| MIAMI, FLA. — Val Demings opposed reopening Florida schools after the pandemic hit. New data shows just how devastating school lockdowns were for our nation’s children. The New York Times reports: |
| National test results released on Thursday showed in stark terms the pandemic’s devastating effects on American schoolchildren, with the performance of 9-year-olds in math and reading dropping to the levels from two decades ago. This year, for the first time since the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests began tracking student achievement in the 1970s, 9-year-olds lost ground in math, and scores in reading fell by the largest margin in more than 30 years. The declines spanned almost all races and income levels and were markedly worse for the lowest-performing students. While top performers in the 90th percentile showed a modest drop — three points in math — students in the bottom 10th percentile dropped by 12 points in math, four times the impact. |
| On June 9, 2020, Demings said, “Rushing to reopen schools without adequate safety measures in place is a recipe for disaster.” “No, Val; keeping schools closed was a recipe for disaster. Parents knew lockdowns were irrevocably damaging their children’s educations, and yet teachers’ unions and Democrats like you refused to look out for their best interests,” said Elizabeth Gregory, communications director for Marco Rubio for Senate. On March 8, 2021, Demings voted against considering the Reopen School Act (H.R. 682). Demings is endorsed by the Florida Education Association, which sued Florida to stop the re-opening of in-person classes. |
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