We Can’t Reopen Schools without Paid Leave

At Make It Work Nevada, we’ve worked hard to underscore the urgent need for paid sick days and paid family leave amid this global health pandemic.

Having paid sick days and paid family leave would’ve made a huge difference in my life and in my family’s life. It would’ve given me the space to take care of my husband when he was seriously ill without losing my means of livelihood. I calculated that I’ve lost over $200,000 over the years because I didn’t have paid sick days or paid family leave. 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act for the first time provided some federal paid leave. However, more than 200,000 Nevadan families are still left in the margins without adequate paid time to care. This is happening as Nevada is in free fall with dramatic increases in COVID diagnoses. 

The HEROES Act would close the loopholes in the existing legislation and provide greater protection for frontline workers. We’d also have a fighting chance if schools do reopen next month.

I am worried about our nation’s children and our nation’s teachers. They are being asked to return to the classroom during this pandemic amid terrible uncertainty about the impact of the virus. Tools like paid family leave will help us keep students and teachers safe. 

It’s dangerous and negligent of us to reopen schools without the appropriate safeguards in place to keep our children safe and our educators safe. Paid family leave has been proven to be helpful in stopping the spread and should be in place before students go back to school. 

These are very hard choices to make but the best chance to stop the spread, protect educators, students and school personnel will require:

• All parents having sick days and paid family leave to be able to keep children home from school at any sign of illness or exposure or to recover from illness.
• All school contractors – including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitorial staff – need to be able to stay home at the sign of illness or exposure.
• All parents need to be able to take care of kids whose schools have to close again temporarily
• For part-time learning situations, kids need safe places to go, where their risk of exposure can be minimized by ensuring that they can socially distance and can take the time to quarantine and recover if they get sick.
• Local reopening plans must include the voices of educators, parents and other community members.

These provisions will each require significant funding from our government for the safety for all families. 

As a country, we know we can #DoBetter. We have to demand more of our government leaders to protect us and our communities.

Written by Tameka Henry, an Ambassador with Make It Work Nevada and a member of the Worker Advisory Group of the Paid Leave for All campaign. She is also a candidate in the general election for Clark County School District Board of Trustees, District C. This blog is adapted from her remarks at a July 23 press event hosted by Paid Leave for All. Tameka joined Senators Patty Murray and Tammy Duckworth, National Education Association president Lily Eskelson Garcia and PLFA executive director Dawn Hucklebridge.