Michelle Wu calls for more flexibility for remote learning amid coronavirus surge

Mayor Michelle Wu made the rounds on Sunday morning television shows where she pressed the state for more flexibility around remote instruction in schools and defended her heightened vaccination policies as cases — fueled by the omicron variant — surge in Boston.

“As a mom with two young kids, I know that in-person learning is better for our young people,” Wu said on WCVB’s “On The Record” Sunday morning in which she appeared remotely, describing how her two sons’ “eyes light up” walking into the classroom.

The state Department of Education has barred school districts from using remote learning this school year — something teachers unions and education officials have pushed back on as case numbers have shot up amid a holiday surge.

Massachusetts public schools reported the highest-ever number of new cases this past week with 38,887 new cases among students and 12,213 among staff members. In Boston schools, that translated to more than 1,000 infected school employees, including more than 650 teachers, Wu said.

“When we’re at the point when staffing levels mean we are almost unable to keep certain schools open, we do have to then make that choice of whether we call it a snow day — and have no programming at all for our students, regardless of the weather — or we allow for some remote flexibility especially during this winter surge,” the mayor said.

The Roslindale Democrat said she’s “on board” with teachers’ demands for an in-school mask mandate through the end of the school year in June and noted it would “likely” be the policy in Boston Public Schools regardless of the state policy.

During another remote appearance on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large,” Wu defended her decision to strengthen the city’s COVID-19 vaccine policy for city workers. Starting Saturday, every city worker must have at least on shot and be fully vaccinated by Feb. 15. The vaccine mandate extends to indoor public places like restaurants, gyms, theaters and sports venues.

But the coronavirus pandemic isn’t the only public health crisis confronting the freshly minted mayor with barely two months on the job. Wu has also made tackling the ongoing homelessness and drug use at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard.

“We have seen since the bridge came down and the contingency plans were put in place that the size of the opiate crisis in Boston has more than tripled. What we see in the overlapping crises centered at Mass and Cass is a direct result of that,” Wu said.

Wu on Monday morning will host a press conference at City Hall to discuss updates regarding the city’s response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis at Mass and Cass/ She will be joined by city officials including housing, public health and other experts.

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