McKee Pledges to Prioritize RI Teachers for Vaccinations; Teachers Union Applauds Move
Friday, February 26, 2021
The National Education Association on Thursday thanked Rhode Island Lt. Governor Dan McKee for pledging to prioritize teachers in the vaccination schedule.
During Thursday's state coronavirus press conference, McKee said that he wants to come up with a plan to prioritize teachers for inoculations once he is in office in order to get more students back into classrooms.
McKee is expected to succeed Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo shortly as she await confirmation by full United States Senate for her nomination to be U.S. Commerce Secretary by President Joe Biden.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCurrently, there is a hold on her nomination by United States Senator Ted Cruz.
Earlier this week, Providence Teachers Union President Maribeth Calabro called for teachers to be prioritized in order to get in-person learning back to normal.
Rhode Islanders 65 and older are presently allowed to schedule vaccinations.
RI in Focus
The National Education Association of Rhode Island issued the following statement on Thursday:
Educators and education support professionals have gone above and beyond to serve their students these past 11 months and there is nowhere that educators would rather be than in-person, working with and supporting students.
We have been clear and consistent – as recently as yesterday – in calling for state leaders to follow CDC guidance regarding COVID-19 mitigation strategies that includes prioritizing educators as a cohort. As has been underscored throughout this pandemic, educators and education support professionals are vital to our society’s function.
Our educators want to be back in school buildings, with our students – but we must do so safely, and the only way to do that is to fully implement the strategies identified by the CDC, including prioritizing educators for vaccination. On behalf of our K-12 members we thank Governor McKee for prioritizing them in the vaccine process. Like Governor McKee, we want to be sure that students, families, and educators can trust that schools are the safest place in the community.
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