Traumatized students desperately in need of mental health counseling. Schools without electricity. School buildings that leak or have mold. Missing desks and chairs.
That鈥檚 the picture of life in schools in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands painted by witnesses at a forum organized by House 91制片厂视频 and the Workforce Committee Democrats. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., .
So far, Republicans have declined to hold such a hearing. So Scott organized his own.
President Donald Trump has praised his administration鈥檚 response to the hurricane in Puerto Rico. But Scott said no one would allow for such conditions in a U.S. state.
鈥淭he federal government鈥檚 response to Hurricane Maria was severely inadequate,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淥f the U.S. Virgin Island鈥檚 32 public schools, eight are condemned, which forced students to attend other schools on a double-session schedule. This means students only received instruction for half the day. Many of Puerto Rico鈥檚 schools in operation are still without power a year after the storm. I doubt Congress would find those conditions acceptable in a mainland U.S. state struck by a storm.鈥�
And Scott has big concerns about some of the education redesign efforts proposed by Puerto Rico鈥檚 Secretary of 91制片厂视频 Julia Keleher and her team. Keleher has closed hundreds of schools, due to declining enrollment that was exacerbated by Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico has also introduced charter schools and worked to create a voucher program.
U.S. Secretary of 91制片厂视频 Betsy DeVos and others have praised those efforts. And some believe they will strengthen the island鈥檚 schools over the long haul.
But Scott has major questions about the direction of the changes.
鈥淎 new education law in Puerto Rico that was pushed through in the aftermath of the storm has raised important questions about whether ideologically-driven reforms are taking precedent over the stability of public schools, teachers, and student,鈥� he said.
Aida Diaz, the president of the Asociaci贸n de Maestros de Puerto Rico, which represents Puerto Rico鈥檚 teachers, was especially upset about the school closures. In the rural part of the island, she said, schools are often the center of the community.
鈥淢any schools that were in good condition were closed; and now, instead of getting those schools into excellent condition, they have been closed and new schools are being constructed,鈥� she said at the hearing. 鈥淭he money that is being used to build new schools could be used to reduce class size; currently many classes have 35 students. Or the money could be spent on books or computers鈥攎any of our schools lost all their books and computers, and they have not been replaced.鈥�
Diaz said that 3,000 teachers have lost their jobs due to the closures. She鈥檇 like to see them retrained as school psychologists or counselors so that they can help children cope with trauma.
And Carol Callwood, the president of the St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers, gave a similar picture of schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only six of the islands 13 school buildings are open right now, she said.
鈥淢any of our schools that are open still don鈥檛 have desks or chairs, books or basic supplies. We are told that these things have been ordered and/or are in transit,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any of our families left the islands after the hurricanes, and then returned over the summer months鈥攂ased on the promise of open schools with no double sessions. Now these families are extremely angry.
They have lost trust in the school system.鈥�
Rep. Nydia Vel谩zquez, D-N.Y., who co-chaired the hearing with Scott, signaled that Democrats, who hope to take the majority in the House after the midterm elections, will be looking to see whether federal funding is getting to the people most in need of it, and how schools are recovering from the storm.
鈥淐ome November and starting in January, we are going to be holding hearings to get the bottom of what is going on in Puerto Rico,鈥� she said.
Want more on Puerto Rico? My co-blogger, Andrew Ujifusa, has you more than covered.
A recent video look at education on the island after the storm:
Some basic facts and stats on the school system: /ew/section/multimedia/declining-enrollment-shuttered-schools-puerto-ricos-education.html
Student perspectives: /ew/articles/2018/08/29/we-have-to-go-forward-puerto-ricos.html
A look at schools Puerto Rico closed over the summer: /ew/section/multimedia/schools-puerto-rico-plans-close-displaced-students.html
An overview of the island this school year during the first week of school: /ew/articles/2018/08/15/clash-of-visions-as-new-school-year.html
And our full collection of Puerto Rico stories here:
Photo: Erin Irwin for 91制片厂视频 Week