An Action Alert email from the Howard County Education Association (HCEA) and a draft resolution related to Work-To-Rule made the rounds on social media last night. Here are the images of what was shared and the text (via my OCR program):
HCEA BOARD APPROVES WORK-TO-RULE RESOLUTION
Last week, we polled members regarding their confidence in the Superintendent’s hybrid plan. By a margin of 91% - 9%, you’ve said that you have no confidence in this plan.
This evening, as a result of that poll, and in response to the Board of Education’s fraught decision to compel educators back to worksites without a plan to vaccinate or keep educators safe, HCEA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing Work to Rule effective Feb. 22, 2021.
Before work-to-rule takes effect, our elected Building Representatives must approve it on Feb. 9, and HCEA members must ratify it afterward.
READ THE DRAFT RESOLUTION
Following the unanimous vote by the Board of Directors, HCEA President Colleen Morris commented:
Educators are neither disposable nor are they replaceable in our students lives, and we will fight for our right to educate and for the right of our students to learn without fearing that their lives are at risk. Educators want to be back in the classroom safely as soon as possible, but the Board’s irresponsible and reckless plan to return staff for hybrid learning for two days per week is not only unsafe, it reduces the quality of learning for most students, and it addresses few, if any, of the concerns of Howard County families.
WHAT’S NEXT? HCEA Building Reps will vote on the Work-to-Rule Resolution at their upcoming meeting on February 9, 2021. Subsequently, all HCEA members will vote on the resolution authorizing Work-to-Rule. HCEA building reps will be holding worksite-level meetings over the next two weeks with members in preparation for our collective action.
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WORK-TO-RULE RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION: Authorizing HCEA members to enact work-to-rule effective February 22, 2021;
WHEREAS: The right to a safe and healthy workplace is a fundamental worker right and a core value of our union, the Howard County Education Association;
AND WHEREAS: Educators still do not currently have the COVID-. vaccines in Howard County that were promised by elected officials, HCPSS, and the Governor;
AND WHEREAS: By a margin of 91-9, Howard County Educators have no confidence in the Superintendent’s hybrid learning plan;
AND WHEREAS: The Superintendent’s hybrid learning plan does not improve the quality of learning for most children over virtual learning, and worsens it for many others;
AND WHEREAS: The decision by the Howard County Board of Education force educators to return to school buildings before they are Immunized sends the message that educators’ lives are disposable;
AND WHEREAS: the Superintendent and the Board of Education has the legal authority to ensure educators are immunized before returning them to buildings;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the Howard County Education Association opposes the Board of Education’s plan to compel staff to return to in-person learning before those educators have been immunized against COVID-19.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That HCEA condemns the suggestion that MSDE or the Governor’s Office are empowered to take retaliatory action against any Local Education Agencies, and ca. on the Howard County Board of Education to stand up for the lives of its own employees;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that until the Board of Education withdraws its plan to compel educators back into buildings before being immunized, that Howard County Educators will commence work-to-rule effective February., 2021, restricting the following activities:
• Educators will work only within the hours of the contractual duty day. At the beginning of the duty day, staff will enter the building together, and staff will leave together at the end of the day.
• Educators will not participate in optional meetings before and after the contractual duty day.
• Educators will not participate in voluntary back-to-school night activities (unless you have already committed yourself to volunteer).
• Educators will not respond to work-related emails outside of the contractual duty day.
• Clubs and extracurricular activities for which educators do not receive stipends are cancelled.
• Paraeducators and ESP staff shall not honor requests to substitute when a teacher is absent for an approved leave of absence.
• Assignments will be graded within the grading window, and not sooner. Makeup assignments are at the discretion of the educator, and educators will not give make up exams before or after the duty day or during contractual planning time.
• PIP time will be reclaimed for its intended purpose of teacher collaboration, and will not be used for administrator-directed meetings unrelated to teacher collaboration.
• Teacher planning time shall be free of distraction and interruption.
• Teachers will not perform custodial duties, and support professionals will not be responsible for cleaning up bodily fluids. Teachers shall not deliver books, equipment, or any heavy or bulky teaching materials to classrooms.
• The work of teacher’s secretaries shall take priority over other administrative work.
• Teachers will not find their own substitutes to provide coverage.
• Elementary school teachers shall not provide coverage for lunch or recess duties.
• Educators shall not accept any other assignment outside the core job function of each educator.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That HCEA shall adopt the policy of this resolution and the HCEA President shall transmit this policy to members, the Howard County Public School System, and the media in the fashion that she sees fit.
Approved by HCEA Board of Directors, February 2, 2021
Here is a link shared with Scott E’s Blog to the draft resolution on The Action Network: https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/053/968/original/Work_to_Rule_Resolution_(Board_Approved__2-2-21).pdf
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A look at the HCEA website (https://hceanea.org/) and the HCEA page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hceanea) did not have this Action Alert posted as of 4:00am on February 3rd.
Scott E’s Blog has been in touch with the HCEA in an attempt to schedule an online interview about the HCPSS Reopening Plan. We are working through that scheduling and I hope to have something on the books in the near future. I am hopeful we can discuss this item during that interview.
Scott E
I apologize for any typos made by my OCR program in the text above
Talk about some pampered princess…
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