AUGUSTA FREE PRESS

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) held a roundtable discussion with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and leaders from Chesterfield County Public Schools on Friday.

Spanberger and Warner were able to hear directly from local administrators and school board members about the challenges facing Central Virginia schools as they reopen amid the ongoing pandemic.

“Opinions about school reopening vary widely across our Central Virginia communities, and the challenges facing each family are often very specific and personal. There are some things, however, which we all agree on – we want our children to succeed and be safe,” said Spanberger. “I appreciated the opportunity today to learn from school leaders in Chesterfield County about how they’re working to make virtual learning the most effective, engaging, and rich experience it can be for our kids. I thank them and our teachers for their tireless efforts and great flexibility this year. I also appreciated Senator Warner’s perspective from the other side of the U.S. Capitol. With three school-age kids of my own, I know how precarious the balancing act between a full-time job, virtual learning, and in-person school can be for working parents. Many of my constituents have voiced their frustration about the slow pace of action on Capitol Hill, and this is frustration that I share. I will continue pushing for a coordinated response from the federal government, and a new relief package that takes into consideration the needs of students, families, and teachers.”

“It was great to meet with folks from the Chesterfield County School Board to learn more about the work that our public schools are doing ahead of the first day of school next week. With the fall semester just around the corner, schools participating in distance learning have the responsibility of ensuring that students are fully able to participate and that educators have what they need to provide an immersive learning experience,” said Warner. “As the Senate heads back into session, I’m going to continue working to support students and schools all across the Commonwealth. This includes pushing my legislation to prevent the Trump Administration from reducing or redirecting critical education funding for schools that determine they cannot safely reopen for in-person instruction in the fall.”