South Carolina public school teachers have been advocating to be moved up in line for receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. However, their efforts were impeded on Tuesday, Feb. 16, during a state House panel where other essential workers demanded they also be made a priority in vaccine distribution.
Governor McMaster has been pressuring the public school districts to return to in-person learning five days a week. And many teachers feel that it is wrong to expect that of them without making them a priority in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the South Carolina Department of Education, 646 out of 1,266 public schools are offering traditional in-person instruction while the others have taken on a hybrid way of learning.
“I strongly believe that teachers should be prioritized in receiving the vaccine. Even though not all schools offer five days a week in-person instruction, many teachers are working five days a week in schools,” said an anonymous Fort Mill School District teacher who recently had COVID-19.
According to an article published by The State on Feb. 17, “Currently, South Carolina teachers are scheduled to be in phase 1B of vaccine distribution along with those who work in manufacturing, grocery stores, food and agricultural, the postal service, and in public transit workers.”
Teachers have a lot of competition with other essential workers in receiving the vaccine, thus making it increasingly unlikely they will be made a priority in receiving the vaccine.
Over the course of the pandemic, teachers felt the weight of the economy riding on their shoulders because most working parents rely on the public school system to take responsibility for their children during the 40-hour workweek.
As the vaccine is being rolled out, South Carolina teachers are at a disadvantage compared to other public school teachers around the country whose states are prioritizing them in vaccine distribution.
“Around the country, 28 states and Washington, D.C. have made all or some teachers and school staff eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine,” according to The State article.
California is receiving a significant amount of attention because of how its vaccine distribution strategy is impacting teachers.
According to a New York Times article published on Feb. 20, “Under pressure to reopen classrooms in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Friday that, starting March 1, the state will reserve 10 percent of its first doses of Covid-19 vaccines for teachers and school employees.”
South Carolina public school teachers have received the short end of the stick in terms of salary and resources when compared to other states, and now South Carolina teachers
are also struggling to receive the vaccine while being expected to return to traditional in-person instruction.
According to U.S. News & World Report, South Carolina is ranked number 43 in education. The state is becoming an increasingly unpopular state for teachers to pursue careers in due to the low median pay and lack of resources resulting in low test scores.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated South Carolina public schools’ tribulation. The teacher shortage has been made worse and will continue to worsen if teachers are not made a priority in receiving the vaccine, thus placing the economy in a precarious position.
Graphic by Anna Sharpe
