Here’s what some of the country’s biggest teachers unions think about going back to school

School districts around the country are making final decisions about what school will look like in fall for millions of kids.  

Governors and state education departments across the country are grappling with whether to hold in-person classes as coronavirus cases spike. Some governors are are making decisions for their state, while others are leaving it up to school districts to decide.

After President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos demanded schools reopen for in-person learning, many teachers unions promptly pushed back.  

Lily Eskelsen García, president of the National Education Association that represents millions of teachers, said schools need to be opened up safely and it would take a lot of government funding to do it.

“I double dog dare Donald Trump to sit in a class of 39 sixth graders and breathe that air without any preparation for how we’re going to bring our kids back safely.” 

Here’s how some of the largest unions around the country are responding to schools reopening in the fall:

Florida: The largest teacher’s union in Florida, the Florida Education Association, has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis and Richard Corcoran, Florida’s education commissioner, after the state ordered schools to open with in-person instruction five days a week. Fred Ingram, head of the organization, said teachers “don’t want to be the petri dish for America.”

Wisconsin: The state is allowing districts to make their own decisions on whether to reopen.  But teachers unions from Wisconsin’s five largest districts signed a letter to Gov. Tony Evers to keep campuses closed at the start of the year. 

"The classroom is where every single educator wants to be this fall, but with no containment of Wisconsin COVID-19 cases, a virtual reopening for public schools is necessary,” the letter stated. 

Teachers are pushing for distance learning, but the Department of Public Instruction spokesman Chris Bucher said the agency has no authority to require online-only instruction.

California: The California Teachers Association--representing 300,000 teachers--wants virtual learning in the fall. Leadership of United Teachers Los Angeles representing the Los Angeles Unified School District -- the nation’s second-largest school system -- has also expressed concerns about returning in the fall.  Districts can chose to reopen in-person once their county meets public health thresholds under a July 17 order from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom said that currently 32 of the counties hardest hit by Covid-19 aren’t likely to reopen at the beginning of the school year.

Texas: Texas American Federation of Teachers president Zeph Capo is adamantly opposed to reopening in the fall and has blasted both Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency for pushing reopening in the fall.  Currently, school districts will return to in-classroom instruction, but can now choose to postpone on-campus instruction for the first four weeks of classes; after that, they may petition for an additional four weeks off campus if needed. North Texas’ United Educators Association also criticized the government mandate, saying not enough precaution is being taken to safely open schools.

Illinois: The Illinois Federation of Teachers, representing over 100,000 teachers, is urging schools and universities to start online this fall unless the safety of everyone involved can be guaranteed. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is allowing districts to create their own plans but implementing requirements for schools choosing to reopen. The Chicago Teachers Union, a member of the IFT, says schools can’t reopen safely and want to continue with virtual instruction in the fall. IFT President Dan Montgomery said younger children should be welcomed back first to aid essential workers who may not be able to work from home and take care of their children.