35 Teachers Stage Sick-Out at St. Croix Educational Complex Amid 90-Degree Classroom Heat and Other Concerns

Teachers at the St. Croix Educational Complex staged what the V.I. Department of Education is calling a "coordinated teacher sick-out" on Wednesday, with reports suggesting that unbearable heat in classrooms was a key factor in their decision to act. Classrooms without air conditioning reportedly reached temperatures above 90 degrees, prompting frustrations that have resurfaced since last year. School buses lined the entrance of the St. Croix Educational Complex, but instead of delivering students to a day of learning, they awaited students to take them back home after VIDE ordered the school closed for the day. According to the department, up to 35 teachers reported being unable to attend class, prompting an immediate assessment that found the remaining staff insufficient to sustain normal operations. As a result, the decision was taken to close school for the day. Tameika Phillipus, newly-elected president of the American Federation for Teachers St. Croix District, stated that unio...