Letters to the Editor
NCAE speaks out on new CDC Guidelines for Schools
To the editor:
NCAE has said all along that educators want to get back into classrooms for in-person instruction when schools can reopen safely. This new guidance from the CDC on how our schools can do that is now crystal clear. Our General Assembly and local school boards should follow this science-based guidance. Among the recommendations, the CDC says physical distancing of at least six feet should be maximized to the greatest extent possible.
We have said that North Carolina’s Plan A full enrollment guidelines do not set a six-feet social distancing goal and the CDC says they should. All plans to reopen our schools during a pandemic should include a goal of six feet of social distancing. We need six feet, and anything less gives us concern for the safety of our students and educators.
This guidance is also a clear statement that Governor Cooper should veto Senate Bill 37. This risky bill would allow North Carolina middle and high schools to fully reopen without six feet of social distancing to protect students from COVID-19. This bill flies in the face of this new CDC guidance. For all the politicians who have claimed to stand up for science, here is your chance. The science says schools can reopen safely during this pandemic when we use a host of safety measures – including six feet of social distancing.
NCAE has said all along that educators want to get back into classrooms for in-person instruction when schools can reopen safely with:
*Access to vaccines for all school employees
*Proper mitigation measures with hand washing, universal masking, and six feet of social distancing,
*Inclusion of educators, staff, and community members in decisions on best ways to implement safety standards.
The new CDC guidance is a good first step, but now is the time for action. If this road map is applied universally in every community and the resources are put in place equitably for all students, our school buildings can be safe for in-person learning. Members of NCAE are eager to roll up our sleeves, help implement this guidance, and welcome all of our students back to more in-person instruction as soon and safely as we can.
Tamika Walker Kelly
President, NCAE
NCAE is the state’s largest education advocacy organization for public school employees and represents active, retired, and student members.
