ANNAPOLIS, MD (WBFF) - Maryland’s teacher union is blasting Governor Larry Hogan’s administration in a new letter. At one point, it calls the governor’s insistence that there’s no public health reason to keep children out of school “laughable.“
 

The Maryland State Education Association represents about 75,000 educators across the state. Cheryl Bost, President of MESA, says she’s fighting to protect the health and safety of teachers and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

Bost sent out a long letter Tuesday to Hogan and state school Superintendent Karen Salmon asking to be a part of the conversation about the reopening of schools.
 

Bost also responded to what she claims is Hogan‘s bullying of teachers to return to classrooms.
 

“Our goal would be to have our educators finish their doses of the vaccine before they go back into schools or before we allow more students in,“ said Bost.
 

Bost’s letter came just hours before Hogan provided another update Tuesday afternoon on the state’s vaccination distribution plan. But, after questions about the teachers unions’ concerns, Hogan reiterated what he said last week. He believes it’s safe now to return to in-person learning at Maryland public schools no later than March 1.
 

“No, it’s not contingent upon waiting until every teacher gets vaccinated. The metrics are good. Many schools have been open for five months without any vaccines,“ said Hogan.
 

Bost, however, said:

We do not believe the arbitrary date that the governor has put in place is something that our districts need to abide by.
 

Hogan and the state’s teachers union appear to be in the middle of a war of words. The governor is putting pressure on and the union is pushing back.
 

According to economist Steve Walters at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, the union has the power to push.
 

“The unions are very politically powerful because they control a lot of votes,“ said Walters. “So, we shouldn’t be terribly surprised that they control and offer a lot of what goes on in Annapolis. They like to throw their weight around, and they’re doing it in this case."
 

Bost said this is not an “us against them situation.” She said teachers are eager to get back into the classrooms, but safely.