If you have been following the Wayne County Board of Education’s recent decision to begin the school year on the state’s hybrid Plan B, you also are aware that the 5-2 vote has caused a bit of unrest among teachers, staff and the community.
And if you have been keeping an eye on Facebook comments and messages and actions by board members who voted on the “yes” side, you know that the board does not seem all that interested in changing its plans for the first days of school.
In fact, some members are doubling down — and getting some backup from a newly created Wayne County Republican Party Instagram page, which includes a post justifying the decision with the latest CDC guidelines.
At today’s special called board meeting — we will have much more on that later — board member Ven Faulk asked that a link to the CDC report be posted on the Wayne County Public Schools website.
He, and the county GOP, failed to mention that CDC director Robert Redfield said after the guidelines were published that there should be exceptions for states in the “red zone.” (North Carolina is in the red zone, which is defined as a state that is reporting more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents a day.)
So, while we can’t tell you what the board’s next move will be, we suspect that the recent flurry of district-produced meeting summaries and announcements might signal a new strategy — controlling the narrative.
Can’t imagine who forced that move. But in case you need a hint, we should point out that the New Old North is not exactly on the district or board’s speed dial list these days.
In fact, we are still waiting for an interview we requested two weeks ago about the district’s reopening plan.
And we will keep waiting, because we have heard from numerous parents who didn’t even know how to find the registration form for the Virtual Academy.
And we know that there is no way every family has the information they need to make an informed decision.
With less than three weeks until classes start, the district’s “plan” is still in draft form. And there is no telling what the Virtual Academy will look like, again, because the district refuses to detail this critical information beyond self-published “news” stories on a district website that doesn’t get much traffic.
Think about it this way. When WCPS was talking about closing Edgewood, they couldn’t get in touch with all the parents. And those particular families were heavily vested in that decision.
Have you gotten a call from your child’s principal about Plan B vs. Virtual Academy? Have you gotten a call from a member of the Central Office team?
Your phone was ringing off the hook when WCPS wanted to inform you about food distribution locations when schools were closed this spring, but what about now? How many calls have you gotten about the deadline for making this monumental decision?
And even if there were robocall reminders, keep in mind that during the Edgewood debacle, WCPS staff noted that many phone numbers for families that were on file were incorrect. So, it seems hard to believe that every family’s decision-maker is even aware that they have a choice between remote instruction and face-to-face learning.
At this point, the lack of information is more problematic than the virus.
And the scary part is, it doesn’t stop at families’ decisions on how their child will be educated this fall.
It’s proof positive that WCPS is not ready to send children back into schools.
We know that because there is another piece of information that came across the news this past week. Most school districts in North Carolina have chosen to start the school year, at least for the first few weeks, in Plan C, the remote learning option.
And that includes the conservative-leaning Johnston County school board and most recently, nearby Duplin and Lenoir.
Why the delay, you might ask. If the goal is to get children back in the classrooms, then shouldn’t we get on with it?
The point that these boards seem to get — and the one WCPS’ seems to have missed — is that waiting a few weeks does nothing except make the school experience better for teachers, students and staff.
A delay brings with it the opportunity for ALL families to weigh in and for ALL the information to get out.
So, we ask the question: Are Wayne County Public Schools ready to welcome students back safely?
We get why the board might be sticking to its guns on this position.
There is a reason so many people are doubting the motives of those tasked with directing the COVID-19 pandemic response.
There have been conflicting reports, mixed messages, battling experts, test results controversies and a whole lot of coverage that smells more like advocacy than unbiased reporting.
They say it is all about science, but is it? Some people aren’t so sure anymore.
But no matter where you stand on COVID-19, there is something we all agree on. No matter how much we might argue about what we have gone through over the past four months — and whether that response was justified or an overreaction — the bottom line is we want our students, teachers, bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria workers to be safe.
And to do that, caution is a necessity. And, again, people need to understand all the information — mainly, what school is going to look like under Plan B.
So, while we might want to get those school doors back open and students and teachers back to their desks — for what it’s worth, that is what we want, too — we know that there are concerns to overcome.
And we know that because the professionals we have tasked with getting those doors open have pointed out the many details that have to be worked out.
And that is why Johnston County, which has a detailed — yes, we said DETAILED — plan for returning under Plan B ready to go, decided not to bring back students until after Labor Day. That decision, by the way, was made after a six-hour meeting where district staff had answers for nearly every concern raised by board members.
The board wanted to give the schools time to make sure that they have worked out the kinks and to give scientists and others a little more time to come up with more reliable therapeutics and possibly get a little closer to a vaccine.
That is because they know that schools have a tendency to be petri dishes anyway — that it is difficult to keep illness from spreading through the hallways and that keeping children apart, at any age, but especially in elementary school, is beyond a challenge.
But whenever we talk about why there should be a delay, we get hit with “all you do is criticize, but you don’t offer a solution.”
So, we have decided to do both.
Let’s start with the purpose of a hybrid plan.
The idea is to get children back in school, right?
But what will that mean exactly?
We did the math.
The hybrid model requires teachers to manage not only in-person classes at school, but remote learning students as well. That means their day will have to be divided — and that necessitates shorter class periods and early dismissal for the “in-person” learners.
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Tamara Berman-Ishee told the board as much before the vote.
So how much time will students actually be in the classroom?
Under the Plan B model, high school students would get face-to-face instruction four days every three weeks. There are 18 weeks in a semester and, by the way, there is zero chance Gov. Roy Cooper reverses course ahead of November’s election. That means if Plan B sticks through Christmas Break, high school students will net 24 days of in-person instruction.
Now, what if the district justifiably honors the need for early dismissal? Those “days” begin to decrease.
UPDATE: In a message sent to families through Class Dojo — a message that was screen-shotted and is now making the rounds on social media — Northeast Elementary School Principal Julie West confirmed students would be dismissed at 1:15 p.m. We have reached out to WCPS for comment and will update this story if/when a response is given.
Throw in temperature checks, eating in classrooms, sanitation protocols if someone at school is sick and those hours decrease even more.
The same is true for K-8 students. Under Plan B, they would attend school for two days a week for 18 weeks. That’s 36 days. Between now and Christmas. Again, early dismissal and the aforementioned checklist requirements would make that number smaller.
Does that seem like game-changing instructional time?
And the hybrid Plan B does not eliminate one of the most-pressing problems — what do working-parents do with their children when they are not in school?
We have had many of them tell us that Plan B solves nothing. They still need more daycare and have to manage remote learning themselves for the vast majority of first semester.
Think about this: If you work a fulltime job and your child is K-8, you are still in a bind for three days a week. High school parents are only covered four days every three weeks.
Where are all these children going to go?
And who is going to pick them up on the days they are actually in school but are dismissed early?
The district is trying to come up with alternatives, but how is that going to work?
Is stuffing kids in daycare, afterschool programs or on-site classrooms any better than returning to school?
Sure doesn’t sound like it to us.
And that brings up another issue — another of the reasons board members gave for supporting Plan B — socialization.
Our kids need to be with their friends, and there are consequences from the isolation and the circumstances they have faced in the last four months. That goes without saying.
But what will happen when they get back to school?
Their classes will be smaller — and there is no guarantee that they will be in a room with their friends.
They must wear masks. They must social distance.
That means no shared giggles or whispers in the hallways and no lunch table conversations.
And what about recess — or art class, chorus or gym?
They won’t look anything like they did pre-COVID.
That is not socialization.
Not unless teachers and administrators blatantly violate the state’s mandatory protocols.
OK, so those are the challenges. What is the solution?
Start remotely — like Johnston County.
And like Duplin and Wilson counties.
And like Wake and Durham counties.
And like Sampson, Cumberland and Lenoir counties.
Take the time to get the kinks worked out, to try options and to make sure the supplies, the plans — and the internet accessibility necessary for this to work — are in place.
Set a hard date and give parents and the community time to come up with safe ways to make sure their children get to school and can actually learn there.
We can all pretend that remote learning was seamless, but it wasn’t. And those issues need to be addressed as well.
If students are set to come back in September, the district will have the time it needs to make sure the needs of the students — and it really is about the students — are met, and teachers and their families are protected as well.
We know we cannot hide from COVID-19 forever. And we are optimistic that soon we will be back to where we were four months ago — a little more cautious and still taking care to respect the health consequences of the pandemic, but more comfortable that we can run a school and a classroom safely.
All this would be is a delay — a little more time for families and schools to get their affairs in order.
Teachers and principals will work together to get their students’ school years started, and while it might not be the best way, it will be the responsible and practical way.
Families could get a better handle on how to manage early dismissal days and work with local daycares to ensure their children have a place to go on those many days they will be out of school.
So, here is the motion that we should hear this Monday at the board’s regular monthly meeting: Start school Aug. 17 remotely for all students. Pick a day during the week after Labor Day as the first official hybrid day or later if that is what is best, with an eye to returning to regular classes as soon as possible.
That “back to normal” date might be dependent on a vaccine or more research on effective therapeutics — or numbers that suggest we are where we need to be.
There will still be doubters and those who aren’t sure you are doing the right thing.
There will be those who think the delay is an overreaction and those who will label it an underreaction.
But you will show that you understand the fears and challenges — and that this is about listening and being flexible.
And if you don’t, be upfront with parents and students about what in-person instruction is going to look like.
Ensure every single one of them receives a phone call or a letter from the district.
Tell them that children won’t be able to share playground equipment or hang all over their friends in the hallways or classrooms.
Tell them that high-schoolers will only be on campus 20 times between now and Christmas — and that K-8 students will only be there 36.
Admit that what Berman-Ishee explained was true and those 24-36 days on campus will be early-dismissal days and that recess, gym class and electives are either not going to happen or are going to lose all value when you factor in mandatory social distancing and mask-wearing.
And be real with the teachers you serve about the challenges they will be forced to meet as both in-person and remote educators.
Because if you believe every WCPS teacher is going to be live-streaming lectures from their classrooms, you are fooling yourselves. It is simply not a realistic expectation given the resources available to our educators.
Just don’t make the decision to be the rogue county to prove a point about how you think the coronavirus pandemic has been managed.
This should not be about politics. Not now.
There are plenty of questions to be asked about all of this and we should ask them later.
Right now, this should be about what the best course of action is to keep our community safe.
The reason other counties are waiting is because under the governor’s directive — which, by the way, was a non-decision we think was designed to protect his political interests and appease his base ahead of the election — more planning and a cautious start is the more prudent option.
Wayne County should follow suit.
Unfortunately, you are wasting your time. The board is a group of stubborn children who will have their way, no matter who gets hurt. Strickland has pulled her kids from the dangerous situation, let us see if the other board members follow suit.
At one time, I thought Mr Faulk may think independently. I was mistaken. He drank the Kool-Aid.
Thank you for speaking out when many of us cannot. Keep up the great work
The instagram you referenced is NOT the official Instagram account of the Wayne County NC Republican Party.
Freeman Hardison Jr.
Chairman, Wayne County NC GOP
I noticed that new Instagram account, too. It sure looks official. Maybe Mr. Hardison should get his house in order. It’s called “waynecountygop” and uses their logo and promotes all their news, including Mr. Hardison being appointed to the county board. Excuses. Excuses.
If that’s true, you should tell the creators of that page to clarify that it’s not the official GOP page.
Better get our fellow Republicans in line, Mr. Hardison. Looks like Chris West or Ven Faulk or Billy Strickland started their own Wayne County GOP and they are gonna get us beat in November. Faulk is a goner. Strickland got blown out. And West is as corrupt as they come. Imagine a Republican watching millions of dollars get wasted! That is NOT what this party is about. Get this mess cleaned up Mr. Freeman or we are doomed. The Old North has major influence and if you don’t know that you weren’t paying attention during the Goldsboro mayor race. Chuck would have lost to Bevan Foster if it weren’t for their viral editorial and Constance Corham would be on the council. When their conservative editor turns on her own party, it’s time to wake up. Read between the lines. Renee is trying to save the party in Wayne County just like she did with Steve Keen. Get rid of West, Faulk and Strickland or she’s gonna keep lighting us up. Take charge, Mr. Chairman or god help us all.
Mr. Hardison are you saying you want us to believe that this Instagram page is a fraud?
https://www.instagram.com/waynecountygop/
Because it sure looks a lot like your Facebook page – it shares the same logo, contact information and even has all the same posts.
https://www.facebook.com/WayneCountyNCGOP/
So, then are both social media accounts frauds?
Because if they are not the official accounts of the Wayne County NC Republican Party, I would think you would be enraged that there were people out there falsely representing themselves as your organization and do something about it.
New old north needs to get a grip!
At least WCPS is trying to get kids back in school instead of succumbing to the lawlessness of our Governor who could care less.
How about you start making articles on your Governor who has turned North Carolina upside down. Including the kids schools.
This sure doesn’t sound like Miss Carey was letting the governor off this hook. “The reason other counties are waiting is because under the governor’s directive — which, by the way, was a non-decision we think was designed to protect his political interests and appease his base ahead of the election — more planning and a cautious start is the more prudent option.” This article sounds to me like a neutral argument politically speaking. And I read Renee Carey’s editorials every Sunday for years in the NewsArgust and she is a proud Republican. Sounds like the GOP is trying to call this fake news because a real conservative like me and like Miss Carey are calling them out on their BS. West, Strickland and Faulk are fake Republicans. They only care about the power. Democko dropped out of the GOP for a while. I know because I’m a member of the party. Leatham is the only real Republican on that board. We need to take OUR PARTY back and that should start with YOU Mr. Hardison.
If by “real” Republican/conservative you mean someone who makes accusations without getting the facts then, yes. You and “National Enquirer” journalist Carey are the “real” conservatives. You obviously don’t even know the people you are criticizing. I know these people so I know what your saying is false.
$100 says this post is from a. Jennifer Strickland, b. one of her family members or c. one of her blind loyalist followers. There is nothing Conservative about watching millions of dollars get wasted by government and doing nothing. As a proud member of the GOP, I find the actions of the so-called Republicans on the board repugnant. Not so much Leatham because he sticks to his guns and wasn’t involved in the money being missing. Speaking of facts, this person clearly wasn’t a NewsArgus subscriber when Rene wrote editorials for years because there is nothing fake about her conservative views. Maybe this clown needs to get their facts straight. But that would require actually taking the time to understand issues instead of being a sheep. This reminds me of the president attacking FoxNews. Wake up whoever you are. You’re making a fool of yourself when everyone Republican I know is ashamed of this school board. Go whine about your so-called fake news at the Strickland family reunion.
Or she could write about the failed President that is responsible for us being in this position to start with. No plan to contain the virus, repeated attempts to slow down testing, lying about the severity of the pandemic, worst economy and biggest deficits ever. The absolute definition of failure.
Because the board jumped the gun due to politics and self serving agendas, the county is again put in a no win situation and the teachers will take the hit. All things being equal, plan A would be the way to go but due to rampant financial mismanagement and utterly impossible safety requirements that isnt possible. So, instead, they chose the political option because some parents complained that teachers weren’t working hard enough during the closures and want more accountability. Plan B gives them that accountability while putting the onus directly on the teachers to make it work because there isnt a realistic plan in place from the all knowing, all important, great and powerful school board! The central office folks in their ivory tower knew this, tried to tell the board this and were basically told to “shut up and color” because no amount of info will change our minds. So, they put their politics over the children’s safety and when it all goes wrong, will put the blame on the administrators, teachers and staff who were dealt a bad hand from the beginning because the board will, as always, take no responsibility for their incompetence and narrow vision mindset.
Wcps is a joke! Everyone knows that this county is a freak show. Guess what the BOE doesn’t care!!!! They are still making underhanded decisions. Get rid of Chris West and his cronies!
How is it the same board that didn’t know anything about the financial problems of WCPS now seems to know more than all the surrounding counties on what is best for the students and staff.
If some WCPS parents are on board with other counties maybe they should transfer their students there. I have enjoyed most of your commentary until recently when they appear to be very one sided. Have you taken a poll from parents who feel like Plan C is the best option vs Plan B? Or is this just all teacher based. Essential workers do not get to choose whether they work or not due to a pandemic, nor should educators, we follow guidelines and take safety precautions. I’m certain if any child has been out of their home since March they have seen or been a part of the “new normal” of mask and social distancing. Will this be hard to incorporate, sure, but if we would focus more on how we as a community and school system are going to make this work vs your standpoint of does your voice really matter maybe just maybe we could move forward with Plan B, even if delayed until September.
You just made our point. We need time to make it work and plan. August 17th does not give anyone time. September will give us the time to prepare. Start with C, prepare and then move to B. I completely agree. That is what NON has said all along.
If you don’t think teachers have worked, without pay, all summer, you know absolutely nothing about education. Just the new software they will be required to use has it them in training (unpaid) all week.
Who do you think will pay for the cleaning supplies, tissues and non-shareable pencils, books etc.? It will not be the BOE. Teachers are not supposed to take.toilet paper from the restrooms to use for running noses. I was called into the principal ‘s office for having a.toilet paper.roll on my desk. I brought it from home.
I have no issue delaying the start of schools to better prepare but do I want my children to do virtual learning from now until January, absolutely not!
And no where in my statement did I say teachers have not worked all summer with or without pay. And if you think that any other occupation gets paid for their time during certain situations then you are also wrong.
In no way am I underrating teachers and their jobs. I am sure most make sacrifices just as people in other professions do. I am thankful for the good teachers.
All the plans have problems. It’s a difficult time and no matter what plan is chosen there will be angry people crying BS. They said in their meeting they may have to switch to plan C. They are not dead set on plan B; they are willing to change if they see a change is needed. The board members thought it would be easier to go from plan B to plan C than the other way around. WCPS board has a difficult no win decision to make. They are not the evil monsters that New Old North tries to make them out to be
They’re not too far off though. How else are people supposed to look at this board when they didn’t do their job overseeing the last administration which got us into a huge fund balance deficit, then turned around and hired a $23k interim superintendent who is supposed to have excellent experience but they refuse to listen to him when it comes time to make the decisions? The low regard for the BOE right now isn’t the fault of journalists in the county, it’s the fault of board members who have frankly been terrible at their jobs.
Rene Carey there are several issues with your article. Here are just a few:
1. Robert Redfield mentioned “hots pots” not “red zones.”
2. You did not fully define “red zones” missing the key word “new” before cases.
3. Wayne County was listed as a “yellow zone” in the White House 7.14.20 report that listed NC as a red zone state.
4. Current “hot spot” report shows Wayne County only has 15 daily cases per 100,000 on a 14 day average.
According to Rene the CDC director Robert Redfield said after the guidelines were published that there should be exceptions for states in the “red zone.” (North Carolina is in the red zone, which is defined as a state that is reporting more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents a day.)
A “Red Zone” is defined by areas that reported new cases above 100 per 100,000 people last week and had more than 10 percent tests come back positive.
According to other sources Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there should be exceptions for “hot spots,” and he used a metric that would include parts of at least 33 states.
It is important to realized we cannot and should not treat the entire state as a whole as it is referenced that parts of 33 states so lets take a look at hot spots and red zones. According to the previously mentioned report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force this week (7/14/20), 772 counties or parishes across the United States are “red zones,” meaning they have test positivity rates above 10 percent — double the metric Redfield set — and are weekly adding more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents.
5. Lastly Rene stated the Board of Education serves the teachers. This is incorrect as the Board serves the public in general not the employees of the entity which they oversee. If anything the teachers serve the board who serves the public. They are the authority not the servant.
If you read anything other than Fox News you would know that the White House heavily edited the CDC guidelines and it has been made very clear that the only reason they released revised guidance was to appease the president after he publicly made a huge push for school reopenings. I think Rene’s point here is that in-person instruction is the goal but our district is dragging its ass on an actual plan and the school board made a quick decision without taking the information into account. If you don’t think the new CDC guidelines are politicized, Marty, you’re crazy. As Rene said, this should not be about politics. And if you really don’t think COVID is a big deal in Wayne County tell that to the 37 families who lost a loved one. I am one of them and the death in my family was not due to preexisting conditions. Science deniers like you disgust me. But go read some more Fox News and pump up Trump and his conspiracy theories, Marty. Level-headed people know that 150,000 funerals in the U.S. that could have been avoided are not a drop in the bucket. Grow up.
It’s funny that Marty seems like the type of person who thinks this is all fake but isn’t the least bit skeptical of a CDC report when the CDC Director can be fired by the president if he doesn’t bend to his will on schools reopening. Another great argument from a Trump supporter. The author of this story, however, lays blame on the Democratic governor of our state and lays out facts about her reasoning for her opinion that schools open under Plan b while stating plainly that she thinks kids need to be in school. This isn’t about who is right about corona. Rene said that too. This is about having an actual plan before we send our teachers and students into the unknown. Why is that such a dramatic thing to say? Unbelievable.
#5 – Most teachers reside in Wayne County, pay taxes, vote, and are even students’ parents. So the BOE may oversee us in a professional capacity, but they most certainly do serve us as citizens. Failure to consider constituents’ concerns is negligence on their parts and will not likely be forgotten on ballots.
It’s a lot, too much, too soon, too dangerous right now. Plan C
Just read the details for plan b. If that’s what school is going to look like then might as well not have it. Anyone who thinks that day is going to help kids socially and emotionally is out of their mind. These poor children.
If you look closely at the plan, children will not socialize in the cafeteria, on the bus, in halls, in special are classes, or the playground. Instruction will be at a minimum. The day will be consumed with processes, and minimal instruction. The only thing that will be accomplished is placing your child, bus drivers, and teachers at risk for their life. Is plan b really worth this? Why not just start out smart with Plan c and work towards plan b? How is it that a panel of about 10 members can make the decision to put everyone at risk for their own agendas. They are not acting on behalf of parents, or school members. If they were, they would follow the other counties that are acting on science. But it’s pretty hopeless now because they are so self absorbed, they will never back down on their decision of plan B. All I can say is…what a joke.