A Minneapolis judge issued an order last weekend that allowed some teachers and staff in the Minneapolis Public School District (MPS) not to return to face-to-face study due to COVID-19 concerns.
CNN reports that Hennepin District Judge Susan Robiner has ruled that teachers and staff who had accommodations that allowed them to work from home did not have to return to face-to-face classes. The MPS faculty and its staff were expected to be instructed in person again on Monday.
“The risk of a serious illness, in which almost half a million people have died in the US, is axiomatically serious harm,” wrote Robiner in her ruling.
The decision came after the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Education Support Professionals accused MPS of providing teachers and staff who were more likely to develop a severe case of COVID-19 or those who cared about others with a higher CNN- Risk Worried Not Having Provided Housing Reports.
“We are fully completing the mandate,” said MPS Superintendent Ed Graff in the statement. “Our concern is to ensure that employees qualify for ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] and FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] Accommodation can be given to them and we will follow the governor’s instructions to provide accommodation as much as possible. “
According to CNN court documents, the school district voted to return to face-to-face learning on Jan. 19. Of the MPS families, 48 percent voted to return to face-to-face learning, 40 percent wanted to continue studying at home, and 11 percent did not answer.
“We know we have members willing to return in person and we know people who need to continue working remotely,” said Shaun Laden, president of the teachers’ union chapter. “We hope this court order will bring more discussion about how we can work together so all of our students, staff, families and communities are happy with the plans.”
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