The head of the state’s largest teacher’s union says educators want to go back to the classroom but they are nervous about the potential spread of the coronavirus.
Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association president, said the situation has become worse as the start of school approaches.
“There is an incredibly high level of anxiety. And it is anxiety because this virus takes a lot of twists and turns,” DiMauro said.
The OEA represents 120,000 classroom teachers statewide.
Among teachers’ many worries, according to DiMauro, is that some parents continue to believe that children are not very vulnerable to the coronavirus.
“We know that some people would like to believe that this is an issue that doe not effect schools, that doe not effect kids. That’s just not true,” DiMauro said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said recently he still wants students to return to the physical classroom. It came as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise statewide.
DiMauro had this advice for parents who may also be nervous about their children returning to the classroom: “If we are going back to school safely, we need to make sure kids are not coming into school and adults are not coming into school afflicted with the virus. The best way to do that is to practice good social distancing, mask wearing now and not waiting until school starts.”
Cox Media Group
