The Parent Press: What's with the Data in Georgia?
During the current pandemic, many of us are looking for hope and true leadership. We are fortunate that the United States and the state of Georgia are resilient. Perhaps less resilience would be needed if we had been more prepared and heeded the advice of medical experts more quickly. By now, I’m sure many of you have seen the projections that the U.S. could have avoided thousands of deaths if we have locked down a week or two earlier.
It’s clear we need more leadership as well as accountability and transparency. As I hope you know, your voice matters and can make a difference, which is why voting and electing the right type of leaders is so important right now. Now is the time to decide who has earned their place in leadership and who needs to be replaced. I hope you keep that in mind as you’re reflecting on this time and voting via an absentee ballot or at the polls.
Thank you to our Veterans! This weekend we will honor veterans who have lost their lives while serving our country. Commissioner Mike Roby of the Georgia Department of Veterans Services has let us know that while large Memorial Day ceremonies will not be held this year, veterans will be honored with wreaths, taps, and virtual ceremonies at many national cemeteries and military bases. National cemeteries are open to the public, but they ask that visitors maintain social distancing. Many also see this weekend as the unofficial start to summer and the beginning of the vacation and boating season. As some pools and other areas open up, I encourage you to continue practicing social distancing and other measures to stay safe during this pandemic.
As a reminder, anyone in the state whether you have symptoms or not can be tested for COVID-19. Testing through the DeKalb Board of Health can be scheduled online or by calling 404-294-3700 and selecting Option 1. Additionally, Augusta University has two testing sites in DeKalb at the Decatur Armory, 3736 Durham Park Road, Decatur, 30032 and at House of Hope Atlanta, 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur, GA 30034. CVS has also opened up 23 new testing sites, including one at the CVS Pharmacy located at 2738 North Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30003.
COVID-19 Cases in Georgia & DeKalb
As of Friday, May 22nd at 1 PM, there are currently 41,218 cases in Georgia. Georgia DPH, the CDC, and the AJC are providing continuous updates on the number of cases and documenting cases by county. Out of the 41,218 cases currently, 3064 cases are from DeKalb County as are 98 deaths. DPH is currently updating its Daily Status Report three times per day - at 9 AM, 1 PM, and 7 PM.
Governor Kemp’s Press Conference & Last Week’s Executive Order
As you know, some restrictions have been lifted and some extended in the state. According to last week’s executive order from May 12th, bars, night clubs, and live-performance venues are to remain closed through May 31st. Gatherings of more than ten people are currently banned unless there is at least six feet of distance between each person. Restaurants may now serve up to 10 patrons per table, but the number of patrons must be limited to 10 patrons per 300 square feet in the dining area.
Some state agencies asked employees to return to their offices this week. However, the state legislative staff and legislators will likely wait until next month to return to the Capitol and resume our legislative session.
Daytime summer camps are allowed to reopen if they follow 32 safety rules, including but not limited to using temperature checks, providing hand sanitizer, posting social distancing signs, and wearing masks when appropriate. Overnight summer camps may also reopen with several regulations beginning May 31st. Child care facilities may serve up to 20 children per classroom as opposed to the previous limitation of 10 children. Governor Kemp also clarified that new drivers must complete the on-the-road driving exam by September 30th, 2020 in order to maintain their licenses.
As previously mentioned, the shelter-in-place order still applies for those Georgians who are over 65 and “medically fragile” through June 12th.
Data Snafus Continue:
COVID-19 Virus Testing Numbers Combined with Antibody Testing Numbers
My office has been tracking the Georgia DPH data on its own and noticed a tremendous increase in testing about two weeks ago. What gave us pause was that the number of confirmed positive cases to tests was not proportional as it had previously been. This perplexing issue makes more sense now that we have learned that DPH has been grouping COVID-19 diagnostic testing together with antibody testing on the DPH Daily Status Report for the last few weeks. A couple of days ago, the AJC and other sources reported that virus testing had been inflated by 57,000, or 14%, by including antibody tests in the count. Fortunately, the antibody positive counts have not been included in the state’s confirmed COVID-19 case count. Apparently DPH Commissioner Toomey was unaware that so many antibody tests had been included in our testing count, and the Governor’s Office has asked that the antibody tests no longer be included on the DPH Daily Status Report. Public health experts have called out a few other states, including Texas, Vermont, and Virginia, It will be interesting to see over the next few days how our percentage of positive cases compares to our number of tests, especially since this is the decreasing percentage Governor Kemp has been touting the past couple of weeks. Fortunately, Kemp said yesterday that he has ordered a review of how our state is reporting its COVID-19 data. I hope that review leads to information that is clear, easy to understand, and transparent so that the state can make decisions based on information we can trust.
School Reopening Task Force Appointed
Governor Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods have appointed 72 members to Georgia’s K-12 restart working groups. The working groups are focusing on school meals; distance/professional learning; connectivity & devices; mental health & wellness; supplemental learning; and facilities, transportation & equipment. The working groups include DOE and local staff members, current and former teachers of the year across the state, public health officials, representatives from non-profit organizations, representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Economic Development, GEMA, and others. They will be working to make sure schools are prepared for learning in the fall whether it be via distance learning, in-person, or a combination of both. My hope, which I have relayed to Superintendent Woods and other DOE staff, is that there will be a robust plan put in place to mitigate learning loss. You can read more about the working groups here.
The CDC has also issued guidance for opening schools, which can be found here.
DeKalb Lynching Marker Installed in Decatur
Last week a marker was installed that recognizes the victims of lynchings in DeKalb County outside the courthouse in downtown Decatur. The NAACP DeKalb Branch partnered with the Montgomery-based Equal Justice Initiative to install the marker. These groups also held an essay contest for both high school and college students with combined prizes up to $17,000. Congratulations to winners Maria Del Mar Castillo Carvajal and Rachael Choi!
With the installation, I am not only reminded of Georgia’s painful past but also of the necessity to remember those mistakes and show that we have learned from them. As the marker states, “memorializing these known and unknown victims reminds us to remain persistent and diligent in the pursuit of justice for all.” This is particularly timely with the recent and unnecessary killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia.
Unemployment Assistance for Gig Workers
With so many people working in the “gig economy” these days - and even more picking up new shifts during these tough times - it’s important that employees in this sector receive the benefits they are entitled to receive. Although gig workers are not eligible for state unemployment, they are eligible for $600 per week in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds. The problem is that you are only eligible to receive these benefits if you fill out the proper forms, and currently more than 50,000 gig industry workers are not filling it out properly. If you’re a gig economy worker and wondering where your money is, it could very well be waiting for you to fill out the correct form in order to claim it.
The request for payment page is not the same as the regular unemployment page on the Georgia Department of Labor website, which many gig workers have been completing instead. If you are hoping to receive your weekly checks, you must be sure to file the request for payment form weekly as well. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t be this complicated or take so long to receive benefits. Unfortunately, this is where we are. If you still have questions or are confused about how to make sure you get the right benefits, I encourage you to call 404-232-3180, which is the unemployment insurance hotline for the Georgia Department of Labor. If you have trouble reaching someone, please contact my office at 404-656-5109 or elena@elenaparent.com.
Early Voting Has Begun
Early voting began this week with limited polling locations. According to the AJC, more than 15,000 voted in-person on the first day of early voting, which was Monday, May 18th. Nonetheless, at least 26,000 absentee ballots were received by local election offices on Monday. If you decide to vote in-person rather than by mail, I urge you to wear a mask and gloves and practice social distancing. Advanced polling sites for DeKalb can be found here.
Remember to Turn in Your Absentee Ballot ASAP!
Hopefully you have received your absentee ballot by now. Please be sure to fill it and return it as soon as possible. Ballots must be received by June 9th at 7 PM in order to be counted. Remember to place your completed ballot in the white folded piece of paper (this is in place of the inner envelope despite the instructions), sign your ballot, and use proper postage if you’re putting it in the mail. The Democratic Party of Georgia (DPG) has some great resources about voting by mail. If you have ANY issues with casting your vote, I encourage you to contact the email below, or call DPG’s voter protection hotline number: 1-888-730-5816.
Email: voterreg@dekalbcounty.ga.gov
Fax: 404-298-4038
Mailing Address & Drop Box:
DeKalb County Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
Thank You for Pushing for a Hate Crimes Law
Thank you to everyone who has called and emailed members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate leadership to push for HB 426 regarding hate crimes in Georgia. Your advocacy matters and is certainly helping to move the needle! Please continue letting Chairman Jesse Stone and Senate leaders know your stance so that we can make voting on the hate crimes bill a top priority when we return to the legislative session.
How to Wear a Mask
If you have a couple of minutes, the AJC has a somewhat humorous article about wearing your mask properly. Remember to make sure your mask is covering your nose and mouth and doesn’t have a large gap at the top or on the sides. Also, your mask only protects others and you if you are actually wearing it.
New APS Superintendent Approved
Last Monday, the Atlanta Public School board voted 8 t0 1 in favor of Dr. Lisa Herring being named the new superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools. Before coming to APS, Dr. Herring was at Birmingham City Schools where she helped move the school district from a failing grade of an F to a C. The video linked here highlights more of Dr. Herring’s priorities for the upcoming school year and how to safely move forward in spite of the pandemic. She will start in July and is taking the place of Dr. Meria Carstarphen whose contract was not renewed.
New DeKalb Schools Superintendent Voted Down
The DeKalb County School Board voted last week not to hire Rudy Crew to succeed Stephen Green as district superintendent. The narrow 4-3 vote unveils the controversy surrounding his nomination. Crew has experience running New York City’s public school system as well as Miami-Dade County’s in Florida, and during his tenure, many schools in those places noticeably improved. However, some also say he ran their budgets dry and had a number of personal issues with staff members. In the end, despite being the sole finalist for the position, he was rejected.
This means that Ramona Tyson will continue to act as a short-term superintendent, at least for now, as Stephen Green was told to resign in November before his contract was set to end in June. In the meantime, the Board has reiterated that they are looking to fill the vacancy. They have clarified that they will find someone to serve as interim superintendent by July 1st as they continue their effort to find a permanent replacement.
Stay tuned for an announcement for a virtual town hall in early June!
Happy Memorial Day!!
Stay safe, wear a mask, stay home when you can.