Stratford Teachers Plan 'Work To Rule' Protest As Schools Reopen

STRATFORD, CT — After nearly two weeks outside the classroom, Stratford students return Monday to in-person learning, despite resistance from their teachers.

Educators in the school district plan Tuesday to begin a work to rule protest, meaning they will do no more than the minimum requirements of their contract, according to an email sent Sunday to members of the Stratford Education Association.

At a protest last month, multiple teachers expressed anxiety about cleaning and social distancing protocols in the district during the coronavirus pandemic. Educators’ concerns have not abated since Nov. 24, when Superintendent Janet Robinson announced a switch to full remote learning through Dec. 4, a decision made ahead of Thanksgiving and at a time when more than 600 students and staff were in quarantine.

An email Friday to parents and staff confirmed schools would reopen Monday under the schedule that was in place prior to the holiday, with kindergartners, first-graders and English language learners in the classroom four days per week and all other students following a cohort-based hybrid model.

“We in the Stratford Education Association feel the move is premature,” President Michael Fiorello said Friday in an email. “We do not yet have enough time (post-Thansksgiving) to know the impact of any family gatherings and travel on our school communities. … We believe remote instruction would be more prudent at this time.”

Under the work to rule protest, the union is asking Stratford teachers to enter and exit their schools together each day in a show of solidarity. Additionally, teachers are being encouraged to respond to emails and post assignments and grades only during work hours, and not to attend voluntary meetings.

Robinson, who has defended the district’s virus prevention practices in the past, did not respond to an email Friday about the decision to reopen schools. As of early Monday, 46 students and staff were in isolation with the virus and 236 were quarantined, according to the district dashboard, which reflects the most current available numbers.