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In-person instruction has begun at Spelman College, but it may continue for long after faculty members hinted that a strike may be on the horizon. In an email issued to students on Thursday, members of the Spelman College Faculty Council indicated that professors would not provide in-person instruction until “clear and enforceable” safety protocols are put in place.
Spelman College student Kaylin Daigle is on board with the faculty's decision, calling them “trailblazers."
“I know that I admire the faculty and I know that they are being trailblazers for educators around the nation today. We’re seen as the leaders for HBCUs," Daigle told The 19th.
“In numerous historical movements, Black women have been at the forefront setting examples for doing the work necessitated by moments of crisis, always at great risk,” Penn State University research fellow Jesse Goldberg added.
Spelman College's protocols require all students, professors and staff members to be vaccinated and wearing a mask before stepping foot on campus. However, the historically Black college has not indicated how it plans to enforce such protocols.
As more classes began to move online, the historically Black college issued a statement to The Atlanta Voice.
"The health and safety of the Spelman community is a top priority for the College as we restore the residential college experience this year. With the guidance of the medical community and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we have implemented mandatory vaccinations, along with masking and periodic testing, in order to obtain the lowest possible risk to the campus community," the historic institution stated.
"We welcome the input of faculty. We will continue to monitor the state of community spread in the city of Atlanta and Fulton County while continuing to closely follow guidance from the CDC, and adjust plans for on-campus instruction accordingly."
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