Bill sparks debate about online learning in North Carolina | wfmynews2.com

North Carolina, USA-One year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 an international emergency, North Carolina continues to debate how schools should receive education during the ongoing pandemic. 

In front of the North Carolina Governor's Administration Building in Raleigh on Saturday, the school was asked to reopen now-hold a sign, chant and speak out.

It is expected that on Monday or Tuesday of next week, Republican lawmakers from North Carolina will announce a bill that will authorize all public school districts to provide face-to-face learning and still provide virtual learning options.

In a press release, Senator Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga), Co-Chair of the Senate Education Committee, said: “In all COVID tragedies, the most preventable is the loss of learning potential. For some children, this potential will After receiving so many letters from parents and teachers, we must take immediate action to get the children back to the classroom to prevent further harm."

The legislator quoted in the press release

"Concluded, "The accumulated data now provides a way to maintain or primarily or completely restore face-to-face teaching. The author also cited data from schools that reopened for face-to-face learning in the fall of 2020, showing that they did not make a meaningful contribution to the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

The legislators also pointed to a joint UNC-Duke University study,

The study found that the transmission rate of COVID-19 in 11 NC school districts is much lower than that of community transmission during the 2020-2021 school year.

In response to a legislative announcement requiring schools to provide face-to-face learning, the North Carolina Association of Educators issued a statement.

Tamika Walker Kelly, President of the North Carolina Association of Educators, said: “As NCAE, we have always advocated that face-to-face recovery as much as possible under safe conditions and in certain parts of North Carolina. In a statement Thursday, it said: “However, in many schools, to keep educators and students safe, it is physically impossible to comply with the necessary social distancing, shelter and hygiene requirements.

"We will wait to see the details of any proposed legislation, but we believe that the decision to resume personal guidance should be left to the local education committees, who can best assess the changing local situation."

Republican Representative Jon Hardister from District 59 of Guildford County spoke with WFMY News 2 about the upcoming bill.

Hardist said: "The ultimate goal of the bill is obvious, and that is to reopen our schools." "Many students in North Carolina have dropped out of school for nearly a year. I have received messages from many parents who are worried about students. Academic achievement, social development and mental health issues."

Hardist said that in terms of face-to-face learning and virtual learning, it is difficult to generalize public schools in North Carolina, because many school districts and grades currently work according to different plans.

Hardist said: "We all know that we have to get the children back to school at some point. Schools cannot be kept closed forever." "For education, this is not a permanent situation. For scholars, this It’s not a good thing. For social development, it’s not sustainable either. At some point we must have a dialogue. I think now is the time."

Hardist said that he understands that some teachers may worry about their health, and he thinks that high-risk educators should give special consideration. He also said that he is willing to let teachers move forward in the field of vaccines.

Since the closure of the 2020 spring semester, public school students in grades 6 to 12 have not resumed face-to-face learning. Re-entry in these grades

By the school board.

On January 5, 2021, Pre-K to 5th grades in Guildford County resumed face-to-face learning.

For the private schools of the Piedmont Triad, the situation looks very different.

At Burlington Christian Academy, parents Allison Parker said that her children will start school in August 2020.

Parker said: "Our administration is very good. This year the situation is very different, but it is great for us and our children."

Her two children are in kindergarten and eighth grade. She said that the school has taken important safety precautions, including limiting unnecessary personnel in the classroom, always needing to wear masks and increasing school cleaning.

"Our teachers rotate jobs, not our children. The junior high school daughter usually changes classes, but this year she has the same class all day, so the situation is different, but they have found a way to make it work. "Parker said.

Parker’s school did switch to virtual learning in the spring of 2020, so she said that the family experienced two learning methods. She said they appreciate the time spent together, but when Parker works from home, it is difficult for everyone to stay productive.

Parker said: "Generally speaking, teenagers and children need to interact with other children and teachers." "I think this virus will continue to exist. I think this is a new way of life for us. I think ours Children need to go to school and they need to interact with teachers."

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