MA Teachers Balk At Return To In-Person Learning: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Tuesday, Feb. 23. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• The Massachusetts Teachers Association called a plan to move students back to classrooms five days per week this spring a "bait and switch move" by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and his education chief.
• The MBTA will continue to run late-night trains after Keolis backed off a plan to make cuts.
• Hackers have been trying to steal customer information by setting up a phony, Market Basket Facebook page.

Scroll down for those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Monday’s Top Story

The president of the state’s largest union of public school teachers blasted comments by the Baker administration’s top education official that students could return to full time, in-person learning starting in April.

"This is simply a bait and switch move by Gov. Baker, attempting to take the spotlight off his massive failure with the vaccine rollout, including not having a plan to vaccinate educators," Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Education Commissioner Jeff Riley said he wants most students back in classrooms this spring, and said elementary school students could return to classrooms fulltime as early as April. "It continues to be vital to get as many students back in school as possible, preferably before the end of the year," Riley said.

Read the full story.

Today’s Other Top Stories In Massachusetts

The trains keep rolling: Keolis, the MBTA's service provider, gave a sneak peek at the spring schedules on Monday. Keolis said the MBTA has backed off a plan to end nighttime service at 9 p.m. "with only very late or extremely low ridership trains eliminated." Instead, the MBTA will spread out daytime train trips.

Hackers attack Market Basket: The supermarket chain is warning customers that hackers have set up a phony Facebook page to collect personal information. "Market Basket will never request payment information online, and we ask our community to be vigilant and to not provide this information to other Facebook pages," the company said.

Now you see her: Abby Segal, who graduated from Chelmsford High School in 2019 and is a sophomore at Bates College, has been performing magic and fooling audiences for the better part of the past decade. Now, she's taken her talent to Penn & Teller on national television.

AOC missing Eastern Standard: The Congresswoman from New York graduated from Boston University in 2011. On Tuesday, she tweeted about the Kenmore Square restaurant’s decision to permanently close.

News You Can Use

Where to get the coronavirus vaccine in Massachusetts: The state's distribution of the coronavirus vaccine has been plagued with problems. Here's the latest on how to schedule an appointment when you’re eligible to get the vaccine.

Around Town

Developing Story:

Peabody police were trying to find the source of two large explosions heard in the North Shore city Tuesday morning. The explosions were felt near the Salem city line and were loud enough to shake houses.

Other local stories of interest:

• 'All Lives Matter' Note Sent To Newton Teacher Prompts Alarm
• Warming Temperatures Mean Ice Risk In Beverly
• 2 Arrests Made In Fatal Stoughton Shooting Of Randolph Teen
• Dan Koh Resigns From Andover Select Board To Join Biden Admin

They Said It

“Some people spend their whole lives wondering if they've made a difference. In Emergency Medical Services and teaching, we don't have that problem.”

— Medford High School teacher Jack Paster, who has been moonlighting as a COVID vaccinator.

In Case You Missed It

Patch Exclusive:

Data collected between Feb. 23 and Dec. 31 of 2020 shows about 75.6 percent of white drivers stopped for a hands-free violation were let go with a written warning. Black and Hispanic drivers got written warnings at lower rates: 65.3 percent and 63.4 percent, respectively.

• High School Football Is Back In Massachusetts
• Man Found Dead After Falling Through Ice In Wareham