GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — At a press conference on Tuesday, Governor Cooper suggested all students should be offered an option to learn in-person. But the decision remains a local, district-by-district call.
Cooper pointed to new research that shows schools are safe as long as protocols and mitigation strategies are followed.
Guilford County Association of Educators (GCAE) President Todd Warren said many teachers were surprised by his directive.
"The research says it can be done safely, but it entirely depends on what you do," Warren said. "There are places that are doing it very well and there are places that are not."
Warren said vaccinations need to be the priority right now.
"The truth of the matter is 25 other states have figured out how to vaccinate public school educators and we're asking {Governor Cooper} to make that a priority."
Warren is not suggesting teachers should 'skip the line,' but he worries about the supply and demand problems the state is facing.
"We wanted to hear Governor Cooper say more about the plan to get educators vaccinated. We know where we are in the queue but right now it's an issue of supply and that's what we keep hearing over and over again."
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) created a petition calling to prioritize educators for vaccination eligibility.
"There's not going to be any requirement to get the vaccine but we do think it should be offered to educators as one of the many things we do to keep schools safe," Warren added.
The petition reads in part:
Now that the prospect of mass vaccination is a reality, it is clear that prioritizing educators for immediate vaccination is the fastest way to get everyone back to the classroom.
All educators are essential to providing a safe education for children, which is why current CDC guidelines include educators as “frontline essential workers” who should be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine now. However, North Carolina’s vaccination plan moves essential workers—including educators—to Phase 3, which means they are not currently eligible for vaccination. As teachers across the state return to the classroom, it is essential that they receive the vaccine as soon as possible. To date, twenty-five states have prioritized educators for vaccination, so we know it can be done safely and efficiently.