MADISON, Wis. — Madison’s teacher union is calling on local and state leaders to prioritize teachers for COVID-19 vaccination now that educators are eligible under the state’s latest guidance.
In the statement shared Monday, Madison Teachers Inc. said getting school district workers vaccinated will help address the racial disparities in vaccination rates in Dane County.
As of Monday, 17.2% of Dane County residents had received at least one dose of vaccine. Of those, only 5.9% of Latinx-identifying residents and 8.4% of Black residents had received the vaccine. That’s compared to 16% of white residents who have received at least one dose.
“During this time of crisis, we must unite around the safety and health of all who work and learn in our schools,” MTI President Andrew Waity said. “With approximately 26,000 students and 5,000 staff members in our district, this decision impacts everyone. Students’ learning conditions are our working conditions.”
MTI went on to say teachers are disappointed in Public Health Madison & Dane County’s recent announcement that the county’s plans for vaccinating teachers would be delayed at least two weeks due to a lack of supply. It’s a shortfall MTI said puts Black and Brown workers at an increased risk due to disproportionate vaccination rates in those communities.
“We agree that all who are able to work from home or do not have to interact with the public, must let our fellow Wisconsinites that have a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 get vaccinated first,” the statement reads.
The Madison Metropolitan School District also provided News 3 Now a statement in response to MTI’s call for improvements to vaccine distribution.
“MMSD supports MTI’s call for equitable vaccine distribution and prioritizing school districts for vaccination, especially school districts with diverse populations like Madison,” the statement from district spokesperson Tim LeMonds said. “We continue to work closely with PHMDC, as we explore other alternatives to expedite the vaccination process for our staff. We’re committed to pursuing any and all options to get our staff vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
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