With a little over a month left before the new school year is set to begin, the Boston Public School system is still trying to figure out how students will return in the fall.
Members of the Boston Teachers Union will hold a rally at Thursday to call for a remote-only start to the upcoming school year, citing safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Teachers will hold the protest at City Hall at 2:30 p.m. after gathering in Roxbury for a car caravan and rally.
The union wants the school year to begin with remote learning, at least the start, giving the disctrict more time to implement safety measures.
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The protest comes as the district deliberates over how to begin the school year ahead of a deadline to submit their plan to the state Friday.
The state has directed school districts to prepare plans for three different reopening models -- in-person, remote or a mix of the two -- with school committees voting to adopt one for the start of the year. Several districts have already opted for online-only or a hybrid version of in-person and remote learning.
The superintendent of Boston Public Schools and Mayor Marty Walsh have already ruled out a full-scale return for the fall. Boston Public School officials are still trying to decide between a hybrid or remote-only model as they consider limitations within their facilities and transportation capabilities.
Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell has echoed the union's push to start the school year remotely, stating that the district is “not ready to safely and effectively achieve a hybrid plan."
State-issued guidelines require desks to be spaced at least three feet apart in classrooms and masks to be worn by students in second grade and above for in-person learning.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association -- the state's largest teachers union -- has issued is also pushing for students to start the school year learning from home, citing safety concerns particularly regarding communities of color amid the coronavirus pandemic.
