With about three weeks left until school starts, there’s still a debate about whether students in the Syracuse City School District will be learning in classrooms or at home.

Syracuse Teachers Association President Bill Scott says many of the teachers also have questions left unanswered.


What You Need To Know

  • A Syracuse City School District survey shows majority of the teachers are in favor of starting the year with remote learning

  • The Syracuse Teachers Association President hopes the school leaders will take their votes and concerns into consideration

  • The results and resolution will be discussed at the Board of Education meeting Monday

“Safety, health concerns, and procedural issues that have yet to be resolved,” Scott said. “Everything from getting kids into the building, supervising them during the course of the day, to academic protocols.”

The association presented a resolution to the Board of Education to delay in-person instruction until November 9. So the district sent out a survey to staff members to get their opinions, and the results came out Thursday.

Seventy-six percent of teachers are in favor of remote learning, while 16% are not.

 

 Scott says he’s not surprised with the teachers’ responses. However, he’s disappointed in the 16 administrators who didn’t vote.

“People have to vote where their heart and their conscience are,” said Scott. “But, in a matter that is so pressing for our staff and our students, I don’t know why so many people sat on the fence.”

Scott hopes the board listens to the majority and does what’s best for the students and faculty. But, he says they need to plan quickly, so teachers can prepare.

“We’re talking about competent, proficient people who are ready, but we have to focus that energy, and we have to move forward with that plan,” said Scott. “If we could stop being distracted by, ‘What are we doing and how are we doing it?’ and say, ‘This is what we’re doing and moving towards that and identifying any pitfalls,’ then we can get there.”

Scott says district leaders will discuss the results and resolution at the board meeting on Monday.