Protest Led by School of Social Work Students Decries University’s Spring COVID Policies
Organizers seek remote learning until positivity rate reaches 1 percent
School of Social Work students led a walkout on Tuesday outside BU’s administrative offices at One Silber Way to protest BU’s COVID-19 safety policies for the current semester.
Protest Led by School of Social Work Students Decries University’s Spring COVID Policies
Organizers want remote learning until positivity rate reaches one percent
About three dozen students gathered outside One Silber Way on Tuesday afternoon to protest the BU COVID policies for the semester, which they say aren’t enough to protect students and faculty.
“Sick students can’t learn! Sick teachers can’t teach!” chanted the group, hoping that the administration could hear them on the upper floors of the building.
An ad hoc group from the School of Social Work organized the protest, which was also attended by students from the School of Theology, as well as from elsewhere on campus, and a few faculty members. SSW students have circulated a petition and a safety demands toolkit, and they recently met with Jorge Delva, SSW dean and Paul Farmer Professor, to express their concerns. But with no change in policy, they decided to take to the sidewalks.
“We need to keep each other safe,” said one of the organizers, Ashley Shen (SSW’23), who led chants of “Be Better, BU!”
“Make President Brown hear!” said organizer David Andrade (SSW’23), who banged a metal pot and spoon as he led a group that walked out of SSW and down Bay State Road to the protest. “At least listen to us and keep us safe.”
The group’s primary demands are that the University switch to remote learning until BU’s COVID-19 positivity rate is one percent or less and that BU make available additional accommodations for students, instructors, and administrative staff who are isolating/quarantining because of COVID-19 exposure or illness so they can continue their academic or job responsibilities remotely.
While the University’s protocols have shifted this semester, President Robert A. Brown did announce that faculty may provide recordings of lectures for students in isolation or quarantine through February 18, at which time the policy will be reassessed. Also, faculty members who test positive for COVID, but are well enough to teach, will be allowed to move their classes to remote learning via Zoom for the duration of their isolation period, currently five days.
But that isn’t enough for the protestors in the face of the highly contagious Omicron variant, especially when some area universities, including Harvard, have returned to remote learning for the beginning of the semester.
“Masks are disposable, people are not,” said one sign. Turning one of BU’s 2020 anti-COVID slogans back around, the demonstrators chanted, “F*ck it won’t cut it!”
Several students took turns at the megaphone, explaining why they were there, including that they are immune-compromised themselves or are concerned for the elderly people and children that many social work students work with in internships and field placements.
“The lack of contact tracing was for me one of the things that pushed me over the edge,” said Jaye Ward (SSW’23), another organizer. “I work with elderly people in a residential setting in my internship, and I have elderly family members.”
She said she understands the value of in-person learning—she had deferred her admission to SSW in 2020 to avoid all-remote classes—“but to protect the wider community, it’s a sacrifice I would make.”
Ward also brought a lighter note to the event with a sign reading: Maybe if I develop feelings 4 COVID it will leave.
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