Don’t use children from low-income families as pawns in a push to reopen CMS schools

In many conversations, I hear people say, “I don’t talk politics.” This is rarely accurate, as everything has political implications.

When the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system announced it was moving to full remote classes to start the year, people silent on federal pandemic incompetence found their voice on school politics.

They ignored that the remote-instruction decision was made because the CDC offered guidance that schools could safely reopen only in communities with a positive COVID-19 test rate under 5% (we were at 10%, now just under 9%). There were other concerns: there is a shortage of school nurses, custodial, and transportation staff and many school buildings were not up standards for a safe reopening.

Some people have blown past these obstacles and pushed for widespread reopening. They claim their concern is the “underprivileged” or most marginalized students (the non-white poor who lack remote-learning support and those with special needs). They blame “emotional” teachers for wanting to follow the science and teach remotely.

Question: If there was an in-person instruction option for our most marginalized youth, while all the other children staying home with remote instruction, would you support it?

If not, you’re using “those kids” and their families’ bodies as pawns for your desire to see schools fully reopen for your own economic reasons or your child-care convenience.

All over the country, communities who have taken shortcuts in response to COVID-19 now want to restore normalcy on the backs of school staff and children. We’ve lacked the courage to challenge adults about minimizing movement, observing distancing and wearing masks, but some have no problem criticizing educators for not feeling safe going back into the classroom when testing in the area is nearly twice the recommended positivity threshold.

Similarly, the Mecklenburg County manager decided without county commission engagement to reopen the county’s pre-K program with in-person instruction, despite only 11% of pre-K teachers saying they felt comfortable with this – 11%.

It should be noted that three-quarters of those in the survey were women of color and nearly two-thirds of them were Black. Their responses were disregarded. Finally, this pre-K program, designed to provide the most marginalized workers free childcare, has eliminated the income cap. It will now also subsidize affluent people.

Once again, we’re asking Black and brown women who are more susceptible to COVID-19 to sacrifice their bodies – against their expressed desire – for the sake of someone else’s economic gains?

Is there anything more on brand for America in this time of awakening to systemic racism? This same demographic is performing tasks around the community, underpaid, often underinsured, with nothing better than the label “essential.” When only 11% of your staff feels good about in-person instruction, and you dismiss the fears of the great majority, essential comes off more like indentured.

If you are really worried about marginalized children, take these other steps.

Tell Sen. Thom Tills and state Senate leader Phil Berger to stop defunding our schools. Challenge your state legislator to expand Medicaid so more people have access to health care during this pandemic. Push Berger to bring House Bill 1225 to the floor to address ventilation issues at Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Challenge the county to listen to pre-K teachers, to fill 46 school nursing vacancies and get our community’s positive test numbers below 5% before pushing for in-person school instruction. Challenge your neighbors to practice social distancing and wear masks.

We’re already talking politics. Let’s do it more maturely.