Teachers Union Defends Mt. Lebanon Teachers Criticized By Parents For Working Remotely While Students Are In Building
By: KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso
MT. LEBANON, Pa. (KDKA) -- Some teachers in the Mt. Lebanon School District have been criticized by parents for working remotely while students are in the building.
Valerie Brown, the president of the Mt. Lebanon Education Association, is defending the teachers leading classes from home. Brown says teachers love what they do and care about students, but this is about safety.
"I understand the parents' angst. I understand their frustration," Brown said.
KDKA has learned 22 out of 430 teachers in the district filed Americans with Disabilities paperwork with the district to teach remotely.
"The teachers followed the guidelines and the laws," Brown said.
The district is following a hybrid model. Students at the middle and high schools attend in-person classes two days a week. KDKA recently reported some parents are upset that some teachers are continuing to work from home.
RELATED STORY: Some Parents In Mt. Lebanon School District Say It Is Time For Teachers To Rejoin Students In Classroom
"It's not easy finding subs," said Brown. "And when you find subs, you want them to be the caliber of the teachers they are replacing."
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The Pennsylvania State Education Association points to safety for both teachers and students.
"They are trying to do the best they can, and what we ask is just a little patience," said Matt Edgell of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
"It's caregivers, folks that have elevated health conditions that COVID puts them in great danger," he added. "They have a live-in family could be affected as well."
KDKA reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice about the requirements to file a claim. It was a convoluted response, and KDKA was advised to go to several links.
