(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Teachers and their supporters gather at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City in support of school safety in reopening plans, on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020.
Teachers drove around the Utah Capitol on Friday, honking car horns and waving signs to call for safer reopenings of schools this fall during the coronavirus pandemic.
About 150 educators — joined by some parents and students — participated in the “Safe Schools Save Lives Caravan.” Starting at 700 South, they drove in a pack up State Street and then rallied on the Capitol lawn while social distancing and wearing masks.
Some had decorated their cars for the occasion with “Teachers matter” written in marker on the windows. Others held signs that said, “You know it’s not safe” and “It’s not too late to do the right thing.” They cheered at any mention of having schools start online at least for the first few weeks back.
The protesters are calling on Gov. Gary Herbert not to allow schools to reopen in person until the percentage of positive tests in the state is below 5%, as recommended by the World Health Organization. As of Friday, it was 9.5%.
The Utah Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, has similarly called for online teaching to begin the year. And teachers have rallied in Jordan and Granite School Districts against plans to allow students to return back to the classroom like normal. Many teachers have said they don’t feel safe returning. They want the state to do more to protect them.