FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
El Paso, TX – On Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. local educators, school staff, unions and community organizations will lead a caravan and teach-in to advocate for an adequate COVID-19 safety plan at the EPISD Administrative Offices, located at 6531 Boeing. The local action is in unity and solidarity with the nation-wide effort Demand Safe Schools to address schools inadequate COVID-19 related safety plans and protocols. The district has not been transparent regarding their reopening plans and teachers and parents have been left out of the decision-making process. The teach-in includes testimonials grounded in health, safety, medical, psychological, and pedagogical factors on the impact of COVID-19, wherein equity and safety is promoted.
According to recent data, the County of El Paso ranks 48th of 50 counties in the United States with the highest COVID-19 infection rates; in addition to having a Latinx population that has a higher propensity of positivity rates. Additionally, Mayor Dee Margo has exercised his veto power on three occasions to decline the disclosure of COVID-19 “hotspots” in our city. Exacerbating the situation, area districts have not been forthcoming when disclosing infections at respective campuses, leaving our community to rely on media outlets for information.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 30th @ 4:30 p.m.
WHAT: Teach-In/Caravan for the Safe Reopening of Schools
WHERE: 6531 Boeing Drive (EPISD Administrative Office)
WHO: ALL the community who is concerned about the opening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: local educators, staff, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, custodians, parents, students, nurses, grassroots organizations, and unions
WHY: We are uniting because we wish to ensure the safety of our education community and families during this COVID-19 pandemic
Participating Unions and Grassroots Organizations:
– Border Network for Human Rights
– Firefighters Union of El Paso
– El Paso Municipal Police Officers
– National Nurses Union of El Paso
– TSTA of El Paso
– EPAFT
– SEA
– The DSA of El Chuco
– El Paso Grassroots
– Sunrise El Paso
– El Paso Equal Voice Network
***This will be on weekly teach-in/caravan until we address every district in El Paso County. For more information contact us at caltonen21@gmail.com or xmiranda5@gmail.com. Also click on this link to read the goals of this movement https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EnfaypJbhDjCt6phGvcYYa-GFgpDXETV2vksjCQX1qU/ and share this link with others https://fb.me/e/1wY2XFVah
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Abriendo las escuelas de forma segura para la comunidad
CUÁNDO: miércoles 30 de septiembre a las 4:30 de la tarde
QUÉ: Caravana y enseñanza pacífica para que las escuelas abran en una forma segura
DÓNDE: 6531 Boeing Drive (Oficina Administrativa de EPISD)
QUIÉN: TODA la comunidad que está preocupada por regresar a las escuelas durante una pandemia, (educadores locales, personal, conductores de autobuses, para profesionales, custodios, padres, estudiantes, enfermeras, organizaciones de base y sindicatos)
POR QUÉ: Nos unimos porque queremos garantizar la seguridad de nuestra comunidad educativa y de nuestras familias durante esta pandemia COVID-19.
Uniones participantes y organizaciones de base:
– Red Fronteriza para los Derechos Humanos
– Unión de Bomberos de El Paso
– Oficiales de la Policía Municipal de El Paso
– Unión Nacional de Enfermeras de El Paso
– La DSA de El Chuco
– TFCA de El Paso
– Sunrise El Paso
– EPAFT
– El Paso Grassroots
– SEA
– El Paso Equal Voice Network
