Hawaii State Teachers Association demands new agreement due to 'very limited alternatives' to in-person teaching

Schools
Capture
The Hawaii State Teachers Association is calling for a seat at the decision-making table when it comes to COVID-19 pandemic health and safety measures. | Pixabay

The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) called on the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE), raising concerns about rising COVID-19 cases and renewal of their memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the 2021–22 school year.

Because the old MOU expired on June 30, HSTA demanded impact bargaining from HIDOE and has written an open letter to HIDOE, specifically to interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi, board chair Catherine Payne and Gov. David Ige (D), calling for enhanced COVID-19 safety protocols.   

“Last year, we had a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that allowed schools to switch to alternative modes of instruction, including distance and hybrid,” HSTA president Osa Tui, Jr., told reporters during a press conference called The Safety Our Students Deserve. “But the state refused to bargain a new MOU this school year, insisting that all schools would return to in-person learning with very limited alternatives.”

The letter, signed by HSTA Deputy Executive Director Andrea Eshelman, states demands for negotiations on modifications to teachers’ terms and conditions of employment for the rest of the 2021–22 school year due to pandemic conditions, Big Island Now reported.

The union’s open letter to Hayashi, Payne and Ige stated that many educators feel that schools are not safe, as guidelines for social distancing, wearing of masks and other protocols are not being followed.

Tui said they are seeing more schools having to close down classrooms and quarantine more students simultaneously, according to Big Island Now.