Maine teachers were put to the front of the line for vaccination so schools could reopen. Many schools have stayed open for in-person learning throughout the pandemic and successfully, with creativity, put a plan in place to protect both students and staff.
Our granddaughters in York went to their elementary school full time throughout the pandemic, and I was impressed with the care and protection they received. My other grandchildren only went to their school two days a week in South Portland and, in my opinion, learned very little and suffered socially, emotionally and physically. Now is the time to send everyone back to school.
As governor, Janet Mills is responsible for adhering to the laws of mandatory education for all Maine children. If a school wants to deviate in any way from mandatory in-person learning, then they have a waiver process to plead their case.
South Portland just announced that they will not be going back to school this year full time, to my dismay. Special education laws are being broken and mandatory education laws are not being adhered to as children’s lives are being sacrificed to make it easy for the adults in charge. By the way, sports are in full swing, figure that one out..
Gov. Mills should open the schools as she did the bars. She shouldn’t let local districts override Maine law and the educational laws of the United States. She needs to act on this, now.
Jay Bartner
Kennebunk
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