reopening schools
Increased demand for COVID-19 testing swamps NC pediatricians
The medical team at Goldsboro Pediatrics sees a steady stream of patients from 8 a.m. to 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening, their appointment schedules swelled by parents seeking COVID-19 tests for their children. Slots for the walk-in hour of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. are usually filled by 8:30, said Dr. Teague Horton, a partner in the practice.
Congressional panel hears from educators about how to safely reopen schools
WASHINGTON — A school superintendent from a large Nevada district on Wednesday described how schools there have coped with the pandemic and returned to in-person learning, as members of Congress examined best practices for safe reopening. Jesus Jara, superintendent of Clark County School District, which includes Las Vegas, told a virtual panel of the House […]
CDC says it’s OK for students to sit three feet apart in classrooms
NCAE calls on CDC to provide a more detailed explanation for the change WASHINGTON — Federal health officials have revised their guidance to schools on how far apart students should be spaced in a classroom, now saying desks can be placed 3 feet apart instead of 6 feet to limit the spread of COVID-19. The […]
Competing sides remain divided over details of school reopening
State Board of Ed weighs in as vetoed Senate bill remains in limbo As state Democrats and Republicans both push to reopen schools for in-person instruction, they appear as divided as ever over the common goal. The parties are in a fight over Senate Bill 37, which would require all districts to provide an in-person learning option. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, vetoed the bill on Feb. 26.
Senate Democrats, Republicans continue to squabble over school reopening bill
Nearly two dozen Senate Democrats have signed a letter asking the State Board of Education (SBE) to use its influence to convince school districts to offer students an in-person learning option. The letter is addressed to SBE Chairman Eric Davis. It comes two days after Senate Democrats narrowly turned back an attempt by Republicans to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 37, which would have required all districts to […]
Biden urges states to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations for teachers
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is urging states to prioritize teachers for COVID-19 vaccines, setting a goal of ensuring that every pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade educator, school staff member and childcare worker is able to receive at least one shot this month. At least 34 states and the District of Columbia have some or all […]
White teachers urged to use privilege responsibly in fight to keep Durham schools in remote learning
In Durham, plans to reopen schools for in-person instruction continues to play out in dramatic fashion. This week, Ronda Bullock, chair of education committee of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People took white, female educators to task for acting like “damsels in distress” and for reacting angrily to the Durham school board’s […]
Gov. Roy Cooper vetoes Senate bill that requires school districts to provide in-person instruction
As expected, Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed Senate Bill 37, which requires school districts to provide in-person instruction. In a statement, Cooper repeated his complaint that SB 37 allows middle school and high school students back into classrooms in violation of state and federal safety guidelines and doesn’t give districts the flexibility to change course during an emergency. “As written, the bill threatens public health just as […]
Nation’s public schools must not forget ‘lost group’ from Class of 2020
Expert panel weighs in on the pandemic's devastating impact on students, how we should respond, and the practical challenges involved in reopening schools The large number of high school graduates who did not enroll in college last fall worries Tom Kane, a professor of education and economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Elon poll: Rush to reopen schools driven by a noisy minority
If one listened to a number of North Carolina political commentators — particularly on the right — a person would get the impression that a large majority of North Carolinians have been clamoring for schools to reopen ASAP. According to this oft-repeated spiel, Gov. Cooper is wrongfully stifling “freedom” by continuing to enforce public health […]
Editorial: Legislature should support UNC System in its time of crisis
In case you missed it yesterday, the lead editorial in the Greensboro News & Record neatly summed up the dilemma confronting the UNC system as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and what state lawmakers ought to be doing in response. As the editorial noted, the pandemic has put university leaders between a rock and […]
It’s ‘immoral’ to reopen school buildings before the coronavirus is under control, says Bishop William Barber
It’s “immoral’ to ask educators and students to return to classrooms for in-person instruction after national and state leaders muffed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, says Bishop William J. Barber, national co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and president of Repairers of the Breach. Barber said that even before the pandemic, public education was underfunded by state legislators and being undermined by U.S. Education Secretary […]