Osseo Summer School Staff Walks Out, Saying COVID-19 Precautions Are 'Extremely Lacking'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On Wednesday, a group of staff at Crestview Elementary School in Osseo walked out of their summer school program citing concerns with the district's lack of execution of COVID-19 procedures.
The six week Freedom School program serves 150 students across three sites. Teachers said they signed up to work because they believed the environment to be safe. However, said the COVID-19 precautions were "extremely lacking."
"Crestview is extremely dirty, it's extremely filthy," said site coordinator Brittany. "We have not been given enough products to clean, they want us to clean in the same spaces with the children, they are advising the children to use the cleaner they're not supposed to touch."
"The thermometers do not work. They're not even showing up the correct temperatures. They are just marking down whatever temperature comes to their head," she added. She also mentioned new workers were not tested for their temperature upon arrival.
"Our Black and Brown children do not deserve to be guinea pigs in a system that does not even know yet how to run in COVID," said Devyn, a servant leader intern with the program.
Around 15 people came to the protest including a parent, teachers, and a school board member.
The district will take Thursday and Friday to look into the concerns staff reported and take action. On Monday, the district will share findings with staff and retrain on COVID-19 related health and safety practices.
