To fight abuse and depression, all SC kids need to be in school, pediatricians say

A group of South Carolina pediatricians is recommending that school districts around the state do all they can to ensure children can return to school — and to their classrooms — when the school begins again.

The pediatricians, members of the S.C. chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, say that “educators are crucial to children being monitored for their safety” and that since the coronavirus closed schools in March, many children’s mental health has deteriorated and pediatricians are seeing increasing cases of child abuse and neglect.

The open letter comes at a time when South Carolina educators say they have some 16,000 “missing children” — children they haven’t been able to contact since mid-March, when schools around the state closed to stop the spread of the highly contagious and sometimes fatal COVID-19 virus. There are some 780,000 students in the state’s 1,250 public schools.

A special State Senate subcommittee meeting, chaired by Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, is planned for Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Senate Office building. A pediatricians’ representative, Dr. Deborah Greenhouse of Columbia, and Kathy Maness, executive director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, are expected to speak.

Also on hand will be State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and Connelly-Anne Ragley, legislative liaison for the S.C. Department of Social Services, the state agency that looks after children’s welfare. Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, said Monday the pediatricians’ letter prompted has prompted him to attend Shealy’s meeting because he wants children back in school.

The Academy’s recommendations, contained in an open letter from pediatrics chapter president Dr. Kerry Sease of Greenville, says that:

▪ Schools play a “critical role in addressing racial and social inequity,” and the pandemic has been particularly hard on families who rely on school lunches and have limited access to the Internet and health care.

▪ Children are less likely to be infected with the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

▪ Current data suggest children “are also not as likely to carry and spread the virus to others such as teachers, parents (and grandparents).”

▪ The American Academy of Pediatrics is ready to offer scientific-based guidance on social distancing, disinfection, immunization, face coverings and other matters related to how to open schools safely.

Greenhouse, the Columbia pediatrician, said it is crucial for the state’s goal to get all children back in school.

“We have to come up with the best plan we can devise for all the children in South Carolina, not just the ones who have parents at home who can help them,” Greenhouse said. “It won’t be easy, and we’ve got to be flexible ... and do it as safely as we can.”

Maness, with the teachers advocacy group, said in an interview Monday that, “We think it needs to be left up to the school districts ... each school district knows what’s best for their community, for their teachers and for their students.” Her group represents some 15,000 teachers.

For example, McCormick County — a relatively isolated county in western S.C. and miles from any Interstate highway — has a low coronavirus infection rate and is planning on opening its schools later this month, Maness said. “They feel confident, based on their numbers, that they can safely start school.”

Other districts “may not feel ready for that,” she said, adding some teachers are “very concerned” about going back to school.”

Ryan Brown, a spokesman for the S.C. Department of Education, said his agency’s goal is for schools “to operate as normally as we can while still protecting the safety and well-being of students.”

Brown indicated the department likely won’t issue any blanket order to open because “conditions are going to be different for every community. ...What we’re trying to do is to provide recommendations and guidance from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control so districts can make those decisions on a local level.”

Brown said, “Right now, we’ve got high (COVID-19 infection) spread across the entire state, but we have pockets where we are seeing very low spread.”

Greenhouse said proper procedures will likely keep any infections to a minimum. “But we cannot ensure there will be no cases of COVID in school. We also cannot ensure there will be no cases of flu, no cases of strep throat or chicken pox.”

But various strategies can be put in place to minimize any spread and identify any exposure as soon as possible “to keep everyone safe,” Greenhouse said. “They should be asking about symptoms every day. Any child who is not feeling well should not be there — period. Any teacher or staff member who is not feeling well should not be there — period.”

Committee chairman Shealy said she’s worried about the 16,000 children who can’t be located by the Department of Education, as well as for the welfare of the many children who are suffering from remote learning.

“We’ve got a whole set of kids who haven’t had any education since March 16,” Shealy said. “Kids need to go back to school so they can be face-to-face with a teacher so we can know every child in South Carolina is safe, and also that every child is getting an education.”

The highly contagious COVID virus, a respiratory disease, is believed to be spread mostly by tiny drops in infected people’s breath. Those droplets can spread by coughing, laughing, singing or even talking, scientists say. There is no vaccine and authorities recommend keeping a social distance of six feet or more and wearing cloth masks to reduce transmission.

Many who become infected will hardly notice any symptoms. The disease is fatal in a small minority of cases, but those who survive a serious infection by the virus may suffer from lingering damage to the lungs and other organs.

Shealy said she’s worried about the long-lasting effects of no school on the state’s children.

“We are raising a generation of feral children if they don’t go back to school,” she said. “Our children will have no social skills. We can’t go another year with our children not being around other children, not being in front of teachers and not getting an education.”