STRATFORD, Conn — Teachers in Stratford rallied along Main Street in front of the train station. A few dozen who lined the street called for more safety in schools as cases in the community and the state continue to rise. They along with the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) believe the best practices around the state should be immediately reversed.
Just across the street from the train station is Stratford High School. The students are learning fully remote until November 30th due to a high number of students and staff in quarantine. It’s part of why teachers were out rallying for more safety measures.
"I kind of boil it down to what I call the "Three T’s". Testing, transparency, and trust," said CEA President, Jeff Leake.
An increase in testing, a quicker response to positive cases, and a trust that schools are a safe place to learn were three key topics covered in the CEA's latest call to the state.
"We’re not testing. We don’t know exactly where kids have been or haven’t been. I don’t think you can say [schools] are the safest place to be in the state of Connecticut," said Leake.
The teachers that battled the cold and windy conditions to have their voices heard were greeted with applause and support by the way of honks from passing cars.
"We don’t think that any of the metrics on COVID says that we should be sending more students into schools," said Michael Fiorello, the President of the Stratford Education Association.
Fiorello’s concern comes from the recent decision to bring Kindergarten, first grade, and English learning students back into school four times a week.
The Stratford Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Janet Robinson says this was a move they felt was needed. She said those groups were having the most trouble learning remote. Other elementary school students will remain in hybrid learning after they were supposed to come back as well.
"We put that on hold just because the numbers are that high and we’re trying to watch," said Robinson.
Teachers would like to see high schools remain remote beyond Thanksgiving break like some other towns until COVID numbers in the community weaken.
"I know that the safest place for me and my students to be is in our homes," said Bunnell High School teacher Kristen Record.
The Stratford Schools district says high schools will return to the hybrid format on November 30th as planned.
"We’ve been able to move very quickly when we need to," said Robinson. "If it turns out we need to go remote we will go remote.
The State of Connecticut Department of Education responded to the CEA's guidelines in a statement to FOX61. They say they have been very successful in returning students to the classroom while mitigating the spread of the virus inside the schools. They want to keep the decisions for in-person or hybrid learning at the local level.