Osseo School Summer Program Staff Walk Out Over COVID-19 Concerns
Staff members of the summer Freedom Schools program at Crest View Elementary in Brooklyn Park staged a walkout Wednesday to raise concerns over COVID-19 safety protocols. They also notified the Osseo School District about their concerns. Other staff members supervised students in the program while the walkout took place.
“If we don’t get it, shut it down,” chanted the crowd.
Freedom Schools is a six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program. About 150 students attend the program in the Osseo School District, which is offered at three locations.
Staff: Little Or No Guidance On COVID-19 Protocols
Crest View Freedom Schools staff meet to raise concerns over COVID-19. Photo courtesy: Alfreda Daniels.
Brittany Robinson, site coordinator for Crest View’s Freedom Schools program, says staff was given little or no guidance when it comes to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There was lack of direction, lack of training, lack of care,” said Robinson.
The program leader says teachers purchased their own cleaning products because the program wasn’t issued a sufficient amount of supplies.
Parent Samantha Rapaport says she’s concerned about COVID-19 transmission. Her 7-year-old son attends the program.
“My mother is in a high-risk group, and I take care of her throughout the day, so the prospect of him contracting something and bringing it home to someone who is incredible, vulnerable, makes me uncomfortable.”
District Releases Statement on Concerns
The district provided CCX News a statement saying, “We are aware that some staff have concerns about the health and safety protocols in place at our three Freedom Schools sites, and we are, in turn, concerned about the things they’ve reported to us.
“We want to provide the best experience possible for our Freedom School scholars,” the statement continued.
The Crest View Freedom Schools program will be closed on Thursday and Friday while the district looks into the concerns. The Osseo School District will hold a staff development day on Monday to share its findings, retrain staff on COVID-related health and safety practices, and support staff development in the Freedom Schools model.
The district expects to resume Freedom Schools programming Tuesday, July 21.
