Doug McCrory

Senator McCrory Joins Teachers for Digital Town Hall On Equity In The Education System

State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) joined Connecticut teachers for ‘Voices from the Virtual Classroom: The Need for Equity and a Path Forward,’ a digital town hall discussion hosted by Educators for Excellence – Connecticut. The digital town hall focused on fostering greater equity in the education system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on students, families, and teachers.

“We owe teachers a great deal of gratitude for their tireless efforts to support their students during this stressful time,” said Sen. McCrory. “The COVID-19 pandemic has put in plain sight, and has exacerbated, long-existent disparities in educational opportunity. This was unacceptable before COVID-19, and we owe it to the future of our young people to close the opportunity gap in charting a path forward for Connecticut’s schools.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic – not to mention the unrest that has been prompted by the unconscionable killings of Black people across the country – has highlighted what we already knew: Teachers are the gateways for shaping students’ understanding of the world in which they live,” said Andréa Comer, Executive Director of Educators for Excellence – Connecticut. “Our teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure that learning continues beyond the walls of the classroom, and we are proud to provide a space for their voices to be heard.”

The digital town hall was led by three teachers, including a teacher from Hartford. Each of them presented highlights from several digital conversations with Connecticut teachers discussing a range of topics, including challenges of online learning, mental health of teachers, and disparities across the state between school districts.

Legislators and stakeholders responded to the teachers’ presentations before shifting into the question and answer portion of the town hall.

The Senate Democratic Caucus has made education policy proposals, such as addressing entrenched educational disparities in the state, and minority teacher support and recruitment, part of their ‘Juneteenth Agenda’ to address racial inequities during the 2020 special session.