Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told Axios on HBO that states should prioritize teachers for vaccination as part of the reopening of schools for face-to-face learning.
Between the lines: Weingarten declined to say who teachers should be prioritized for.
- “If we are saying that prioritizing face-to-face learning is important, teachers and bus drivers who are working in locations that are reopening should be prioritized,” he said.
- In previous statements, Weingarten said that teachers should be vaccinated along with others in priority group 1-B.
AFT is the second largest teachers union in the country, representing 1.7 million members in cities like Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
- Last September, Weingarten told Axios that he would support the requirement that teachers be vaccinated before returning to classrooms.
- Later, she stepped back, arguing that while she supports vaccination, she also recognizes that some teachers were frightened by disinformation.
- According to a recent survey, 67% of AFT teachers said they have already been vaccinated or plan to be vaccinated as soon as possible. Sixteen percent say they do not plan to be vaccinated or are still unsure.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with Weingarten’s previous statements that teachers should be vaccinated in priority group 1-B.