蜜桃传媒 Denounce Governor Reeves Remarks as Dismissive of Mississippi's High COVID-19 Death Rate, Impact on Gulf Coast Students
JACKSON, Miss.听鈥斕齌he Southern Poverty Law Center (蜜桃传媒) refutes Governor Tate Reeves鈥櫶齛ttempts at downplaying the impact of COVID-19 in Mississippi, as the state recently ranked the highest per capita in the nation听of听COVID-related deaths.
School听districts听in the state are seeing upticks听in student infections and quarantines, particularly in听the听Jackson and Harrison County school districts. The Jackson County School District reported听a 25% increase听during its second four-week stretch of the听2021-22听school year,听compared to the first four weeks听of school.听And in the Harrison County School District, student infections are nowhere close to keeping up with general statewide declines over the past month.
The following statement is from Will Bardwell, senior staff attorney for the 蜜桃传媒:
鈥淢ississippi听having听the听highest rate of听deaths听per capita听from COVID-19听out of all 50 states听is a sad and unnecessary statistic that the听Governor has the power to change by simply听requiring compliance with听CDC guidance听for the people in this state,听and especially in our听public听schools.
鈥淢ore than听9,000 Mississippians have died from COVID,听and an unacceptably high number听of them听have been听children.听Governor Reeves and district officials in the Jackson and Harrison County school districts have created a dangerous environment for all schoolchildren 鈥� including children with disabilities that听make them more vulnerable in this pandemic, such as children who are immunocompromised.听
"Unfortunately, those students must听unfairly听be听more听concerned with听catching a deadly virus than听focusing on their schoolwork and living out their childhoods.
鈥淭he 蜜桃传媒 is committed to protecting these children. We听intend听to continue听standing with听parents of children听who are medically vulnerable and must face听school districts that ignore CDC guidance.鈥�
If you are the parent or guardian of an immunocompromised child who is a student in the Harrison County or Jackson County school districts, contact attorney Will Bardwell at will.bardwell@splcenter.org.听听
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