff,” Thurber and Stanton said.John Phelan, superintendent of Belmont schools said in-person learning for high needs students began last week and the district will move to a hybrid model in its next phases.Riley’s letter calls for an update on learning plans within 10 days. He added that the response could trigger an audit to assess the overall efforts to provide in-person learning.We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.Sign up for email newslettersFollow UsMost PopularClose

By | Boston HeraldThe state’s education commissioner is throwing the book at 16 districts lacking in-person learning plans, asking them to lay out models for getting kids back in the classroom, which drew ire from teachers.“In light of the stark discrepancy between local public health data and your reopening plan, I am requesting a timeline by which you anticipate providing in-person instruction for the majority of your students,” wrote Jeffrey Riley, commissioner of the Department of Elementary &amp; Secondary Education, in a letter to 16 districts using remote-only plans.All of the...

Massachusetts Education Commissioner cracks down on 16 districts lacking in-person learning plans amid coronavirus

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