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The city of Durham, North Carolina, plans to reopen public elementary schools this fall, but will charge a hefty fee. The surcharge is on top of the substantial local property taxes that parents pay to bankroll the schools.
Corey DeAngelis is the director of school choice at the Reason Foundation, a public-policy think tank. He slammed the Durham Public School District, saying its shameless move to charge fees is unconstitutional.
DeAngelis tweeted: “Durham is reopening public elementary schools as ‘learning centers.’ They are charging families up to $140 per child per week. That’s on top of what families already pay through property taxes. That’s unconstitutional.”
DeAngelis excerpted the North Carolina constitution, which says public schools are supposed to remain open nine months of the year and are provided free of charge because they get their funding through the taxes that parents and other residents pay.
North Carolina constitution:
"The General Assembly shall provide by taxation and otherwise for a general and uniform system of free public schools, which shall be maintained at least nine months in every year, and wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students.”
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) August 15, 2020
New York City has also announced plans to provide child care for 100,000 children in the fall since it won’t reopen schools.
Why are New Yorkers forced to pay property taxes to finance public schools if teachers aren’t working?
The @NYCMayor is announcing a plan to provide child care for 100K NYC children in the fall. It will use community centers and organizations, libraries and other space to set up care. The number of spots he says could increase in the fall.
— Gloria Pazmino (@GloriaPazmino) July 16, 2020
Teachers unions across the nation have adamantly opposed reopening schools, claiming they’re concerned about contracting the coronavirus.
However, teachers have also expressed opposition to remote-teaching, saying they’re worried about how they’ll look on camera.
“Many teachers have expressed anxiety about how they and their homes would look on camera.”
Teachers unions are now concerned about teaching from home as well because:
“Many teachers have expressed anxiety about how they and their homes would look on camera.” pic.twitter.com/bqVGa3wpJu
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) August 15, 2020
The brouhaha erupted after the Durham Public School system announced it will operate six “learning centers” for students who need supervision while classrooms are closed and teaching is done remotely.
The school system is charging up to $140 a week per student, essentially to provide childcare services.
“Opening our school year remotely is the right decision to protect our students and staff from COVID-19. However, there are many families in Durham who need additional support during the school day.
The DPS Learning Centers will provide a safe space to complete online learning, meals and snacks, and social-emotional activities.
Students will be assigned to small pods with daily wellness screenings, distribution and required use of face masks, and planned circulation and seating of six feet social distancing.”
Teachers’ unions around the country have opposed reopening public schools, citing COVID concerns.
However, Congressman Steve Scalise pointed out that the teachers are basically holding kids hostage in order to negotiate for their radical left-wing agendas.
Scalise tweeted: “Powerful liberal teachers unions are holding kids hostage to the far-left’s lunatic agenda. Their re-opening demands?
- Defund the police.
- Abolish charter schools.
- Cancel rents and mortgages.
“This isn’t about safety for them. It’s political extortion.”
Disgusting. → Powerful liberal teachers unions are holding kids hostage to the far-left's lunatic agenda.
Their re-opening demands?
– Defund the police
– Abolish charter schools
– Cancel rents and mortgagesThis isn’t about safety for them. It’s political extortion.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) August 4, 2020
Dr. Marc Siegel warned Fox News host Tucker Carlson that keeping children out of schools will do more than good.
Siegel said: “You know what some of those things that children have died from and will continue to if the schools stay closed? Child abuse, which is going unreported, lack of vaccinations, immunizations against other diseases — like measles, not getting proper nutrition, you’re going to see starvation. You’re going to see depression. You’re going to see suicides. All of that occurs if the schools don’t open.”
(Source: Tucker Carlson Tonight)
Dr. Siegel continued: “We have to teach our kids about how to take proper precautions, but we need our schools to be centers for learning and centers for socialization and social skills. That will decrease the amount of despair and deaths from non-COVID-related causes. In the meantime, let’s show our kids courage. They’re looking to parents for leadership. Leadership says, ‘Open the schools wherever we can.'”
Black Republican torpedoes Democrat Party: ‘Democrats think black people are stupid’
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Samantha Chang is a senior staff writer for BizPac Review. She is a financial editor and lawyer based in New York City.
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