Superintendent George Arlotto today released the following statement regarding public statements made by leadership of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County:
“I have had the chance to visit multiple schools in person and to virtually visit classrooms around our county and have seen firsthand the amazing things our teachers have been doing for our students. They are true heroes.
It is unfortunate that the leadership of the teacher’s association believes that teachers have not had a seat at the table and have been unable to provide input into the reopening process. That is simply not true. In fact, teachers have been part of the reopening committees and content delivery workgroups that have been meeting routinely since March to formulate plans and have been part of several town hall meetings to discuss issues such as safety and virtual learning. TAAAC’s president has met almost weekly with members of our team to address academic and other issues, and our Director of Employee Relations has met with TAAAC leadership at least a dozen times since the end of the last school year. Additionally, I personally meet with the TAAAC president and executive director on a frequent basis.
Most recently, TAAAC and other union leadership were invited to a 90-minute meeting with the county Health Officer and me that occurred just yesterday. During that meeting, we addressed many issues voiced by TAAAC leadership.
We strive to have collaborative relationships with all of our stakeholders, and in particular those who represent our amazing teachers and staff, as we plan for the reopening of our schools and the return of teachers and students to their classrooms. We can disagree on how to handle issues, but we should not stray from the facts.”