In an open letter published Friday to Gov. Janet Mills, Dr. Nirav Shah, and commissioners Jeanne Lawbrew and Pender Makin, dozens of Maine health care professionals are asking for a full and safe reopening of schools across the state.State Rep. Laurel Libby, a Republican from Auburn, and state Sen. David Miramant, a Democrat from Knox, jointly announced what they describe as a “broad coalition” of Maine healthcare professionals to reopen schools immediately.The group is comprised of more than 76 physicians and 109 nurses, physical therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals from Maine.“The pandemic has had a devastating toll on children, including a significant increase in suicide attempts and an increase in disruptive behavior disorders due to social isolation and disruption of established routines,” reads the physician coalition. “The negative impact of these adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has the potential to have lifelong consequences.” The coalition said these negative impacts could have a potential long-term impact on children. Kelli Deveaux, Director of Communications for the Maine Department of Education said in a statement that Maine schools have been open and educating safely all year long, unlike many schools across the country.”Given that Maine’s school guidance is aligned with Federal guidance, we urge legislators to direct their concerns to the U.S. CDC for its public health experts to consider as they continue to take into account the latest science on keeping school communities safe,” Deveaux said.The Department of Education said they will review the letter and respond accordingly. Dan Morin with the Maine Medical Association released a statement and said he agrees with the goal of having students at their healthies and back at school in person safely and quickly. But in that statement, he said doctors are not experts in education. “While physicians have long been recognized as experts in health care, most are not experts in education administration and its complexities, such as curriculum, human resources, building management, and transportation. The Maine Medical Association continues to support the American Academy of Pediatrics COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools and the leadership of Maine CDC and Maine DOE,” Morin said.In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu said all K-12 schools must return to full-time, in-person learning as of April 19, although a remote option will still be available for parents and students that request it.
In an open letter published Friday to Gov. Janet Mills, Dr. Nirav Shah, and commissioners Jeanne Lawbrew and Pender Makin, dozens of Maine health care professionals are asking for a full and safe reopening of schools across the state.
State Rep. Laurel Libby, a Republican from Auburn, and state Sen. David Miramant, a Democrat from Knox, jointly announced what they describe as a “broad coalition” of Maine healthcare professionals to reopen schools immediately.
The group is comprised of more than 76 physicians and 109 nurses, physical therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals from Maine.
“The pandemic has had a devastating toll on children, including a significant increase in suicide attempts and an increase in disruptive behavior disorders due to social isolation and disruption of established routines,” reads the physician coalition. “The negative impact of these adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has the potential to have lifelong consequences.”
The coalition said these negative impacts could have a potential long-term impact on children.
Kelli Deveaux, Director of Communications for the Maine Department of Education said in a statement that Maine schools have been open and educating safely all year long, unlike many schools across the country.
“Given that Maine’s school guidance is aligned with Federal guidance, we urge legislators to direct their concerns to the U.S. CDC for its public health experts to consider as they continue to take into account the latest science on keeping school communities safe,” Deveaux said.
The Department of Education said they will review the letter and respond accordingly.
Dan Morin with the Maine Medical Association released a statement and said he agrees with the goal of having students at their healthies and back at school in person safely and quickly. But in that statement, he said doctors are not experts in education.
“While physicians have long been recognized as experts in health care, most are not experts in education administration and its complexities, such as curriculum, human resources, building management, and transportation. The Maine Medical Association continues to support the American Academy of Pediatrics COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools and the leadership of Maine CDC and Maine DOE,” Morin said.
In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu said all K-12 schools must return to full-time, in-person learning as of April 19, although a remote option will still be available for parents and students that request it.
