Boston Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius addresses the media on staff members calling out sick. Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston School officials say more than 1,000 school staff members were out sick Tuesday, amid huge COVID numbers statewide. Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said that number includes 461 teachers and 52 bus drivers, speaking at a press appearance at Margarita Muniz Academy in Jamaica Plain. She was joined by Mayor Michelle Wu.
The district employed about 4,595 teachers in the 2020-2021 school year, meaning about ten percent of the district's teachers are out sick.
Cassellius stressed that not all of those who were out sick necessarily had COVID, including those on maternity and paternity leave and staff with other illnesses. BPS is expecting that more will call in sick.
42 schools have about 20% of their staff out, she said. No schools have cancelled classes because of the missing staff, but Cassellius says some schools may need to reevaluate because of staff issues.
She also tried to quash fears about expired tests in the district, as some teachers took to social media over the weekend saying their tests had passed their expiration dates. Cassellius said those tests are still good to use because their expiration dates have been extended by a year.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) has more:
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