Governor Whitmer’s continued shutdown is hurting students across the state, and it’s becoming apparent that she is more concerned about serving on Biden’s inauguration committee rather than implementing a plan to open schools as medical experts have recommended.
December 15, 2020
Governor Gretchen Whitmer held a press conference today to provide an update on COVID-19 cases and the response but neglected to mention the concerning reports that Michigan’s students are suffering from state forced school closures, nor did Whitmer announce a plan to get students back into the classroom, which is recommended by medical professionals.
The Lansing State Journal reported this morning that “Hundreds of Lansing School District students aren’t going to class consistently.”
“Nearly 2,000 students, or an average of about 20% of the student body, haven’t disappeared, but they haven’t regularly attended classes since school started remotely on Aug. 31. Classes will remain online at least through Jan. 22”.
“Students in seventh through 12th grades had the highest absence rates. In November, school district officials considered 41% of those students severely chronically absent, meaning they missed20% or more of their classes.”
“Another 18% were considered moderately chronically absent, meaning they missed between 10% and 20% of their classes, according to school district data.”
It’s not just Lansing Public School students suffering. “Attendance, failing grades, and enrollment down for Mid-Michigan schools” reported WILX.
“We’ll reach out to some of these hard-reach families and out of nowhere you’ll get a parent contact or a student will email a teacher and you mark it down and you’re excited because they’re engaging and then they disappear for another three weeks or four weeks,” said Michigan Center Schools Superintendent Brady Cook.”
Governor Whitmer’s continued shutdown is hurting students across the state, and it’s becoming apparent that she is more concerned about serving on Biden’s inauguration committee rather than implementing a plan to open schools as medical experts have recommended. – Tori Sachs, executive director of Michigan Rising Action.