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Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

  • 1.  Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-07-2020 07:54 PM
    Why is it that there is more concern shown over criminals getting the corona virus in prison than there is for the risk of young children and early childhood education teachers getting the virus in daycare centers.  There is a national outcry to let some criminals out of jail so they don't get the corona virus, but we are shouting from the roof tops that our childcare industry is in crisis and the environment is not safe right now, but it appears no one is listening!

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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 2.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-08-2020 12:09 PM
    Hi Tim,
    It's the media. They are hungry for other news besides the COVID-19 as we all are.

    In Illinois, Governor Pritzker and local leaders have rushed to partner with the private and financial sectors to support the Child Care industry and small businesses. Although I am not actively participating in that infrastructure, I am glad that I live in a state that cares about all workers in communities. While the pandemic is extensive, at least the leaders in Illinois are responding to the crisis promptly. The government can't solve all our problems, but they are assisting.

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    Ling Lee
    Evanston IL
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  • 3.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-17-2020 02:08 PM
    Why do we need to pit the two against each other? Both incarcerated people and children and early childhood educators and employees deserve a safe and humane living and working environment.

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    Vanessa King
    Director of Education
    Children's Museum Tucson
    Tucson AZ
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  • 4.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-17-2020 04:09 PM
    Hello Vanessa,

    I do not see the same level of concern being expressed for the safety of the children and the workers in childcare centers. That is why I posed the statement.  If they both deserve the same consideration why are we only hearing about the plight of criminals and jail staff in the media with regards to Covid 19?

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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 5.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-17-2020 05:57 PM
    We all curate our own media experience. I have absolutely been hearing about the safety of children and childcare workers, much as I have heard about those working in hospitals, in grocery stores, in government offices ensuring people have access to unemployment, etc. As someone working in childcare, it makes sense that you are finely attuned to the desperate needs of those in childcare centers, but many people from a wide variety of walks of life are suffering during this pandemic, and it is a disservice to everyone when we create an us vs. them narrative as if all people don't deserve the same access to health and safety.

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    Vanessa King
    Director of Education
    Children's Museum Tucson
    Tucson AZ
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  • 6.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-18-2020 01:43 PM

    Vanessa my news intake comes from multiple sources, CNN, Fox News, PBS, NBC, ABC, CBS and NPR, local and national newspapers.  I was actually interviewed by NPR for NAEYC, but it only aired in the Houston market.  My point is that the Childcare Crisis has not gotten the same attention as other groups you have mentioned in your last reply.  As a result, thousands upon thousands of childcare centers have closed over the last 5 weeks due to the lack of support for our industry from the public as well as the government.  In Texas alone there have been over 6,000 centers that have closed and more are scheduled to close this week.  All of the governors of the states said that it was essential for childcare centers to stay open, so that other essential workers could continue to go work.  However they have not done enough to help these centers stay open or acknowledge the childcare workers and children are at risk of contracting the virus while attending the centers.  The majority of the centers have closed because they did not have access to cleaning supplies or PPE's and because they no longer had enough students attending and paying tuition in order to cover their payroll and bills.

     Childcare centers are the backbone of the economy and if a majority of them close during this crisis, there won't be enough available when people start going back to work. The estimates at this time from surveys that were done a week ago, indicate that close to 40% of centers that are closing will not be able to reopen again once the crisis is over.  Now tell me where have you heard that story anywhere in the media.



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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 7.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-19-2020 08:14 AM
    Hi Tim,
    While most centers closed as soon as schools closed in NJ, many did not. In NJ, our governor recognized that many parents need child care as they are still working in health care, grocery stores, drug stores, target, and the essential businesses/services. Child care centers had the opportunity to apply to stay open/or re-open if already closed, if they served or were willing to serve parents who worked in essential businesses/services, health care, and first responders. They also had to abide by DCF's new Health and Safety guidelines. 600+ centers are open. Emergency child care assistance subsidies are available for the essential workers.

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    Holly Seplocha
    Westfield NJ
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  • 8.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-20-2020 11:51 AM
    I share the perspectives of everyone on this post but also was set on fire last week when Tim posted the desperate cry for tv commercials and a large awareness campaign to make others aware of what is going on in child care and how it affects the workforce being able to work. I am interested in sharing ideas of how we can get that information out there. I'm guessing NAEYC has looked into tv ads but they are likely cost prohibitive. I've been making social media posts for others to share but I want to go much bigger. I want a billboard on the highway in Atlanta or to ask news stations to mention child care every time they mention schools. I know we can't afford the ideas I have but I feel the same desperation you do, Tim.

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    Jaime Moore
    Affiliate Director
    GAEYC
    Winterville GA
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  • 9.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-19-2020 08:52 AM
    Our governor in Virginia, Governor Northam, is also a pediatrician and an advocate for early care and childhood education.  He understands the importance of our field during these times and always.  As a result, he just allocated $70 million to the providers. The majority of the money will be in the form of grants to be used to support programs staying open or planning to open April - June. Other monies will help families by paying their tuition co-pays. We are fortunate that he and his administration recognize the efforts our profession are making  to keep going. Everyone needs to remember that the country works only because early care and education works.

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    Susan Pollack
    Norfolk VA
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  • 10.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-20-2020 06:08 AM


    Greetings from Nigeria. I am enjoying  this forum so much and learning  a lot. In Nigeria early Childhood  is more in the hands of private sectors or NGO'o. The forum is very useful  for me.i want to register the head of the school with NAECY so that she can also join this forum . She wants to be trained  in High scope. Tnx





  • 11.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-20-2020 08:45 AM
    Hello Maudline,

    Glad you found the site.  You will find some great discussions and good information and resources.  If you have a question about something simply put it on the site and usually several people will respond with answers or ideas.  I hope things are going well in your country with the Covid 19 crisis.  Our center was closed for awhile, however today is our first day back with new safety precautions in place.

    Sincerely,

    Tim Kaminski

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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 12.  RE: Criminals Take Precedence Over Early Childhood Students and Teachers

    Posted 04-20-2020 10:33 AM