Colleagues, Yesterday we asked RTA Faculty Representatives to provide us information about the conditions at our schools during the initial days of return to in-person learning while the District was unprepared to keep students and teachers safe. Many have responded already. And while we know that much more information is yet forthcoming, we have begun addressing with the District the issues already named: high rate of student and staff absenteeism; lack of substitutes and the resulting increased demands on teachers; inadequate COVID testing for students; widespread non-compliance of facial mask-wearing; lack of proper cleaning and disinfecting; inappropriate requests from administrators at some schools that teachers assume responsibility for virtual teaching; lack of proper accommodation for students’ consumption of food; overall negative impact on conditions for teaching and learning; and danger to the health and safety of students and staff. All this is further proof that the...