LAWRENCE, Kan. — Emma Whitaker returned to the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence on Monday for the first time since she tested positive for COVID-19.
"There has already been a lot of damage that has been done that there are upwards of 500 students on this campus that have COVID and possibly more," said Whitaker, a sophomore at KU and member of the Jayhawker Liberation Front.
The Jayhawker Liberation Front organized the KU Labor Day Student Strike in response to the university’s COVID-19 safety protocols. KU reported more than 500 COVID-19 cases as of Sept. 2.
Hundreds of KU students pledged not to attend class on Monday as part of the strike.
The club believes the university is not doing enough to keep students safe and has listed a series of demands in an online petition, which include shutting down the campus. The petition had more than 600 signatures as of Monday afternoon.
Whitaker said she doesn't want anyone else getting sick like she did.
"We want them to close down to prevent further harm to the students and the Lawrence community," Whitaker said.
The university has not directly responded to the list of demands. However, Julie Thornton, KU’s director of employee relations, sent a memo to members of the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, which expressed solidarity for the strike. The coalition is made up of graduate students who help teach at the university.
"Our email said we will represent you or assist you if you face disciplinary action for participating in a strike," said Hannah Bailey, Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition, Local 6403. "Our union already exists to do that and we support all GTAs who face disciplinary actions."
The university warned union members that going on strike or organizing a “sick out” might violate terms of an agreement between the university and the union.
GTAs were not happy to see that announcement.
"We didn't say you should go out and strike," Bailey said. "We just said should you chose to, this is how we are prepared to defend you."
Demands from the JLF include:
- Exit testing at no cost to students.
- Provide students with housing.
- Students who live in university housing and test negative for COVID-19 should be sent home, while those who test positive should quarantine in student housing.
- Students who test negative for the virus but need housing should be allowed to reside on campus.
- Pay KU laborers “an average of their recent wages,” including hazard pay.
- Implement credit/no credit for students.
Data from the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department shows a spike in positive COVID-19 cases in the area around the same time school resumed on campus.
However, the positivity rate on campus is lower than the positivity rate as a whole in the county.
The heath department enacted tighter rules on bars in the city this month.
Students, faculty and staff are required to wear masks on KU’s campuses.
