SAN ANTONIO — As campuses across Northside ISD see teachers return this month, it appears some may be getting a warmer welcome than others.
"We got many calls on Monday and Tuesday that they had not received any PPE (personal protective equipment) in their classrooms and then we received other calls from other teachers saying they had," said Wanda Longoria, president of Northside AFT, the district's teacher's union. "So there seems to be an inconsistency throughout the district."
Northside ISD Spokesperson Barry Perez told KENS 5 there's an explanation.
"I'm only aware of four very isolated instances where (it) was more of a matter of communication than inventory," Perez said.
According to Perez, in most cases, the inventory of PPE had been sent to individual schools across the district, but administrators were still getting them sorted ahead of distribution to classrooms.
"This is why we wanted all teachers to remain at home until after Labor Day," Longoria fired back. "It gives the district, frankly, time to get all these things put into place in such a way (that will) absolutely bring confidence to our employees."
Longoria told KENS 5 that confidence is fading. While the district voted Tuesday night to apply for the Texas Education's Agency's eight-week waiver for distance learning, it may not necessarily mean campuses will be student-free.
"I'll be clear that is not an indication that we would not have students in person," Perez said. "That waiver simply gives flexibility in terms of determining which students and how many students are brought back when we return."
Longoria says the union will continue to push back against returning to full in-person instruction. In the end, she said, they believe no one is looking out for their well-being.
"Truly, we're the only one protecting ourselves," Longoria said.
Northside ISD is expected to start its school year virtually on Monday.