Teachers in the US are considered as ‘critical Infrastructure workers’ and are given the same advisories as doctors and law enforcement officers. During an appearance on Fox Business, Mike Pence, the Vice President said that by declaring teachers as essential workers are not to make mandatory for teachers to work, but it just says that like any other essential worker a teacher is also subject to the availability of safety kits like the PPE and other support from the administration.
He said that it is done to make the schools safe. Also, he added that his wife is too going to get back to schools the next week. Where there is confusion about the future of classrooms, this move from the government is just seen as a way of communicating how serious they believe in the opening of the schools.
The President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten has reacted to the designation. She said that teachers were always critical workforce in the society, but not essential for the Trump administration to provide for keeping them safe in the classrooms. The move is seen as a plan to threaten, bully, and Coerce teachers, she felt, forcing them to get back to classrooms.
