LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As hundreds march for justice, equality and meaningful change, some Louisville leaders fear more inequity could be just around the corner.
Markus Winkler, D-17, is part of a bipartisan group of at least 17 council members who fear a lack of in-person classroom instruction — brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic — will widen the student achievement gap.
"Those that are impacted the most are your poorest citizens, and a lot of times in Louisville, our poorest citizens do fall into our African American community," Winkler said.
Even though districts like JCPS offered virtual learning during the virus' spread, Winkler doubts it was effective for all students.
"We know that at least 1,000 kids never checked in with the non-traditional instruction (NTI), but we think that significantly under-counts the overall impact, because the check-in — as we understand it — just means that they heard from them. It doesn't mean that they were actively engaged for the last, we'll call it, two months of school — or two and a half months of school," Winkler said.
With that said, Winkler and his colleagues will send a letter to Gov. Andy Beshear Monday urging him to focus more effort immediately on developing a plan to get children back in classrooms safely.
Nicole Hayden, a JCPS student mentor, supports council's effort.
"I definitely think it's important for them to get students back in the classroom," she said. "I think there is a gap, you know, when it comes to education."
Andrea Diggs, the administrator of a private school in Louisville, agrees. Even though NTI is working for some students, it isn't working for others, she said.
"And so when you combine all of that, you have to look at the totality of it to understand that this is a problem," Diggs said.
Winkler said he's not saying any advice from health officials should be ignored. He and and the others just want the governor and others to take a more serious look at what it'll take to resume in-person classes.
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