'There will be teachers that resign': First week back at schools brings questions, stress

09/17/20 • 30 min

For much of South Carolina, last Tuesday, Sept. 8, was the first day of school.

In some ways, it was familiar: Parents held their kids' hands as they walked to elementary school, and teachers eagerly greeted their new students. There was excitement and some nervousness.

But, for most students, the day looked very different. Instead of riding the bus or walking to school, they sat at their kitchen tables and opened up a laptop. For those who did go to school in person, they did so wearing face masks and armed with hand sanitizer, reminded often about social distancing rules.

With just over a week of the school year down, there are many decisions ahead for parents, teachers and school administrators. In Charleston County, the vast majority of students are still learning remotely, but many want to come back to the classroom.

Teachers, meanwhile, are managing the stress of teaching students virtually, in-person or, in some cases, both at the same time. Many are worried about their health as their districts discuss ways to bring more instructors and students back into the classroom. Some are thinking about or have already resigned.

This week on the podcast, we talked to education reporter Jenna Schiferl about what she saw on the first day of school and how Charleston County schools are so far navigating the transition to in-person learning.

We also spoke with Leanna Rossi-Potter, a teacher at Wando High School and president of the Charleston County Education Association, about her and her colleagues' experiences during the first week of school and why this is unlike any year she's experienced as a teacher.

Listen now to learn more.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases within Charleston County schools, visit this online dashboard.

For much of South Carolina, last Tuesday, Sept. 8, was the first day of school.

In some ways, it was familiar: Parents held their kids' hands as they walked to elementary school, and teachers eagerly greeted their new students. There was excitement and some nervousness.

Listen now to learn more.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases within Charleston County schools, visit this online dashboard.

Previous Episode

Ghost bird: How the elusive black rail may be threatened by climate change

A little black bird may be here, underneath these bouncing dragonflies, somewhere in these sparkling green waves. A rare bird called the eastern black rail. A bird so difficult to see that John James Audubon never saw one in the wild. A bird so stealthy that even the most ardent birders haven’t seen one, though they may have heard their calls. So rare that Christy Hand, a biologist, asks — no, pleads — that you not reveal where you are because she knows mysteries are irresistible.

Listen or click here to learn more about black rails in South Carolina.

Next Episode

State logs over 3,000 COVID deaths, hospital workers feel 'spiritual toll'

South Carolina and the United States recently reached grim milestones in the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of last week, coronavirus deaths in South Carolina had surpassed 3,000, and the U.S. death toll had exceeded 200,000 by Tuesday.

The pandemic reached South Carolina more than six months ago, when the first confirmed cases in the state were identified on March 6. After that, the virus started to steadily spread to all 46 counties.

Communities closed and then reopened. By the middle of the summer, the state had emerged as a hotspot for the virus, logging more than 2,000 new cases in a single day.

This week, we talked with projects editor Glenn Smith who has kept a daily log throughout the pandemic. Those entries were used to create a timeline of key moments during in the health crisis.

We also spoke with Rickey Dennis, who reports on religious communities in the Charleston area, about the role of local hospitals' chaplains during the pandemic. He explained how the demand for their support has gone up as hospital workers grapple with the spiritual toll it takes to support patients who have limited visitors because of the pandemic.

Because of restrictions put in place to help prevent the spread of the virus, hospital caretakers are often the only persons present when a patient dies from COVID-19.

Chaplains are also in a unique position, Dennis explained, as they're more needed than ever but have to find ways to provide comfort while practicing social distancing and utilizing technology.

Listen now to learn more.

The most up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Carolina can be found on our COVID-19 dashboard.