September 21, 2021

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by: admin

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Tags: advocates, Assembly, education, General, proviso, pushing, repeal

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Categories: Special needs education

SC training advocates pushing Basic Meeting to repeal proviso

Education attorneys in South Carolina are calling for lawmakers to hold a special session to repeal the state requirement that bands mask mandates in schools.

COLUMBIA, SC – On Tuesday, the SC Education Association (SCEA), other education advocates, as well as pediatrics and public health experts held a press conference to make a joint statement. All authorities believe that students must study in schools but must also wear a mask to protect children and slow the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

“What students are getting right now is a disruptive, inconsistent model of learning that is giving teachers a hard time,” said Patrick Kelly, a member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association. “It’s tough for the students and it’s tough for the families.

RELATED: Columbia Dad Has Difficulty Working With Quarantined Child

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Kelly said masks have been shown to slow the spread of COVID-19 and that students must wear them while studying face-to-face.

“You can’t now be pro-student learning and anti-public health counseling. That’s incompatible,” said Kelly. “If you advocate student learning and student academic growth, you must follow the recommendations of our public health practitioners.”

RELATED: Survey Shows Lexington One Parents overwhelmingly want a temporary mandate for masks in schools

Members of the SCEA, the SC Parent and Teacher Association (SCPTA), the SC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (SCAAP), the SC Association for School Nurses (SCASN) and the Palmetto State Teachers Association (PSTA), and Lexington School District One Superintendent Dr. Greg Little was there on Tuesday.

All associations are calling for the state’s General Assembly to hold a special session to lift the state’s reservation that bands mask mandates in schools. The authorities are calling on the legislature to return the power to decide on the requirements for face masks to the local school districts.

According to the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), more than 21,000 students became infected with COVID-19 this school year. DHEC also reports that at least 86,000 students are missing in-person learning opportunities due to quarantine protocols for close contacts.

RELATED: Lexington One reports more COVID-19 cases than all of last school year

RELATED: Sumter School District “works around the clock” as classwork is a concern for some parents

“We need help, our teachers need help,” said Kathy Maness, executive director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association.

Mannes said local school authorities need to be able to make the decision most appropriate for their district.

“Children die, children lose very important structural time and our teachers need to be able to teach face-to-face,” said Maness. “The General Assembly is not a super school board. They have to leave that decision to the local elected officials who know what’s best for their communities so our students can stay in the classroom so they can study so our teachers can teach. “

Executive Director Kathy Maness speaks during a joint press conference with SC AAP, SCASN, SC PTA and The SCEA. PSTA continues to advocate that the General Assembly empower local school authorities to develop guidelines that keep children safe, healthy, and in school.

Posted by Palmetto State Teachers Association on Tuesday 21st Sep 2021

RELATED: Survey Shows Lexington One Parents overwhelmingly want a temporary mandate for masks in schools

RELATED: ‘This is a Crisis’ | Lexington One teachers are asking school boards to change

Maness said numerous teachers had resigned or asked how they could get out of their contracts due to the continued stress and demands associated with responding to the pandemic.

“That kind of level is unsustainable,” said SCASN member Tricia Ulch. “So my concern is that you will see nurses, school nurses leaving the job.”

Ulch said at the moment that in addition to their normal duties, nurses are getting more work with rising COVID cases.

“They have their normal duties – trying to do vaccination audits to review health plans, that kind of thing, but that takes a back seat where they need to prioritize positive cases, contact tracing quarantine and it’s overwhelming,” Ulch told News 19.

RELATED: “It Was a Nightmare”: School Nurses Overworked and Exhausted as COVID-19 Rises in South Carolina

RELATED: ‘This Is Incredibly Dangerous’ | SC school nurses say they are overworked, overwhelmed

Amy Wood, former president of SCASN, said students rely on school nurses to study in schools.

“We still have students every day who rely on the school nurse to provide medication or treatment so they can attend in person,” said Wood. “Students with diabetes still have to calculate their carbohydrates and have their insulin given. We have students who tube feed every day and these things don’t stop.”

Wood said as cases increase, school districts and hospitals will have to compete for nurses.

“They can offer a lot of things that schools cannot offer nurses,” said Wood. “And so we are now competing with a group that needs nurses as much as we do. It’s not that they are just trying to strengthen their ranks, they have to meet demand with the pandemic as well. If we lose nurses, I think about what many counties will say, they have trouble finding candidates to replace them just because the competition for nurses is just too big right now. ”

RELATED: Orangeburg County pays teachers and school nurses an additional $ 1,000 per semester

Maness said wearing masks was the answer to keeping our students in school and COVID cases.

“I’m so sorry that this has been politicized.” Manes told News 19. “Because the best for children shouldn’t be a Republican or Democratic problem. It’s a problem in South Carolina and we must do what we can to protect our students, keep our students healthy, and keep our students in the classroom. “

RELATED: State Teachers Group Urges SC Leaders To Suspend Reservation Banning Masks In Schools

RELATED: 2nd Teacher From Same SC School Dies Of COVID-19 Complications

RELATED: Midlands Teachers Say The COVID Spike Is Taking A Tribute

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