Teachers Aren't Ready For Return To Classroom: Patch PM

PEABODY, MA — It's Wednesday, August 5. Here's what Patch has been covering on the North Shore and across Massachusetts today.

Unions representing more than 10,000 greater Boston teachers — including educators in Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead and Swampscott — are calling on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to order all public school systems to begin the year with distance learning.

"The safe return to learning in September must be guided by science — not by a school calendar," teachers said in a letter signed by more than 30 Massachusetts teachers' unions. "We are calling upon all public schools to begin the school year with a comprehensive distance-learning plan that has the potential to graduate to a hybrid learning model."

In June, DESE charged school districts across the state with developing three plans for reopening in the fall: one that would involve full-time, in-person learning; one that would involve full-time, remote learning; and a hybrid model combining remote and in-person learning. School committees across the state will decide their plans this week ahead of the Aug. 10 deadline.

The letter was not signed by unions from Peabody and Salem. Peabody's superintendent said Wednesday he would recommend opening schools to students on Sept. 16 with hybrid learning, including distance learning for students and staff not comfortable with going back to school.

Also on the North Shore today:

Saugus Man Charged In Four-Car, Route 1 Crash

Peabody police plan to summons a 51-year-old Saugus man on eight charges, including operating under the influence of drugs following a four-car crash on Route 1 Sunday afternoon. The man, whose name was not released, was taken to Beverly Hospital with non-life threatening injuries following the crash. A 76-year-old man who was driving one of the other cars also suffered minor injuries.

Across Massachusetts:

Milford Man Finds Cash In ATM, Decides To Return It

A Milford man found about $900 sitting in an ATM at the Bank of America branch near Aldi along Route 16. The man, a North Street resident, called police to report the cash — and then told the dispatcher he was going to return it to the bank, according to the police log.

Boston Man Sues City Of Braintree, Cops For 'Gross Misconduct'

Braintree, Boston and Massachusetts State Police officers "deliberately and intentionally framed" a man who spent 36 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Boston.

Also today:

• Power Outages Linger In MA After Tropical Storm Isaias
• Waxy's Pub To Pay $125K To Resolve Wage Theft Allegations
• Police Save Boy's Life After His Leg Impaled By School Fence

Dave Copeland covers the North Shore for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).