ALBANY, N.Y. March 9, 2021 — New York State United Teachers today launched a $1 million statewide television and digital advertising campaign drawing attention to the critical safety guidelines that schools need to follow as they reopen more classrooms for in-person learning.
Titled “My Kids,” the new 30-second ad notes the critical importance of in-person learning for students, drawing attention to the need for COVID-19 testing in schools, vaccine availability for education professionals, social distancing, mandatory masking, and sanitization and hygiene protocols as part of reopening strategies. It will air in all regions of the state for the next month. The ad can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/2I_Gl3QJPos
“The best way for educators to teach and for students to learn is to be in person in the classroom, and we agree with parents and administrators that we need to get back to that for all students,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “To do it, we have to continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students, our educators and our school communities. As districts look to bring more students back, educators have a key role to play in ensuring that the policies in place allow students to learn in the safest possible environment.”
In recent weeks, NYSUT has called attention to the pressing need for more districts to ramp up COVID-19 testing efforts for students and staff while continuing to adhere to clear safety standards set by public health officials, including mask wearing and proper social distancing. The union has noted that recent Centers for Disease Control guidance on school reopening reaffirms what it takes to safely operate schools, and the state and federal governments must provide the financial resources districts need to put every possible safety measure in place.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.