Parson displayed 'callous disregard for the suffering of children', education assoc. says
JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri National Education Association responded to Governor Mike Parson's statement about students contracting coronavirus when returning to school in a press release Tuesday.
Missouri National Education Association President Phil Murray said Parson's statement disregarded the suffering children and families may risk when schools reopen.
Governor Parson’s statement demonstrates a callous disregard for the suffering of children and the safety of the parents, grandparents, educators, and students that will be put at risk if schools are reopened with improper plans and protections.
When the Governor says that children are, “gonna get over it” he forgets that some children won’t. He forgets that some children will be left with life-long health problems and some children will lose their lives. He forgets the parents, grandparents, educators, and other children who will become sick and will suffer unnecessarily.
In a Friday interview with talk-radio host Marc Cox on KFTK (97.1 FM), Governor Parson said students are low risk for COVID-19 and need to return to school.
Parson went on to say that he expects when students return to school, they will get the virus but they are less likely to have a serious case of the virus.
These kids have got to get back to school. They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will, and they will when they go to school, they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctors’ offices.
They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it and most of it all proves to be that way. And if you look at the sciences of it, we’ve got to get real with that and realize that we’ve got to move forward.
During the interview with KFTK, Parson argued the risks associated with not putting students back in class and getting them involved in activities are greater than the risks created by the coronavirus.
This isn't a new stance for Parson, who on other occasions, has vocalized his support of returning students to school.
"There's a lot of things that can occur by not having them in school that could be far worse than going in there and fighting a virus that we know what's happening there," Parson said in a July 9th press briefing.
Months after Missouri schools officially shut down on March 19 and were ordered to remain closed through the end of the year, Parson stated that he had numerous conversations with school administrators and he's confident state leaders can reopen schools safely.
"We highly encourage Missouri schools to do whatever they can to reopen and get our students back in the classroom," Parson said.
Murray said educators are taking on more responsibilities with fewer resources and smaller budgets.
"Educators are constantly told to do more with less at a time when our schools need the necessary resources to protect students. Already this year communities have seen over $250 million in cuts to local schools all while the Governor found $15 million to advertise Missouri as a tourist destination in the midst of a pandemic," Murray said.
