As school systems are struggling to manage the myriad challenges of reopening, the American Federation of Teachers Union President Randi Weingarten announced that her union had approved teacher strikes as a “last resort” to protest school reopening plans that do not meet its laundry list of demands and safety standards. Blasting any potential success for teachers and students to venture back to school through various remote or on-ground learning options this fall, these so-called “safety strikes” in the name of protecting public schools will place millions of students at risk of not receiving education indefinitely, while districts in different locales deal with varying pandemic conditions.

Meanwhile, National Education Association affiliates throughout the country are “marching” against opening schools, attacking governors who are working to help get teachers and students back safely and demanding that concessions be made regardless of whether schools are preparing for in-person or remote learning, including getting rid of charter schools, which have been working throughout the summer to open on time and prepare to offer a number of educational approaches.