Anne Arundel 'Recklessly' Sets Teacher Return Dates: Union

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel educators have to return to the classroom this month, the county teachers union announced Tuesday. The write-up said educators in special schools must report to buildings Monday. Everybody else must head back by Feb. 17, the union added. The Teacher's Association of Anne Arundel County denounced the move, calling it "dangerous and wrong-headed."

The decision came as Anne Arundel County Public Schools inch toward expanded hybrid classes. Last month, the Board of Education voted to offer hybrid learning to as many students as possible by March 1. Soon after, Gov. Larry Hogan urged other districts to follow suit.

"There is no public health reason for school boards to be keeping students out of schools," Hogan said at a press conference. "None."

The state teachers union, known as the Maryland State Education Association, pushed back. Union leaders argued that the uneven rollout of the coronavirus vaccine has prevented some teachers from getting the shot.

"Many educators are hearing at your press conferences that they can now get vaccines only to find no vaccine available to them in their counties," state union President Cheryl Bost said in an open letter to the governor. "It is deeply disappointing that you are spending your time and energy blaming and threatening educators rather than fixing the problems that are making it harder to reopen our schools."

AACPS will team with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department to immunize up to 14,000 teachers. Severna Park High School will host the inoculation clinic, but the county has not yet released specific dates. That means many educators will come back to work without the shot.

"This is a massive effort that takes an incredible amount of coordination," AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto said in a video. "When dates and times have been finalized, we will contact our employees with instructions on how to register for and receive a vaccine."

The county union remains frustrated, alleging that the school system hasn't provided a written safety plan. Union officials claimed that AACPS is "recklessly" reopening anyway.

"You are basically saying that there are acceptable levels of risk," the Anne Arundel County teachers union said on Facebook. "There are no acceptable levels of risk."

On the flip side, the school system shut down its limited hybrid classes when infections started spiking last November. Those priority groups have remained online ever since.

The superintendent also offers a weekly reopening report on YouTube. In addition, Arlotto regularly updates the school board on the plan. His next public briefing is on Feb. 17.

"Stop the constant lip service in your rush to reopen," the union told Arlotto. "Present the public and your employees with a clear, concise, and equitable plan that incorporates safety guidelines, in writing. We deserve better from you."

To see when you'll be eligible for the inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot. Catch up on the latest coronavirus infection and vaccination metrics in Anne Arundel County by heading to our latest numbers update.

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