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PEA Remarks

PEA Members Speak Out

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So proud of the PEA members who came to and spoke at last night's school board meeting! 

You did a great job expressing your concerns as well as representing those who could not attend.

"Learning losses can be made up. Loss of life cannot be." - Dr. James Fedderman, VEA President

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WHERE WE STAND ON COVID-19, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OUR UNION

 

Dr. Fedderman stated, just like you, he is humbled and distraught by the misery and death resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic. But he is also determined and driven by the conviction that our Union is standing up for what is right, and that our  members  are  showing  heroism  each  and every  day.  The  commitment  and  character  of public educators is what is preserving lives AND preserving learning as best as can be done.
 
Recently,  with   the   number  of   COVID  cases soaring after the Thanksgiving holiday — and with increased cases resulting from the winter holiday sure to come —  Dr. Fedderman publicly called for Virginia public schools to return to All-Virtual instruction until at least mid-January.
 
Dr. Fedderman did not urge so lightly. Circumstances in local communities differ, and despite our best virtual efforts, we know that this is not our preferred way to instruct.
 
But with winter break here, and scores of students and their families sure to increase their exposure to other persons, he acted out of an abundance of caution. We may well see spiraling rates of COVID cases after the winter holiday, and especially as influenza begins to spread. Our nation is fast approaching 300,000 COVID deaths, and Virginia cases are up 41% in two weeks. Dr. Fedderman was determined that our Commonwealth should pause   any   in-person   instruction   until   after post-holiday case numbers can be assessed.
 
The  response to  VEA’s position statement was immediate. Dr. Fedderman has received numerous emails and calls from members thanking VEA for taking this stand. VEA’s Facebook posts generated 17,000 views and 5,000 engagements  in   just  24 hours. News organizations including the Washington Post the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and all three Richmond-area  TV  network affiliates  carried  the  news.  Here are selected links:
 
WRIC/ABC affiliate (online version) https://www.wric.com/news/educati on/virginia-education-association- calls-for-virtual-learning-amid-
rising-covid-19-cases/
 
Richmond Times-Dispatch https://richmond.com/news/state- and-regional/virginia-education- association-calls-for-classrooms-to- close-across-the-state-as-covid- cases-spike/article_f83425cb-
5edb-5931-ac8b- e0d825bb8e26.html#tracking- source=home-top-story-1
 

Washington   Post   (merged   into Loudoun              flip              story) https://www.washingtonpost.com/lo cal/education/in-sudden-switch- loudoun-county-returns-all-
students-to-online-
learning/2020/12/10/9446a98e-
3b10-11eb-98c4-25dc9f4987e8_story.html
 
Virginia Mercury https://www.virginiamercury.com/
2020/12/10/gatherings-capped- at-10-mask-mandate-expanded- in-latest-round-of-covid-19-
restrictions/
 
I  encourage  you  to  use  these links to let all our colleagues, members or not, know that VEA is putting health and safety first.
 
One last thing. When VEA released its new position statement, the Governor’s announcement took top billing in the Times-Dispatch, and VEA’s news was secondary. Look below and you will see how the “tease” has been re-ordered. My friends, don’t ever doubt that your voice has power.