Letter to the editor: The petition is about parental choice

Lenoir County Parents:

I am writing to all parents in Lenoir County, NC. I am writing to home school parents, private school parents, public school parents, parents who support the current plan, parents who do not support the current plan, and all parents of school-aged children in Lenoir County. Many of you may have heard, seen, signed, or shared a petition I have started regarding the Lenoir County Public Schools Reopening Plan. I am reaching out to you today to clarify the reason for the petition. The petition is about parental choice. The petition is only about parental choice. 

Those that watched the entirety of the Board meeting on July 27 will recall that the Reopening Plan portion of the meeting began with the Superintendent presenting 4 options to the Board as it relates to Plan B. If you will recall, the options that were initially presented were as follows:

Option B - Version 1 (A Week/B Week)

Option B - Version 2 (AA/BB Fixed Week)

Option B - Version 3 (AA/BB Rotating Week)

Option B - Version 4 (M-W, Tu-Th)

The plan that was recommended to the Board was Option B - Version 2 (AA/BB Fixed) with remote learning for all students for the first 4 weeks and face-to-face instruction beginning September 14. Parents could CHOOSE to continue with remote learning, Plan C. Parents could also CHOOSE the hybrid Plan B.  The Superintendent stated that a form would be posted on the LCPS website on July 28 requiring every parent to CHOOSE Plan B or Plan C. The one time that ALL public school parents could have had a choice, one school board member developed an impromptu plan removing parental choice, three school board members voted along with the plan, while the remaining three members opposed the plan. 

Home school parents have made a choice to home school. Private school parents have chosen a private school education. What if your choices were taken away? Many public school parents, for a variety of reasons, are unable to choose home school or private school. Many public school parents do not have the luxury of choice. Parents that often do not have a choice, would have finally had a real choice regarding their children's education. 

Parents who support the current plan: what if the Board had gone in the opposite direction and required 9 weeks of face-to-face instruction for all students? What if you were told that your only option was to send your children back to school? The choice was taken away from ALL parents. Those that support the plan, and those that do not, both lost their choice. The petition is about all parents losing their choice. 

My hope in writing this letter is that all parents will recognize that I am not fighting for ALL students to go back to the classroom. I am not fighting for ALL students to remote learn. I am fighting for ALL Lenoir County Public School parents to have the CHOICE that was originally presented. Whether you like the plan or not, a choice was made for you. Whether you like the plan or not, your opportunity to choose was taken away. What if you didn't like the decision that was made?

Here is a link to the petition: http://chng.it/m9NHQbt5mC.

Venita Wright
Kinston, NC