Part-time faculty facing the travails of remote teaching
Stories of teaching from home during the pandemic
Within the span of just two weeks in early March, California Community Colleges, along with the rest of American higher education, were forced into the perhaps the largest and most radical pedagogical shift in its history.
Relief for part-timers and their families during pandemic
Unemployment Insurance, housing, utilities, student loans
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, part-time faculty — beyond dealing with protecting the health and safety of themselves and their families — are facing threats to their economic security, including loss of income, access to health insurance, and their capacity to pay for housing and utilities.
It is essential part-timer faculty are aware of recent actions taken by the federal government and state of California to provide relief for people facing these challenges.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed into law
Federal legislation expands sick leave, family leave
Congress passed and the president signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which is effective from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020.
Congress also passed and the president signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was effective on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act amended FFCRA with respect to some sick time provisions and also provided expanded unemployment insurance benefits.
Custodians on the front lines of COVID-19 pandemic
Keeping campuses clean, supporting food service workers
On Friday, March 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered Californians to help slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus by keeping a “social distance” of six feet from each other.
School districts that were still operating suspended classes and college campuses emptied, but Newsom’s order continued full funding for public education and “essential” workers were told to report for work Monday.
Food service workers whip up millions of Grab & Go meals
Classified employees essential to feeding kids during pandemic
The coronavirus crisis has forced school districts of all sizes to come to grips with the food insecurity their students face.
“In my entire life, I have never seen a medical crisis taken as seriously as this one,” said Carl Williams, head of the Lawndale Classified Employees Federation. “We’re now implementing options we have never discussed before, like shutting down classrooms and teaching online.”
Health clerk looks back on early signs of pandemic
Veteran clerk teaches and practices good habits
For months, health clerk Cathy Pierce said, she and other school district staff heard about the coronavirus “like everyone else — bits of news and gossip.”
Pierce began to receive more credible information about COVID-19 and changes coming at all levels of government and education the week before Lawndale’s Mitchell Elementary shut in March. She has since come up the coronavirus learning curve, and now sees her work in a different light.
The changeover at Allan Hancock College
Challenges and rewards of teaching online
By Mark James Miller
Even before Gov. Gavin Newsom’s shelter-at-home order, Allan Hancock College was gearing up to meet the challenges the COVID-19 virus presents to an institution of higher learning.
For faculty and students, this new normal brings with it many issues regarding how best to continue the mission of education — providing the students with the highest quality of instruction — while trying to remain free of the virus and maintain social distancing.
The CARES Act — federal stimulus becomes law
What you need to know about COVID-19 pandemic relief
The new bipartisan federal stimulus legislation, known as the CARES Act, was signed yesterday. The $2.2 trillion bill — the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act — is the third piece of federal coronavirus response legislation passed in recent days and contains significant new resources to assist in COVID-19 recovery.
CFT Tele-Townhall
Union leaders address COVID-19, thousands of members join call
More than 12,000 members were able to join one of the two CFT Tele-Townhall meetings held on March 18. Combined, the meetings were the largest gathering of CFT members ever.
You can listen to the CFT Tele-Townhall here! (The recording starts at the 12-second mark.)
On the calls we received encouraging words from State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond, who offered his support and thanked CFT members. He also discussed the many efforts the governor’s office and the Department of Education are taking to support our schools.
The Coronavirus, the CFT and You
From the CFT President
By Jeffery M. Freitas, CFT President
Over the past few days, our lives have changed significantly. There have been many fast moving coronavirus-related developments.
We will continue to work with decision-makers to protect you, your students, and your communities. With the situation continuing to develop quickly, we are doing our best to stay on top of it.
We want to provide as much information to our members as possible, but we hope not to overwhelm you with too much.
Legislature passes three emergency coronavirus bills
Legislative Update
The California Legislature took emergency action yesterday and passed Senate Bill 117 to address several of the issues confronting schools and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. SB 17 and two other emergency bills passed by the Legislature will take effect immediately.
The CFT will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates from the California Legislature.
CFT introduces new bills, emergency legislative recess delays action
Legislative Update
The CFT was successful in introducing sponsored legislation for 2020. Our new bills address priority issues for the CFT, including providing affordable housing for public school employees, ensuring that school employees who are on extended medical leave receive full pay, requiring charter schools to participate in CalSTRS and CalPERS, and providing support for community college and University of California faculty.
However, due to the coronavirus outbreak and the recent emergency passage of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 189, which enacted a joint legislative recess from March 20 until April 13, it’s unclear when these bills will be heard.
What does the overnight transition to “remote learning” mean?
For classroom faculty with traditionally scheduled on-campus classes
Note: This helpful article was written for a local community college audience, but many of the principles apply to all of higher education as well as K-12 education.
By Jim Mahler, President, AFT Guild, Local 1931, San Diego and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Colleges
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