BCSD Schools Will Be Open May 1; Central Services Staff & Schools to Cover Classrooms as Needed

Please read the following statement below issued Monday afternoon by the Berkeley County School District:

Berkeley County School District is a values-driven organization that puts children first.

This year our board provided a mid-year retroactive pay increase to teachers as a way of showing the quality of education children in Berkeley County receive is a priority.

While the district supports its teachers and does its best to manage 47 schools in one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, it must not lose focus on what children need.

We understand and value the passion of our educators. That passion, in all cases, begins with what children need most.

For those teachers requesting to participate in the May 1 rally in Columbia, we have arranged substitutes or class coverage via employees of schools and our central services office. Our superintendent, his cabinet, and other central services staff stand ready to STAND IN classrooms to operate our schools safely on May 1. Our principals, guidance counselors, coaches and many others are preparing to STAND IN classrooms to receive our children. 

We plan to proudly STAND IN for our children as needed as we realize the potential impact of this event, even just one day, could be tremendous for some of our families.

With 20 Title I schools in Berkeley County, this school district will STAND IN as able to guarantee students who may only receive one meal a day are fed. We will STAND IN for families to help maintain the quality of life for a student who may be in a home with a single parent unable to take a day off from work without consequence. We will STAND IN and hope our employees and communities understand that by not closing, we ARE supporting our children AND the educators that serve them each day.–Katie Orvin Tanner, BCSD Spokesperson