WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Tuesday questioned education officials on safely reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. During today’s hearing, Murphy pressed former Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. and Denver Public Schools Superintendent Susana Cordova on the need for more emergency funding for education and supporting students with disabilities as well as questioning the need for law enforcement in schools. Murphy has previously questioned college presidents on safely reopening on how athletes and fans are going to practice proper health precautions in sports arenas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the need to appropriate additional funding to schools, Murphy said: “…let me express alarm at the prospect of leaving for a two week recess in July without appropriating additional funding for schools. The CARES Act put in about as much money for the airline industry as it did for the entire American public school system... We need to get additional funding to states and order school districts before the July recess, because the planning that's going to need to be done in order to make sure that schools can reopen safely is going to be done this summer.”

On the need to provide additional resources for students with disabilities, Murphy said: “I'm panicked about this, because many of them have not been able to engage in any distance learning because they can't learn without support services while they’re home. So, talk to me about the need for schools to be able to plan and hire now, in order to be able to set up the support services they're going to need around the students. And then what's the impact of a 25% cut in funds for a school district on students with disabilities when they return?”

Expressing concerns about having law enforcement in schools, Murphy said: “When we think about how to create safe schools, we're obviously talking about making sure that students don't get infected with the virus. But we're also talking about making sure that students aren't targeted because of their race. And the reality is that while police officers have made a lot of students feel safe, they have frankly made a lot of other students feel unsafe.”

Full transcript of Murphy’s questioning is below:

MURPHY: “Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman. Thanks to our panelists.

“Let me join in Senator Murray's request to have a Secretary of Education appear before our committee. I think that's absolutely essential given all of the questions that we're raising.

“Today, we need the nation's top education official before us. Second, let me express alarm at the prospect of leaving for a two week recess in July without appropriating additional funding for schools. The CARES Act put in about as much money for the airline industry as it did for the entire American public school system.

“Now the airline industry is important, but it’s not more important than all of the schools in the nation. And we got a letter back in May from about 62 school superintendents of major cities, forecasting that they are going to be looking at 15 to 25% cuts in school funding, even with the CARES Act funding, because when you spread that money around, it just doesn't get as far as the need. And so we need, we need to get additional funding to states and order school districts before the July recess, because the planning that's going to need to be done in order to make sure that schools can reopen safely is going to be done this summer.

“And that leads to my first question, and I'll direct it to Secretary King. There was a question raised by Senator Casey about how schools get ready for students with learning disabilities. And I'm panicked about this, because many of them have not been able to engage in any distance learning because they can't learn without support services while they’re home.

“So talk to me about the need for schools to be able to plan and hire now, in order to be able to set up the support services they're going to need around the students and then what's the impact of a 25% cut in funds versus School District on students with disabilities when they return?”

KING: “Well, you know, Senator Murphy, I think that's exactly the right question. And unfortunately, what we're seeing in a lot of places is a degree of paralysis, because if you're anticipating a 20 to 30% cut in state aid that will be devastated. That would mean layoffs, program elimination. and so districts are, in a sense, stuck waiting to see if Congress will help states with state stabilization dollars that might prevent those kinds of cuts.

“So, even as people are doing their scenario planning, they are hampered in that work because of fear of cuts. There’s no question that students with disabilities when they particularly intensive support when they return, they may be well served by returning earlier, but that would be in very small groups. Those teachers will need tremendous amount of support to plan for how they make up for the loss learning Time. And I think many, many of the students have not only disabilities that might affect learning needs, but they also have at times disabilities that affect their socio-emotional needs.

“And we already know that schools have too few counselors, too few mental health resources that will be critical to supporting students with disabilities and their families, many of whom have really struggled, as you know, over these over these several months without access to school and the support that school often provides.”

MURPHY: “As an example, Lawrence Township in New Jersey, where they have already laid off 80 of their school aids, many of those aids are those that serve the existing population and they're gone and likely not coming back.

“Let me switch gears and direct a question to you, Ms. Cordova because I saw an announcement regarding a vote that is perhaps upcoming to remove police officers from schools in Denver. And when we think about how to create safe schools, we're obviously talking about making sure that students don't get infected with the virus, but we're also talking about making sure that students aren't targeted because of their race. And the reality is that while police officers have made a lot of students feel safe, they have frankly made a lot of other students feel unsafe.

“In Virginia, for instance, black students are about 40% of the state's student population, but they're 75% of school arrests. And in my state, the basic same statistics hold. And so I'm intrigued by the decision that you have made. I think security officers are appropriate, but police officers often end up targeting students of color for discipline and arrest. Just talk me through your decision.”

CORDOVA: “Thank you Senator Murphy. So our school board is taking this up, in fact tomorrow to determine if they will end our contract with the police. And really, I think, it aligns with the values that they have for making the statement about the need to create environments for students feel safe, nurtured, welcomed, affirmed for their identities, while still recognizing the important need to create safe spaces with the kind of security that we know is important in this day and age.”

MURPHY: “Alright thank you. I am over my time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

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