NEED MOST OF RIGHT NOW. TODAY, AS INDICATED, I WILL
SIGN A PROCLAMATION CLOSING K-12
SCHOOLS FOR THE DURATION OF THE
SCHOOL YEAR, WITH RESPECT TO
STUDENTS. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE GOING TO
SCHOOLS. THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT
WILL BE HAPPENING AT SCHOOLS
WITH EMPLOYEES AND ADULTS, BUT I
WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT
SOMETHING, THIS IS NOT THE END
OF MONEY FOR THIS ACADEMIC YEAR. IT IS JUST THE END OF STUDENTS
PHYSICALLY GOING TO THE SCHOOL
CAMPUSES FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THIS SPRING SEMESTER. I FULLY EXPECT INSTRUCTION AND
LEARNING WILL CONTINUE. I FULLY EXPECT OUR SCHOOLS WILL
CONTINUE WITH THE NUTRITION
PROGRAMS TO FEED THE STUDENTS
THAT REMAINS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT. THAT IS SOME OF THE WORK WE ARE
ENGAGING IN AS WE SPEAK. SO REMOTE LEARNING WILL
CONTINUE. BOTH HIGH-TECH REMOTE LEARNING
AND LOW-TECH REMOTE LEARNING. AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND
LEARNING, ESPECIALLY LOWER
INCOME FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
WITHOUT ACCESS TO BROADBAND. WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO
ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND MAKE
SURE EVERY STUDENT IN THE STATE,
REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN OR THE
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION WHERE THEY LIVE, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO LEARN, WE WANT THEM
TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
AND TO MINIMIZE WHATEVER
REGRESSION YOU SEE BEFORE SCHOOL
STARTS BACK UP IN AUGUST. I KNOW HOW DISAPPOINTING A LOT
OF THIS NEWS IS. IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR
STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS,
ADMINISTRATORS. ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SENIORS WHO
HAPPEN TO GO HOME EVERY DAY TO A
HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR. I KNOW HOW HARD IT HAS BEEN FOR
HIM AND HIS CLASSMATES. IT HAS BEEN REALLY HARD FOR
SENIORS ACROSS THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA. IT IS UNFORTUNATE WE HAD TO DO
THIS. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, KNOWING
WHAT THE CDC GUIDELINES ARE FOR
A STATE LIKE LOUISIANA THAT HAS
SO MUCH COVID IN IT. I THINK WE ARE THIRD IN THE
COUNTRY ON A PER CAPITA BASIS
WITH THE NUMBER OF CASES WE
HAVE. IT IS JUST A CRITICAL STEP TO
PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE WANTED TO
DO, NOT A DECISION WE MADE
LIGHTLY. AND THIS DECISION THAT I MADE
TODAY WHEN I SIGNED THE
PROCLAMATION WAS ONE I WAS ASKED
TO DO BY THE SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENTS, THE SCHOOL
BOARDS ASSOCIATION, THE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY SECONDARY EDUCATION,
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
WHO IS LED BY BETSY. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
SUPPORT TEACHERS, PARENTS,
STUDENTS. REGIMENTS, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE
SURE YOU ARE PROPERLY
CELEBRATED, AS WELL.