My response to the plan for schools reopening

The health and safety of students, educators, and staff should be our number one priority as we plan for this fall. Read my full statement on the announcement today concerning schools reopening:

Today’s announcement from Governor McMaster detailing the reopening of our schools this fall is a premature decision that does not give enough weight to the health and safety of South Carolinians, and the impact on their daily lives. Students need to get back to school, but in the midst of an alarming surge of COVID-19 cases in our state, we should be focused only on reopening classrooms when there can be a safe and nurturing learning environment that is comfortable for everyone.

South Carolina’s schools should only be opened when we know for certain it is safe for our students, teachers, and everyone who works in our education system to return. We know, based on testing data provided by DHEC every day, that their safety cannot be assured at this point.

Getting students back on track academically, and eventually back to school, is a top priority— but not at the expense of lives. We should be using this time to plan, examine scientific data, and listen to public health experts so that we can make informed decisions. Pushing back the school start date is a step we should be seriously considering until we can ensure the safety of our children and educators, as well as investing in ways to make virtual learning work for everyone.

This virus is deadly, and needs to be treated as such. Less than a week after the first pediatric death from COVID-19 was reported in South Carolina, we should prioritize the health and well being of students, teachers, and staff in any measures of preparation to return back to school.

The metric of success should not be how quickly we can return to normalcy, but rather the number of lives we can save by doing it responsibly.