The following pre-written message has been written for your convenience. Superintendent Molly Spearman's tab populates an email message that is ready to send, but local school boards do not have that option. There is an embedded site below to find your school district and any included contact info as needed.

 

Please feel free to copy and paste the letter below, or compose your own. 

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To the members of the *Insert School District Name Here* Board,

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It has come to my attention that Governor Henry McMaster is encouraging school districts in South Carolina to disregard DHEC and CDC recommendations and return to a full, five-day-a-week, face-to-face schedule. The only other option available to parents, per Governor McMaster, is a completely remote learning environment. He will not consider hybrid schedules or split schedules. Further, Governor McMaster has said that he will not approve any plan from a district that does not include the full face-to-face schedule for which he has called. This is reckless and dangerous. Furthermore, it shows little regard for the lives of your students and their parents, not to mention your faculty and staff.

 

Therefore, it is with utmost respect and urgency that I encourage you to continue planning for our return to school using the DHEC guidance provided. As members of the school board, your priority should always be student and staff safety. Everyone agrees that face-to-face learning is what is best and we all want a return to normal. That being said, full-time face-to-face learning is simply irresponsible. Schools should be allowed to temporarily eliminate face-to-face instruction until disease activity in our school area is within safe parameters as defined by DHEC. With the increasing number of COVID-19 infections, especially in persons within school age, we simply must act. 

 

Governor Henry McMaster's failed leadership has driven South Carolina to third in the world for COVID-19 cases. He is now willingly risking the lives of South Carolina teachers and students. Show your community you value these lives. Show your teachers you respect them as professionals who will rise to the challenge of hybrid- and remote-learning once again. Do what is best for those you serve. Temporarily eliminate face-to-face learning until it is safe to do so.