North Carolina’s ‘Education’ Lobbyists Have Abandoned Teachers and Students

There is a large group of people who have no concerns about whether children are learning or not. The pandemic has created tremendous problems for our children and some don’t seem to care. Many teachers are aware of the problem and are anxious to get back to the classroom. The North Carolina Association of Educators is not listening to the rank and file teachers.

Last week I told you that the North Carolina Senate was preparing to vote on a bill to reopen schools. Although we had three Democrats to vote with us on the original bill, the Governor put lots of pressure on these three and we were not able to override his veto. Senator Lowe (D-Forsyth), changed his vote to “No” on the override. Another Democrat stuck with Republicans and voted for the override. A third member was a NO SHOW. By the way, the NO SHOW was a primary sponsor of the bill.

Through a rules procedure, we have brought the bill back up. So it is not dead yet. We plan to bring it back, at some point, for another vote. The bill sponsor should be allowed to be present and vote for his own bill…….or NOT.

Study after study has shown that we can reopen schools safely with mitigation factors in place.  Duke and UNC researchers with the ABC Science Collaborative examined elevent school districts serving 90,000 students right here in North Carolina. 

Their conclusion? “No instances of child-to-adult transmission of SARS-CoV-2 were reported within schools” and “our data support the concept that schools can stay open safely in communities with widespread community transmission.” 

And a mountain of data shows that children are severely harmed by continued school closures. According to Harvard public health experts, “some children may never recover.” 

I have shared statistics with you before on these pages. Our children are suffering, especially those with special needs. 

The damage is devastating. Suicide rates are very high. A student committed suicide last week and left a note. It simply said, “COVID”. 

There are 35,000 students in North Carolina that are unaccounted for. They have not signed on to a learning plan. Many will never come back to school.  Statistics are troubling, and in addition to the mental anguish we have other concerns.

• Majority of high school students failed the end of grade exams
• 75% of third graders are not proficient in reading
• Reports of child abuse are down. Nobody thinks that child abuse is actually happening less. It is just not reported, because the education system is many kids’ safety net. 
• Poor nutrition – Many children depend on the free meals programs
• More children are recruited into gangs and extremist groups
• Teenage pregnancies have increased
• Sexual exploitation of girls and young women have risen
• Some students are as much as two years behind in learning

Schools are hubs of activity for socializing and human interaction. Many students are missing out on social contact that is essential to development and learning. 

Those who have been hurt most are the lower income. The disadvantages are disproportionate for under-privileged learners who tend to have fewer educational opportunities beyond school. Those who are already most disadvantaged face even greater hurdles.

Women have been disproportionately impacted also. Women are less represented in the workforce than they have been in thirty-three years. All the gains made in the last four years have been wiped out and women have gone backwards. Mothers left the workforce in droves to stay home to take care of children and help with lesson plans. Experts say it will take women many more years than men to regain their place in the workforce. 

Nobody wants students or teachers to go back to school if the environment is unsafe. That is no longer an argument, although some will still try to make the claim. The evidence is overwhelming that schools are one of the safest places to be. There is no evidence, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, that schools are a place where Covid is spread.

Let me be clear, the bill that we presented did not force anyone to go back to school. It simply required that schools offer an in person plan to parents who choose that option. Parents know best what their children need. They know the dangers their children are facing by not being in school. Those parents who want their children to continue online learning have that option as well.

FOLLOW THE SCIENCE!!