Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
By Lily Altavena | Arizona Republic
Students eat lunch one grade level at a time, two students to a table, all facing the same direction, earlier this school year at Conley Elementary School in Chandler.
About 100 more Chandler teachers called in sick on Friday than the previous Fridayafter a group sent a letter to the school district to protest its decision to remain open for in-person school after winter break.
Terry Locke, Chandler Unified School District spokesperson, wrote in an email that 349 teachers called in sick on Friday, an increase from 244 the previous Friday.
A group of Chandler teachers in a letter sent Thursday asked the district to switch back to virtual learning in January and reopen only when COVID-19 metrics show that community spread has slowed.
The Chandler Education Association, which represents the teachers, wrote in a statement that it had been “made aware that a group of educators” had planned to call in sick Friday in protest.
The organization emphasized that it has not promoted a sickout but was not surprised at the expression of frustration.
The increased pressure from the teachers comes as other districts, like Mesa, plan a return to virtual learning in January.
