The union representing Hawaii’s public school teachers is challenging a decision by the state Department of Education to require teachers to work during the second week of the extended two-week spring break.

The regular weeklong spring break began Monday but was extended by a week in response to the spread of the coronavirus.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association is also urging the state to delay resuming classes until at least April 6, according to HSTA President Corey Rosenlee.

“HSTA is willing to consider other options during this crisis, but has informed the HIDOE that forcing teachers to return to schools next week, March 23, without students, and the week after that, March 30, with students will put the lives of educators, students, and families in danger and could help the coronavirus spread further in the islands,” according to a statement from the union.

The plan to resume instruction for students on March 30 “also contradicts federal and our own state guidance that people should not gather in groups of 10 or more,” according to HSTA.

Ige said at a news conference Tuesday the DOE still plans to resume classes March 30, but added, “If there is a change that’s necessary, we will be making the appropriate announcement.”

The DOE announced Sunday that teachers would return to work Monday to March 27 to plan for social distancing within the school setting when students return and to prepare for modified operations. The DOE also plans to thoroughly clean the schools during the break, and is scheduled to resume classes March 30.

But Rosenlee said in a statement that he has taught classes with more than 40 students, and “I know social distancing won’t work. I have heard from kindergarten teachers who have shared that trying to stop kindergartners from touching their noses and then wanting to give you a hug is impossible.”

HSTA also contends calling the teachers back for that work on Monday runs afoul of a portion of the “teachers protection” portion of the union contract. In a video posted Monday evening, Rosenlee said the plan is in violation Article X of the teachers’ contract.

Specifically, the contract states that “when students are sent home from school or are not required to attend due to emergencies which endanger health or safety, teachers will not be required to remain at, nor report to, said schools.” HSTA represents about 14,000 public school teachers, counselors and librarians.

HSTA on Tuesday filed a prohibited-practices complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board over the issue of the teachers’ return date.

When asked about the risks to teachers, Ige told reporters Tuesday that “there’s a lot of activities that we’ll be taking to mitigate the risk to all of our public servants.”

“It is things about ensuring that all students’ temperatures are taken and that we have appropriate measures so that should a child appear at school who has a fever or is sick, that we can separate them from the other children and reduce the risk of infection,” he said.

“The department is working with the union and all of the teachers all around the state to talk about what changes need to be made, what procedures need to be put in place so that we can have a learning environment that is safe, stable and, most importantly, allows our students to finish the school year in an appropriate timetable,” he said.

Andrea Eshelman, deputy executive director of HSTA, said the union has initiated a class grievance over the requirement that teachers return next week.

“We have members on both sides who are saying they want to be able to come into campus and do some work in their classrooms, isolating themselves, and others who are absolutely adamant they do not want to have to report on campus and do that planning,” Eshelman said in the video.

Eshelman said the union is also asking for “additional paid-leave options” to support teachers who need to take care of family members, and also ensuring work spaces and classrooms are sanitized before the teachers report back to work.