We urgently need to get students back to school
Enough already, let’s get our students and teachers back to school. That is what I implored for the past six months to Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut’s Department of Education and Public Health.
Finally, as of this week some area districts are cautiously returning to the classroom.
While it seems that we are reaching the light at the end of a marathon- length tunnel, the work is far from over. Every day I hear from families and students across the state about how their lives, academically, emotionally and across the board, have become intolerably challenging by removing the one part of their day- to- day lives that should serve as a constant during their children’s most formative years. We have learned that school is not just about reading, writing and arithmetic, it is also about social interactions and emotional connections.
There is no question that all parties involved have a shared priority of public health and safety first, however as we work through the second consecutive school year turned on its head by this pandemic, it’s high time for the government to give the state’s education system due attention and leadership.
I find it maddening that Connecticut’s Office of Early Childhood can provide an entire series of references to families on determining whether their 4- or 5- year- old is ready for kindergarten, yet there still is no resource available to schools on how to determine whether or not they can begin to hold in person classes full- time.
The lack of state guidance is pitting teachers against parents and the tension grows each day, while educational and social emotional learning has suffered.
We would all agree that our state’s front- line medical workers and nursing/ assisted living workers and residents needed to be the first to be vaccinated. Then, our oldest and medically vulnerable/ at- risk residents deserve to be next in line for the COVID- 19 vaccine along with anyone who resides with a high risk comorbidity, regardless of age. I advocated for our teachers and school staff to be vaccinated next, to help get our students back to school.
Great news, Governor Lamont announced Feb. 22, 2021 that educators and child care professionals would be eligible to start scheduling their vaccine appointments on March 1. While this is encouraging news, I want to be clear that this is not enough.
Our state must invest in weekly COVID- 19 testing at our schools for everyone to ensure contact tracing efficiency to prevent infection spread.
There must be a clear set of scientific- based recommendations from the state on how school systems should proceed with their reopening plans. Students, parents and staff alike deserve a point of reference to return to so they can manage their expectations in these trying times.
Our state must enable an immediate path back to the classroom. Teachers and school staff need to be vaccinated now so they can return confidently to work and we can start offering full- time in- person classes and restore critical social emotional learning systems for our children in every community ( urban, rural and suburban) in Connecticut.
Our children’s educational future depends on the actions the state can, and must, take today.
Deputy Senate Republican Leader Tony Hwang was re- elected to his 4th term in the CT General Assembly. Hwang was recently appointed ranking leader on Public Health, Insurance and Real Estate and Planning and Development Committees and member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.