Democrats in New York and New Jersey Open Schools for In-Person Learning While Cooper Fails North Carolina Students and Families | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh NC     Thanks to a lack of leadership from Governor Roy Cooper, over a million North Carolina students are starting the academic year virtually with no end in sight. Studies show forced remote learning fails students and this move directly contradicts what pediatric health experts are recommending.

    Instead of providing leadership for North Carolina's children, Cooper handed the reigns to leftwing union bosses. Meanwhile, several solid blue states have managed to send their state's kids back to school for in-person instruction. Notably New York Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo has implemented a plan allowing students back in the classroom even though he presides over one of the states most detrimentally impacted by COVID-19.

    "Cooper's school policies are radical and out of touch are even amongst his far left liberal peers," said NCGOP Tim Wigginton. "Cooper is constitutionally obligated to administer a sound basic education for all of North Carolina kids, but Cooper has decided to allow kids and families without means to follow further behind their peers."

    Here are a couple of examples of what Cooper's fellow radical Democrat governors are doing to reopen schools and take on the unions compared to Cooper's shut down mentality.

    New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (Democrat and Chair of the Democrat Governor's Association)

    Governor Phil Murphy: "Every education expert has confirmed that in-person education is critical, and remote learning is only an acceptable substitute when absolutely necessary." (Tom Davis, "Gov. Murphy: In-Person NJ Education' Critical' Amid Coronavirus," Patch, 7/27/20)

    Governor Phil Murphy: "Our goal is to provide as much flexibility as possible to local school districts to implement plans that best fit their communities. Safety and education have to go hand in hand... But we also must acknowledge that every education expert we've spoken to over the past few months has confirmed that in-person education is critical and that remote learning is only an acceptable substitute when absolutely necessary... If done safely, I believe we must try to include at least an aspect of in-person education for our children this fall." (Matt Arco, "'In-Person Education Is Critical' In N.J. School Reopening Plans, Murphy Says," NJ Advance Media, 7/27/20)

    Governor Phil Murphy Stated That In-Person Education "Dwarfs" Alternative Options. "Gov. Phil Murphy reiterated Wednesday that he wants all New Jersey school districts to reopen with in-person classes this fall despite a proposed bill calling for only remote learning until at least Oct. 31... 'In-person education dwarfs any remote learning in terms of the efficacy and the richness of that experience,' Murphy said." (Kelly Heyboer, "Schools Should Reopen With In-Person Classes, Murphy Says Again As Lawmakers Call For Delay," NJ Advance Media, 7/29/20)

    New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

    "Based on our infection rate, New York State is in the best possible situation right now. If anybody can open schools, we can open schools. We do masks, we do social distancing, we've kept that infection rate down, and we can bring the same level of intelligence to the school reopening that we brought to the economic reopening," Governor Cuomo said. "Our school guidance has been touted as the smartest as the country. Our economic reopening guidance was the smartest in the country. So, if anyone can do it, we can do it. But we have been successful because we've been smart and we have to continue to be smart. Parents and teachers must feel safe and secure in each school district's plan to return to school, and those plans must adhere to the Department of Health's guidance. To ensure that is the case, New York's family's must be fully informed and part of the conversation. And so, over the next several weeks, school districts must engage: Talking to parents and teachers and getting all parties on board."

• Contact: Tim Wigginton
•     communications@ncgop.org