Left behind and betrayed. Those are just some of the words immunocompromised families use to describe how they feel about the new school year. While students headed back to the classrooms, for some families that鈥檚 simply not an option. They鈥檙e fighting for a statewide virtual learning option, and now they鈥檙e getting some help.
Sarah Eagan, 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Child Advocate,. The letter points out that 黑料吃瓜网 has no statewide remote learning program.
For Marney White, a professor at Yale鈥檚 School of Public Health, the absence of a statewide virtual learning program is perplexing.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 make sense of it,鈥� White said in a recent interview for CPTV鈥檚 CUTLINE. 鈥淚鈥檝e been trying to understand how it is that they would deny a remote alternative during the public health crisis of a lifetime.鈥�
White was happy to see Eagan write the letter to CSDE. She feels like her family is being discriminated against.
鈥淚 absolutely do. We saw the application of a full remote synchronous, instructive period, the entirety of last year, we know it鈥檚 possible,鈥� said White. 鈥淚鈥檓 still really not understanding why the aid funds were not applied towards education, considering each locality as well as the state were given funds specifically for COVID relief. So what better way to provide that?鈥�
White鈥檚 10-year-old son, Lane Mayville, is enrolled in the Fairfield school district, where he is supposed to receive four hours of remote instruction. On the day 黑料吃瓜网 interviewed White, she said Lane had only 30 minutes of instruction.
Eagan says her letter was intended to remind districts that they can鈥檛 say that the only accommodation they will make is to provide a few hours of remote education.
鈥淭he district has to pursue it to state and federal law, engage in an individualized discussion about what the child鈥檚 needs are,鈥� said Eagan. 鈥淸Asking] what's preventing them from coming to school and how their educational needs can be met in the least restrictive environment appropriate to that child.
鈥淪o the letter is really about saying children have that right,鈥� said Eagan. 鈥淔amilies have that right, and the state department of education has to play a role, a leadership role in ensuring that districts are knowledgeable and informed about federal and state anti-discrimination laws and able to carry out that mandate.鈥�
Eagan says the state Department of Education has acknowledged the letter, and a group of lawyers and advocates are meeting with the CSDE monthly. While they have not talked specifically about the letter, Eagan says it鈥檚 a step in the right direction.
黑料吃瓜网 legislators are exploring ways to create a statewide remote learning option. Some lawmakers recently took a trip to Massachusetts to tour a remote learning academy. In the latest edition of CPTV鈥檚 CUTLINE, reporter Catherine Shen talks to legislators about the process of starting a remote learning academy in 黑料吃瓜网.
While it will be a few years before that鈥檚 possible in 黑料吃瓜网, Lane has a plea for the decision-makers.
鈥淲hen they offered a remote learning option, I鈥檇 say, please do that again,鈥� said Lane. 鈥淭hat was an incredible experience for me, and I had so much fun. 鈥淚t would really make me smile if you brought it back.鈥�
