Update on COVID-19 in MNPS

At the Mayor’s News Conference on 11/12/20, WKRN reporter Julia Palazzo asked, “In regards to the school board meeting earlier this week, we heard some pretty emotional statements from teachers. A lot of them saying that they felt abandoned and betrayed, that sick kids are still coming into schools. If the Mayor or Dr. Jahangir could give a response to them, of their concerns to them right now during this time.”

Mayor Cooper responded, “The last I was informed by our public health department, there’s been no in-school transmission. I think that’s just an important statement for people to understand. There is a lot of transmission going on in the community and after hours. But I think we share the teachers’ and parents’ deep concern about the safety of children in school but right now we’ve not detected schools themselves as being the source of that concern. I think it’s something for the school board to be on top of and in the closest possible contact with public health and contact tracing, going to the earlier question. It’s one of the reasons it’s so important that we learn as much as we can about safe and unsafe practices and conditions going on in the county. But right now there’s not been in-school transmission. Now that being said, there is going to be outbreaks of this quarantining and concerns and again, I know the school board is working hard every day to try to get that right.”

According to MNPS Director of Schools, Dr. Adrienne Battle, MNPS continues to monitor key metrics and in-house data regarding the continued phase-in plans of grade levels and programs. MNPS no longer has zero transmission but has had minimal transmission in schools.

As reported on asafenashville.org, four of the eight Reopening Key Metrics are currently red/unsatisfactory (11/12/20): Transmission Rate (1.15), 14-Day New Case Trend (Increasing), Hospital Capacity: ICU Beds (6%), and New Cases per 100K Residents (50.4).

MNEA receives communications daily from teachers who question the accuracy of the weekly MNPS COVID-19 reports. To report COVID at your school, click here: https://tinyurl.com/MNEAREPORTCOVID

If you do not have a negative COVID test on record, get tested ASAP if you are working in your building. If you are working 100% virtually, get tested as soon as possible to your return date.

If you are exposed to COVID at work and subsequently test positive, complete On-the Job Paperwork within 24-hours of receiving positive test results. For more information, click here: https://mnea.com/mnea-blog/oji

MNEA also has a lot of teachers communicating problems with cleanliness of buildings and violations of CDC guidelines. You can report these anonymously to TOSHA. For more information about this process, click here: https://mnea.com/mnea-blog/workplacesafetyandcovid

We see you, we hear you, and we will continue to fight for SAFE SCHOOLS FOR ALL.

#SafeSchoolsForAll #WeIsGreaterThanMe #NashvilleTeachers #MNEA #NashvilleRed4Ed #UnionStrong #UnionProud #StaySafe #StayStrong