BPTO believes schools cannot safely open under current drafts of plans

Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization calls for virtual learning at the start of the school year.

THE GOVERNORTODAY - GIVING THEGREEN LIGHT TOREOPENBUT DISTRICTS STILLNEED TO HAVE THEIRPLANS APPROVED.AND THE "BUFFALOPARENT TEACHERORGANIZATION"... HASITS OWNRECOMMENDATION.HERE'S 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERGILAT MELAMED.OUTCUE: STANDARDTRT=1:37STUDENTS CRETURN TOCLASSROOMS ONCEAGAIN.GOVERNOR ANDREWCUOMO IS GIVINGDISTRICTS THE GREENLIGHT TO MOVEFORWARD WITH INPERSON LEARNING."SO IF ANYBODY CANOPEN SCHOOLS, WECAN OPEN SCHOOLS."BUT THE BUFFALOPARENT TEACHERORGANIZATION WANTSA VIRTUAL START TOTHE SCHOOL YEAR."WE WANT KIDS BACKIN SCHOOL, THAT'STHE TRUTH BUT WE'RENOT SENDING KIDSBACK IN SCHOOL IFIT'S NOT SAFE."THE BPTO EXECUTIVEBOARD GATHEREDOUTSIDE CITY HALL ONFRIDAY.THEY SAY FOURTHINGS NEED TOHAPPEN BEFORESCHOOLS CANREOPEN SAFELY.-MORE FUNDING-PLANS FOR COVID 19TESTING-AND CONTACTTRACING-AND A CONSENSUSBASED PLAN FORREOPENING.CO-CHAIR RACHEL FIXDOMINGUEZ SAYS THESTATE NEEDS TOPROVIDE CLEARERTESTING GUIDANCE."WE DO NOT BELIEVETHAT THE TESTINGCAN OR SHOULDHAPPEN WITHIN THESCHOOLS WE BELIEVETHAT THAT IS THEPURVIEW OF THEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AT THE NEWYORK STATE LEVEL ATTHE COUNTY LEVEL."SUPERINTENDENT DR.KRINER CASH SAYS HEWILL MEET WITH THEHEALTH DEPARTMENTON MONDAY.

TOHEAR IT'S PLAN FORFREE TESTING ANDCONTACT TRACINGFOR SCHOOLS.THE ERIE COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENTTELLS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS THERE'S NOADISCUSSION OF ASEPARATE CONTACTTRACING AND TESTINGSYSTEM FOR THE BPS.WITH IN-PERSONLEARNING COMESTRANSPORTATION.THE BPTO SAYS ANAIDE ON EVERY BUS ISA "NON-STARTER"."WE'RE NOT PUTTINGOUT KIDS ON A BUSWITH JUST A DRIVER,AND HE HAS TO MAKESURE THEY'RESOCIALLY DISTANT,MASK ON THEIR FACE,AND THEN DRIVETHAT'S CRAZY."CASH SAYS THEDISTRICT CANNOTMAKE THE PLAN BYITSELF AND ISCOLLABORATING WITHTHE BPTO.THE BPTO SAYS THEREWILL BE ABOUT 20MEETINGS WITHSTAKEHOLDERS INTHE COMING WEEKS.IN BUFFALO,GILATMELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.A LOT OF WORK STILLNEEDS TO BE DONEBEFORE SCHOOLSCAN REOPEN.BY THE END OF NEXTWEEK, DISTRICTMUST POST ONLINETHEIR PLANS FORREMOTE LEARNINGOPTIONS, COVIDTESTING ANDCONTACT TRACING.

ITWILL BE UP TO EACHDISTRICT..

NOT THESTATE..

TO HAVE APLAN FOR TESTINGSTUDENTS, FACULTYAND STAFF FOR THEVIRUS.BY AUGUST 21ST..DISTRICTS MUST ALSOHOST THREEVIRTUAL INFORMATIONSESSIONS FORPARENTS..

OUTLININGTHE DISTRICT'SREOPENING PLAN ANDTAKING QUESTIONS.BUFFALO..

BECAUSE ITIS BIGGER..

MUSTHOST FIVE.DISTRICTS ALSO HAVETO HOLD ONESESSION