School’s Out: NC’s Largest School Districts Opting for Online Instruction

RALEIGH – Back in April and May, arguably the time in which the fear and angst surrounding the dangers of the coronavirus were thickest, even talk of kids not going back to school in the fall seemed far fetched. Fast forward a few months and the most controversial move among North Carolina school districts is actually having in-person instruction.

It’s Pandemic Panic 2.0 as case numbers rise and government officials turn the caution back back up to 11 the stoke the fires of fear. Naturally, then, the largest school districts in the state are favoring now favoring online instruction in reaction to the fear inculcated among teachers (and their opportunistic unions) and parents.

From North State Journal:

“Leaders of North Carolina’s largest public school district agreed Tuesday to stick with only online student learning to start the academic year, marking another system refusing to return to classrooms next month due to COVID-19.

The school board for the Wake County system, which has more than 160,000 students, unanimously approved a schedule different from the one it approved three weeks ago. Board members had earlier committed to a rotational plan in which students would return by receiving in-person teaching one week out of every three.

Superintendent Cathy Moore said her staff’s recommendation had changed as coronavirus hospitalizations and the percentage of positive cases have increased, and with Gov. Roy Cooper’s K-12 announcement last week. He said that while public schools could hold in-person instruction provided everyone wears face coverings and classrooms hold fewer students, districts also could decide to conduct all instruction online. […]

The Cumberland County school board also voted earlier Tuesday to operate remotely through at least Sept. 25. The Durham County, Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro systems already have decided to keep buildings shuttered when classes resume Aug. 17.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, No. 2 in system population statewide, agreed last week that it will have in-person orientation during the first two weeks, followed by online instruction for the immediate future. […]”

Wake County Superintendent Cathy Moore is spinning the walking-back of the county’s first plan, featuring in-person instruction for one week, followed by two weeks of virtual instruction. According to some Wake County teachers that have spoken with First in Freedom Daily, it was the N.C. Association of Educators and their Wake County chapter that pushed the district to take a more fearful, online-dependent approach.

If you doubt that organizations like these care more about furthering cultural narratives and political agendas, consider that the Wake NCAE web page lists first among it’s prioritized activities, “Supporting peaceful protests.” In fact, none of the actions listed under ‘What is Wake NCAE doing right now?’ mention anything directly related to better educating children.

The closest thing to it would be working on reopening plans, but we know that their input was for teachers to as little in-person instruction as possible.

Mind you, even for the times where limited students will be allowed to actually attend school, the children — kindergartners — will be required to wear face masks all day.

Do you like the new normal?

Read more about school district plans at NSJ.

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