[MUSIC PLAYING] >> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION."

I'M DON DAILEY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER ON THIS QUARTER'S SHOW.

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION C DR. ERIK MACKEY WILL BE JOINING US LATER IN THE PROGRAM TO TALK ABOUT A VARIETY OF ISSUES INCLUDING CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND AN INFUSION, A HUGE INFUSION OF NEW FEDERAL MONEY FOR STATE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.

HE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT BACK-TO-SCHOOL IN AN ERA OF RESURGENCE OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

WE WILL BE JOINED BY STATE HEALTH OFFICER DR. SCOTT HARRIS WHO WILL GIVE US PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO FOLLOW AS THEY GO BACK TO THE CLASSROOM AMIDST THE CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS.

AND THE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE -- SHE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE HOLD BACK CLAUSE OF THE ALABAMA LITERACY CLAUSE, WHICH HOLDS THAT THIRD GRADERS THAT CAN'T READ AT GRADE LEVEL BE HELD BACK.

BUT WE GYP TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT APPRENTICE SHIPS IN ALABAMA AS OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO RECOVERY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, FILLING NECESSARY JOBS AND KEEPING OUR ECONOMIC MOMENTUM ON TRACK.

JOSH LANE GEE IS EXECUTIVE DOCTOR OF THE OFFICE.

JOSH WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

THIS NEED FOR QUALIFIED WORKERS HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER HAS IT NOT.

>> IT IS ABSOLUTELY JUST THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

IT'S THE MAIN THING THAT IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE CONTINUED TRAJECTORY OF OUR RECOVERY FROM THE COVID DOWNTURN THAT WE HAD.

IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE, IF WE GET THIS RIGHT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE THING THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

>> WHEN YOU SAY IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, HOW DO WE GET THIS RIGHT, DO YOU THINK.

>> WELL, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE WAY DOWN.

WE'RE LEADING THE SOUTHEAST IN THAT.

BUT IT STILL SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALL THE WORKERS.

ALL OF THE EMPLOYERS ARE OUT THERE SAYING I CAN'T FIND PEOPLE, JUST FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SIMPLE THINGS LIKE GOING TO DRIVE THROUGHS OR RESTAURANTS AND THE LOBBY IS STILL CLOSED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND THE WORKERS, YOU KNOW, SO GETTING IT RIGHT MEANS GETTING ENOUGH PEOPLE BACK TO BACK TO WORK TO MEET THE EMPLOYER DEMAND.

WE HAVE 90,000 MORE PEOPLE AT WORK THIS MONTH THAN WE DID THIS MONTH LAST YEAR.

SO THE QUESTION BECOMES WHERE ARE THEY?

AND REALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING THAT PEOPLE LEFT -- WERE LAID OFF, THEY WERE PUT OUT OF WORK OR WHATEVER BECAUSE OF COVID, AND THEN WHEN THEY CAME BACK, THEY DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE SAME PLACES THEY CAME FROM.

IN A LOT OF CASES THAT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE USED THE DOWNTIME FROM COVID TO UP SKILL AND THEY HAVE GONE BACK TO DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT ARE MORE RESILIENT INDUSTRIES.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR JOBS THAT ARE MORE RESILIENT AND ALL OF THOSE RESILIENCY FACTORS TRANSLATE DIRECTLY INTO A NEED FOR HIGHER TRAINING.

THAT'S REALLY THE MAIN DETERMINING FACTOR IN HOW RESILIENT THOSE TRAININGS WERE DURING COVID OR NOW SO PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR ACCESS TO THE SKILL TRAINING SO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE JOBS THAT ARE OPEN.

>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR CREATED THE OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP, WE BECAME, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO OPERATE SUCH AN OFFICE INDEPENDENT OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR?

>> THE FIRST STATE IN ABOUT 20 YEARS TO DO THAT.

SO EVERYTHING ELSE HAD BEEN A STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY OR -- SIPS OF BEGINNING OF APPRENTICESHIP THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR HAD MANAGED ALMOST HALF AND THEN THE OTHER HALF WERE MANAGED INDEPENDENTLY BY THEIR STATES.

SO NOBODY ELSE HAD KIND OF CROSSED THAT RIVER IN A LONG TIME.

AND GOV.

IVEY RECOGNIZED OTHER STATES WERE MOVING AHEAD AND PEOPLE WERE RECOGNIZING HOW IMPORTANT APPRENTICESHIP WAS AS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TOOL AND WE WEREN'T.

ALABAMA WASN'T TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON ASSIGNED BIT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO MANAGE APPRENTICESHIP IN THE STATE SO IT WAS JUST UNTENABLE SO SHE DESIGNATED OUR OFFICE, CREATED OUR AUGUST IN AND THEN MARCH 13 OF 2020 WE WERE RUBBERIZE BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AS A STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY AND MARCH 14 WE SHUT THE STATE DOWN.

IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TIMES LAUNCHING A NEW AGENCY EVERYTHING OVER ZOOM, COMPLETELY REPLACEMENT.

BUT NEVER MORE CRITICAL TO LAUNCH THAT AGENCY THAN DURING THAT TIME.

>> YOUR INTENTION HAS BEEN TO START THIS APPRENTICESHIPS IN HIGH SCHOOL; RIGHT?

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD UPON THAT PREMISE BUT IT HAS STARTED IN A COUPLE OF SYSTEMS.

>> IT HAS.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST PROOF OF CONCEPT OUT THERE, THE DALLAS COUNTY SELMA CITY SCHOOL SYSTEMS TOGETHER LAUNCHED A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNICIANS AND AUTO BODY REPAIR.

THAT WAS A MAJOR NEED THEIR EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA EXPRESSED AND THE K-12 SCHOOL SYSTEM CTE CENTER ALREADY HAD THOSE PROGRAMS AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL TRAINING TO GO ALONG WITH THEM.

EVERY APPRENTICESHIP REQUIRES ON THE JOB LEARNING AND IT REQUIRES TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO ZERO TO KNOW TO DO THOSE THINGS.

THE K-12 SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THAT UNDERLYING TRAINING AND JUST NEEDED EMPLOYERS TO BE WILLING TO TAKE THE STUDENTS IN AND APPRENTICE THEM AND THE EMPLOYERS WERE READY, WILLING AND EAGER SO THIS SUMMER WE HAVE LAUNCHED AND ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF STUDENTS ALREADY HIRED.

THEY'RE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AND IN MANY CASES DOING GREAT WORK.

WE'RE GETTING GOOD REPORTS BACK ON THEM.

>> SO YOU HOPE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD INTO OTHER SYSTEMS?

>> CongregationABSOLUTELY.

AND GOING BACK TO YOUR EXAMPLE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY, A LOT OF TIMES IT JUST TAKES SOMEBODY TO DO IT AND OTHER PEOPLE SEE IT CAN BE DONE.

AFTER ALABAMA BECAME A STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY WE WERE TOLD WE WERE LIKE THE FIRST WATER BUFFALO STANDING AT THE SIDE OF THE NILE FULL THE CROCODILES AND EVERYONE WAS WAITING TO SEE IF WE GOT ACROSS.

NOW, TENNESSEE IS PLANNING TO FOLLOW THE SAME PATH, COLORADO IS PLANNING TO DO THAT AND SEVEN OTHER STATES HAVE CONTACTED ME FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO DO THIS: SO GOVERNOR IVEY REALLY SHOWED LEADERSHIP HERE THAT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS RECOGNIZING, SAME THING WITH DALLAS COUNTY AND, THEIR K-12 SCHOOL SYSTEMS WONDERING HOW TO DO IT.

IS IT FEASIBLE, A THING THAT CAN BE DONE.

THEY'VE PREACHED IT CAN BE DONE AND THE EMPLOYERS ARE HAPPY WITH IT AND IT'S GOING TO HELP MEET THAT SKILLED WORKFORCE NEED.

THAT'S THE THING TO REMEMBER FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE AND UPPERS SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

THIS IS NOT FOR THE ENTRY LOW SKILL OCCUPATIONS.

SOME OF THOSE LOW SKILL OCCUPATIONS ARE THE ONES HARD TO FILL BUT BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SEEKING RESILIENCE IN THEIR JOBS.

>> YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF STUDENTS FROM DALLAS COUNTY ALREADY FOUND JOBS.

YES, SIR.

>> THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS.

>> YOU HAVE TO -- NOBODY IS ON APPRENTICESHIP UNTIL THEY'RE HIRED BY THE EMPLOYER.

SO IN AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, IT'S A THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET WORK EXPERIENCE FOR.

ONCE YOU TALK ABOUT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IT'S AN EMPLOYEE WE'RE TRYING TO GET TRAINING FOR.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THAT PROVIDES APPRENTICESHIP THAT EXTRA BENEFIT PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DID A SURVEY AND IDENTIFIED THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT PEOPLE THAT WERE UNDER EMPLOYED OR UNEMPLOYED WERE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE JOBS THAT WERE AVAILABLE.

27 PERCENT THOSE PEOPLE SAID THAT IT WAS A LACK OF A NECESSARY SKILLS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE JOB.

TO USE THE EXAMPLE IF WE WALKED OUT NOW AND THERE WAS A SIGN ACROSS THE STREET THAT SAID BRAIN SURGEON JOBS A THOUSAND DOLLARS AN HOUR, START HERE TOMORROW.

I COULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND YOU COULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

IT WOULDN'T MATTER IF THAT HE PAID A THOUSAND DOLLARS AN HOUR OR FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS AN HOUR, WE COULDN'T DO IT.

SO THAT IS A RIDICULOUS EXAMPLE BUT THE POINT HOLDS TRUE, EMPLOYER RECIPING MORE AND EMPLOYERS ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY MORE BECAUSE THERE'S A SHORTAGE IN THE SKILLED LABOR, SO THE INCREASED DEMAND AND THE LOWER SIMPLY MEANS PRICES GO UP SO THE PRICE OF LABOR GOES UP AND THE PRICE PAID FOR HOURLY RATES GOES UP BUT YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR WAY OUT OF A SKILLS DEFICIT.

THE INCREASED PAY MAKES IT APPEALING AND IN SENT VICES PEOPLE TO PURSUE THOSE OCCUPATIONS BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE SKILL SETTLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PAY, THEY CAN'T TAKE THOSE JOBS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THAT VEHICLE.

I RECOGNIZE THERE'S A JOB OUT THERE, GREAT WAGES.

IT'S ARE A THING I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE AT THE DO IT.

I DON'T HAVE THE SKILL SET.

REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP IS WE WILL START YOU AT GROUND ZERO AND WE WILL TRAIN YOU IN THE SKILL SET AND IT'S AN EARN AND LEARN OPPORTUNITY SO YOU CAN AFFORD TO SURVIVE WHILE GANG THAT TRAINING.

YOU'RE NOT JUST LEFT TO QUIT THE JOB YOU HAVE AND SEEK TRAINING.

>> JOSH IT'S INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THAT APPRENTICESHIPS IN MANY RESPECTS CAN BE THE SAME THING AS POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION NOW.

I MEAN EVERYBODY DOESN'T GO OFF TO JUNIOR COLLEGE OR A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY PURSUE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND IT CAN BE JUST AS MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL AS POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN MANY RESPECTS.

>> SOMETIMES I ARGUE IT COULD BE MORE MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL DEPENDING ON WATT YOU STUDY.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.

POST-SECONDARY JUST MEANS AFTER SECONDARY WHICH IS HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WE REGULARLY MAKE THE POINT TO FOLKS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME FORM MUCH POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION TO GET INTO IS A CAREER PATH AND A CAREER TRAJECTORY THAT HAS UPWARD MOBILITY AND CAN BE FAMILY SUSTAINING OVER THE LONG-TERM BUT THAT POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION CAN TAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS SO IT CAN BE A COLLEGE OR A UNIVERSITY AND MANY OF THE POLYP PROGRAMS WE BUILD -- IN FACT OUR NUMBER ONE PARTNER IS THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.

ALMOST EVERY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE STATE IS A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP SPONSOR FOR AT LEAST ONE OCCUPATION SO THEY JUST LIKE DALLAS COUNTY SELMA CITY, THE COLLEGE IS PROVIDING THE TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION AND THE EMPLOYERS ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM.

THE EMPLOYER IS WHAT WE CALL LAST DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIP SO IF THAT PERSON GOES AND THEY APPLY FOR A PELL FOR THE PROGRAM OR WE OWE A QUALIFIED OR WHATEVER IT IS, IF THERE'S A BILL LEFT OVER, THE EMPLOYER'S COMMITMENT IS THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THAT BILL.

THE BILL DOESN'T GO TO THE -- WE ARE SPEAKING -- WE'RE THE ONLY STATE IN THE NATION THAT HAS A WRITTEN POLICY THAT MANDATES THAT.

WE WON'T SUPPORT -- MY OFFICE WON'T SUPPORTIVE OR REGISTER A NEW PROGRAM OR EXPAND A PROGRAM WHERE THE EMPLOYER IS NOT WILLING TO COMMIT TO THAT LAST DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIP.

NOW, WE'VE GOT SO MANY BENEFITS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE WHEN THEY'RE BRAIDED PROPERLY.

IT'S VERY RARE THAT THE EMPLOYER IS GETTING A BILL.

AND IF IT IS A BILL, IT'S A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BILL.

BUT THE MAIN POINT IS, OUT OF THAT VERY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT WE HAVE, THE 3.3 PERSIAN THAT WE'RE SITTING ON RIGHT NOW, WE ALSO HAVE 57 PERCENT, I BELIEVE, IS OUR CURRENT LABOR MARKET PARTICIPATION.

THAT MEANS THAT ABOUT 43 PERCENT OF PEOPLE IN THE STATE ARE NOT WORKING AND ARE NOT ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WE HAVE TO TARGET.

AND WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHY ARE THEY NOT ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS.

NUMBER ONE BARRIER IS ACCESS TO THE SKILL TRAINING.

>> BEFORE WE CLOSE, WHEN YOU DEAL WITH SCHOOLS, WE MENTIONED DALLAS COUNTY AND SELMA CITY, AMONG THE FIRST, YOUR ENCOURAGING THEM TO BOOST JOBS WITHIN THEIR OWN SYSTEM, START WHERE YOU LIVE, SO TO SPEAK?

>> CongregationEXACTLY.

WE HAVE A LITTLE CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE STARTING TO LAUNCH NOW CALLED "HERE IS A CAREER."

HERE IS A CAREER.

I DON'T HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WE'RE ENCOURAGING THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND HR PROFESSIONALS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOL SITE, THE SCHOOL IS THE NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER IN MOST COUNTIES IN THE STATE.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT, THEY ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THE LARGEST POOL OF NEW WORKERS.

SO THEY NEED TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AND HIRING TO FILL THEIR OWN NEEDS.

SCHOOL SYSTEMS NEED DIESEL MECHANICS.

ALL OF THIS STUFF CAN BE TRAINED THROUGH AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

WHAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO DO BEFORE THEY TRY G. OUT AND TRY TO SELL AN EMPLOYER ON HOW GREAT THIS WOULD BE AND LET US HELP YOU MEET YOUR EMPLOYMENT NEEDS, MEET YOUR OWN EMPLOYMENT NEEDS.

IT'S THE FAT CHEF EXAMPLE.

I TRUST THE CHEF THAT EATS HIS OWN COOKING SO I'M GOING TO TRUST THE SUPERINTENDENT IF HE OR SHE CAN GO OUT AND USE THAT POOL OF TALENT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE.

>> QUICKLY BEFORE WE CLOSE, JOSH, YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING.

THAT IS, WE HAVE HEARD A LOT DURING THE PANDEMIC ABOUT PEOPLE NOT GOING BACK TO WORK BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTUALLY EARNING MORE WITH THE COVID BENEFITS THAN THEY WERE ON THEIR PREVIOUS JOB.

BUT I HEAR YOU SAYING JUST AS MANY MAYBE DIDN'T GO BACK TO THEIR PREVIOUS JOB BECAUSE THEY USED THIS TIME TO HONE THEIR SKILLS AND DO BETTER.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THE MATH MAKES SENSE.

WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THAT BOAT BUT THOSE PEOPLE WOULD BE COUNTED IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER.

SO THE UNEMPLOYMENT IS SITTING AT 3.3 PERCENT SO IT'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THAT SITUATION MAKING MORE MONEY THAN THEY WERE GOING BACK TO WORK.

THESE FOLKS WERE LOOKING FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

90,000 MORE PEOPLE ARE AT WORK TODAY THAN THEY WERE HAD A YEAR AGO.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF NEW PEOPLE SITTING OUT.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT TRAINING AND WE'VE GOT EAVE WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM VEHICLES TO GET IT, WHETHER IT'S THE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COLLEGES AND THE K-12 AND UNIVERSITIES TO PROMOTE ALL FORMS OF WORKFORCE LEARNING.

IN NOVEMBER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STATEWIDE WORKFORCE CONFERENCE WHERE WE'RE RECOGNIZING BEST PRACTICES IN WORKPLACE LEARNING, EVERYTHING FROM JOB SHADOWING TO COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS -- WE'VE GOT -- ALABAMA HAS THE TOOLS.

WE'VE GOT TO SCALE THE TOOLS AND WE'VE GOT TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS.

SO NOVEMBER 17, 18 RIGHT HERE IN MONTGOMERY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIG SUM AND IT SHARE SOME REALLY GREAT BEST PRACTICES, HOPEFULLY LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

>> JOSH LANEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION" WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> APT PROVIDES TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO PARENTS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO HELP THEM MAKE THE MOST OF THESE GREAT PROGRAMS.

IT'S ON AIR PRE-K EVERY DAY ON ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION, AND APT ENCOURAGES PARENTS TO WATCH THESE VALUABLE PROGRAMS WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

>> NEXT UP ON "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION," THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE TERRY COLLINS OF DECATUR IS IN THE STUDIO WITH US.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> I WANT TO BEGIN WITH THE ALABAMA LITERACY ACT WHICH YOU CHAMPIONED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND A CLOSELY WATCHED PROVISION OF THAT ACT THAT SAYS THIRD GRADERS WHO CAN'T READ AT GRADE LEVEL WILL BE HELD BACK.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT CAVEAT IS MOVING FORWARD AFTER A BILL THAT PASSED THE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD HAVE DELAYED IT WAS VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

SO THINGS ARE MOVING AHEAD THERE; RIGHT.

>> THINGS ARE MOVING AHEAD.

ACTUALLY THIS LAST FRIDAY, THE BILL CREATED TO ENTITIES.

ONE IS THE LITERACY TASK FORCE WHICH I THINK OF AS QUALITY CONTROL.

SO THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WHAT SCREENERS WE WOULD USE, WHAT ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM AND WHAT IS THE BEST ASSESSMENT.

THIS SUMMER THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT AT PORTFOLIO WOULD LOOK LIKE.

MAYBE A CHILD IS JUST A BAD TESTER BUT THEIR PORTFOLIO OF WORK WOULD SHOW THEY DO KNOW HOW TO READ.

ANYWAY THEY'RE MAKING THOSE FINALIZATIONS THIS WEEK THIS SUMMER.

AND THEN AT THE END OF THE LEGISLATION, IT SET UP A GRADE LEVEL READING COMMITTEE, SO A TASK FORCE AND A COMMITTEE, AND THEY'RE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IN THE ACT IS IMPLEMENTING AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

THAT'S WHAT THEIR JOB IS TO BE.

AND THEY -- THE TASK FORCE AND THE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY MET TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST FRIDAY.

AND SO IT WAS VERY ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRING AND EVERY TIME I TURN ON TWITTER MORE PEOPLE HAVE MADE A COMMENT OR LIKED SOMETHING ABOUT GIST WORKING TOGETHER AND THE HASHTAG IS UNTIL ALL CHILDREN READ.

>> TEACHERS ARE UNDERGOING SPECIALIZED TRAINING?

>> BEFORE THE BILL PASSED WE HAD ABOUT 300 THAT HAD STARTED IN A LETTERS TRAINING, WHICH IS -- I'VE NOT HAD IT.

I'M NOT A TEACHER.

BUT EVERYONE I TALK TO THAT HAS GONE THROUGH IT SAID IT'S AMAZING.

I TOLD -- I WAS AT THE MEETING LAST FRIDAY, AND I MENTIONED TO THEM HOW ONE OF MY MOST INSPIRING MOMENTS I WAS VISITING COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TEACHERS.

AND THEY PARTNER WITH AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ONE OF THE TEACHERS WAS A NATIONALLY AWARD CERTIFIED TEACHER, BEEN TEACHING 25 YEARS BUT WAS FOR THE FIRST TIME HAVING THE LETTERS TRAINING AND THE SCIENCE AND READING TRAINING AND SHE WAS ALMOST IN TEARS, JUST WISHING SHE COULD HAVE HAD ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN SHE HAD TAUGHT BEFORE BACK TO RETEACH.

SO IT'S BEEN VERY EXCITING.

I THINK WE HAVE HAD -- IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY WE HAVE HAD OVER 12 TO 13,000 GOING THROUGH THAT NOW, AND THEY'RE TAKING NEW COHORTS ALL THE TIME, SO IF YOU ARE TEACHING IN THAT AREA, IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH STUDENTS, THERE'S A GROUP FOR ADMINISTRATORS, FOR PRINCIPLES AND THEN FOR TEACHERS.

SO PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOW, LETRS, I WILL REMIND THE AUDIENCE, IS AN ACRONYM AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE STANDS FOR BUT IT'S SUBSTANTIALIZED TRAINING FOR TEACHES TO HELP THEM HELP KIDS WITH READING.

>> YES.

VERY MUCH SO.

>> AND YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REVOLUTIONARY FROM WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE?

>> I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD.

THE TEACHERS THAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE A FEW HOURS TRAINING.

BUT IT IS CHANGING AND A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS THAT HAVE COME OUT WEREN'T TRAINED IN THE SCIENCE OF READING SO IT IS NEW AND WHAT YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME IS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.

SO YOU HAVE BEEN TEACHING SOMETHING A CERTAIN WAY THE WHOLE TIME AND UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE THE SCIENCE OF READING, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE NOT TEACHING THAT WAY -- >> WE TALK ABOUT THE CLAUSE OF THE LITERACY ACT THAT WOULD HOLD THIRD GRADERS BACK IF THEY CAN'T READ AT GRADE LEVEL.

I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO REMIND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIRD GRADE.

FROM KINDERGARTEN TO THIRD GRADE YOU'RE LEARNING TO READ AND FROM THIRD GRADE ONWARD YOU'RE READING TO LEARN AND IF YOU CAN'T READ IN THIRD GRADE AND BEYOND THAT'S GOING TO SET YOU BACK THE REST OF YOUR EDUCATIONAL CAREER.

>> IT DOES.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC STATISTICS OF HOW MANY IT SHOW IF THEY'RE NOT READING ON TRACK AT THE THIRD GRADE, THAT THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE THAT DON'T GRADUATE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, A PART OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICES FROM NOW ON.

THERE WAS ACTUAL A REPORT OUT OF TEXAS THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY BUILT PRISONS BASED ON THIRD GRADE READING SCHOOLS AT ONE POINT.

IT'S A DIVIDING LINE.

THE WAY I USED TO SAY IT THE YEAR WE'RE WORKING ON THE LEGISLATION WAS THAT, IF YOU PASS A CHILD OUT OF THE THIRD GRADE THAT YOU KNOW CAN'T READ, YOU'RE FAILING THAT CHILD BECAUSE SHE WILL BE EXPECTING THINGS FROM THEM FROM NOW ON THAT THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO DO.

SO I APPRECIATE -- I THINK THAT SENSE OF URGENCY HELPS KEEP US MOVING FORWARD, HELPS GET PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, HELP MAYBE GET OUR CHILDREN AND MOTIVATE OUR CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS OF THOSE CHILDREN TO BE IN THESE HIGH-QUALITY SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THAT SENSE OF URGENCY PROPELS YOU WITH A LOT FOR OUR IMPLEMENTATION.

AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO IT FAST AND WE ALL KNOW THAT.

AND SO WHAT I HAD ASKED ALL ALONG, INSTEAD OF A DELAY WAS WE WOULD HAVE OUR FIRST YEAR OF TESTING THIS YEAR WITH OUR ACAP TESTING.

AND WE HAD '93 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS TAKE THAT TESTING.

IT IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE TEST SO IT'S A BASELINE.

BUT IT'S GOING TO GIVE US A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON WHERE WE ACTUALLY ARE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I KEPT SAYING.

BEFORE WE STOP ALL OF THAT SENSE OF URGENCY AND ALL OF THE GOOD IMPLEMENTATION OR PAUSE IT OR ANYTHING, LET'S GET OUR DATA BECAUSE THEN LET'S MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

>> BECAUSE YOU HAVE SAID THAT ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, YOU MAY RELOOK AT THINGS AND DECIDE TO DELAY IT?

>> CongregationEXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

BUT WE ALSO -- IF WE THEY IT, WE WANT TO DELAY IT WITH A PLAN OF WHAT ALL WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IN BETWEEN NOW AND WHENEVER WE WOULD IMPLEMENT.

>> THE BILL THAT SOUGHT TO DELAY THIS WHOLE BACK CLAUSE CONTENDED BASICALLY THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH LEARNING LOST DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN.

HOW DID YOU ANSWER THAT.

>> WHAT I SAID EARLIER, TO ME IT'S NOT FAIR TO PASS A CHILD OUT OF THE THIRD GRADE KNOWING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE TEACHING THAT CHILD TO READ ANYMORE.

>> EVEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES?

>> CongregationEVEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.

IT ALMOST MIGHT HAVE BEEN A REALLY GOOD YEAR TO RESET EVERYBODY.

I MEAN IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF -- WE HAD A KINDERGARTEN BILL THAT JUST SAID AS YOUR CHILD ENTERED SCHOOL IF THEY'VE NOT BEEN IN A PRE-K OR -- THAT THEY WOULD ASSESS THAT CHILD AND JUST DECIDE IS IT BEST TO PUT THEM IN FIRST GRADE OR FOR THEM HAD TO START IN KINDERGARTEN.

THIS IS ONE OF THESE YEARS BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY THAT DIDN'T PARTICIPATE BECAUSE OF COVID, SO PARENTS AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND ALL ARE JUST KIND OF HAVING TO MAKE THAT DECISION ONE CHILD AT A TIME AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MAKE ALL OF OUR DECISIONS.

>> YOU REFERENCE THE KINDERGARTEN BILL.

IT WAS BILL THAT SOUGHT TO MAKE KINDERGARTEN MANDATORY.

TO DID YOU THAT NOTION.

IT WAS REALLY -- I WOULD CALL IT FIRST GRADE READY.

IT WAS MANDATORY THAT, IF YOU HAD A FAMILY AND THEY HAD BEEN TEACHING YOU AND YOU COME IN AND YOU'RE READY FOR FIRST GRADE AND YOU'VE NEVER BUT THEN SCHOOL BEFORE, YOU WOULD START WITH FIRST GRADE.

BUT IF YOU COME INTO SCHOOL AS A FIRST GRADER AND YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A KINDERGARTEN OR A PRESCHOOL, YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR COLORS, YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR LETTERS, YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO BE IN FIRST GRADE.

SO THIS WOULD JUST SAY YOU WOULD START IN KINDERGARTEN.

SO IT GOT LABELED MANDATORY KINDERGARTEN BUT IT REALLY THAT.

IT WAS MORE OF A PREPARED FIRST GRADE.

>> GOT YOU.

THAT THAT BILL WAS SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE PEBBLIN WARREN OF TUSKEGEE WHO SAID SHE PLANS TO BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR.

>> I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT.

I THINK IT'S GOOD.

I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO HAVE THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID, WITH PARENTS MAKING DECISIONS, BUT I TRUST OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TOO.

I WOULD IMAGINE THEY'RE MAKING GOOD DECISIONS CHILD BY CHILD ON WHAT IS PEST FOR THAT.

>> WITH THE LITERACY ACT IN GENERAL WAS CONCERNED, WE HAVE OUR SHARE OF EDUCATION CHALLENGES NEAR ALABAMA BUT IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO READING BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO, SAY, MATH AND SCIENCE, WHICH ARE ALSO CHALLENGES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW?

>> CongregationVERY TRUE.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T READ ONCE YOU GET TO WORD PROBLEMS IN MATH OR SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST EQUATIONS BUT SCIENCE INFORMATION YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO READ THAT AS WELL.

THAT IS TRUE WITH YOUR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO READ TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IN THAT TECHNICAL FIELD ARE.

>> LET'S SPEND THE LAST FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET YOU CHAIRED THE HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WILL SURELY COME BEFORE THAT COMMITTEE, TWO RELATED BILLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PREFILED.

YOU HAVE BEEN AMONG THE LAWMAKERS THAT SAID ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE IS A CLEAR DEFINITION OR THE LACK OF FOR CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

>> CORRECT.

I WAS ON YOUR SHOW I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO IT'S BEEN BUT I MENTIONED WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A DEFINITION AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION AND ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS MEANING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT IT.

AND I GOT VERY -- JUST TICKLED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.

BUT I PROBABLY HAVE GOTTEN 40 TO 50 EMAILS AND EVERYONE'S BEEN TELLING ME WHAT THE DEFINITION IS AND EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT.

AND I THOUGHT OKAY, YOU'RE ALL PROVING MY POINT.

BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN DO IT.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE WANTING TO INDOCTRINATE OUR CHILDREN.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE WANTING TO -- I HAVE EVEN BEEN TO SOME THINGS -- I DO A LOT WITH EARLY LEARNING AND TRYING TO MAKE AN INITIATIVE THERE FOR THE EARLY LEARNERS WHO -- I DON'T BELIEVE THEY SEE THINGS AS DIVIDED AS WE DO AS ADULTS.

SO I'M NOT WANTING TO INDOCTRINATE.

I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH A CLEAR DEFINITION AND KEY CAN DECIDE WHAT WE -- WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE TEACHING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE DO WANT TO TEACH MAKE SURE WE STILL CAN TEACH, WITH THE HISTORY AND THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLY PART OF IT BUT WE WANT OUR TEACHERS TO BE CONFIDENT TO BE ABLE TO TEACH WHAT THEY KNOW TO TEACH AND YET KNOW ALSO CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD AND DEFINE WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED TO DO, TO INDOCTRINATE AND TO DESIGNATE ANY ONE RACE OR SEGMENT OF SOCIETY AS GOOD AND ANOTHER AS BAD.

ANY GENERALIZATION LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE NOT A TRUTH.

>> WE ARE GOING TO SPEAK TO SUPERINTENDENT DR. ERIK MACKEY COMING UP ON THE SHOW NEXT.

BUT BEFORE WE GET TO HIM I WANTED TO ASK YOU, THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD IS CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION ON THIS ISSUE, SORT OF A POSITION STATEMENT.

ARE YOU HAPPY TO SEE THAT AT LEAST?

>> I THINK THAT, YES, MANY OF THEM HAVE CALLED AND TALKED TO ME AND THEY DO FEEL LIKE THIS IS IN THEIR PURVIEW AS THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD AND THAT WE AS THE LEGISLATOR DON'T NEED TO BUT EVERYONE CAN COME UP AND YOU MENTION MENTIONED TWO BILLS.

I BELIEVE WE MIGHT HAVE FOUR OR FIVE BILLS RIGHT NOW.

SO I CAN ASSURE THAT BEFORE WE GET TO SESSION WE WILL HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF WHAT THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD HAS DONE AND CONSIDERED AND THEN WE WILL BE LOOK AT ALL THAT LEGISLATION AND I THINK AT THE TIME I SPOKE WITH YOU, ONLY REPRESENTATIVE PRINGLE BUT I SPOKE TO HIM UP FRONT AND SAID, YES, WE WILL DEFINITELY WORKING THAT AND WORK WITH YOU THAT ISSUE AND HE WAS VERY ANXIOUS TO WORK WITH US ON THAT ISSUE.

>> SINCE WE LAST TALK SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE BEEN FILED THAT GOES BEYOND EDUCATION WHICH IS FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE OLIVER BUT IT PROVES TO BE A HOT TOPIC NEXT YEAR.

>> I THINK SO.

>> REPRESENTATIVE TERRY COLLINS OF DECATUR CHAIR OF THE HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

>> AND "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION" SPOT WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> NEXT UP ON "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION," ALABAMA SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, DR. ERIK MACKEY IS BACK IN THE STUDIO WITH US.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOING TO BE TO BE HERE.

>> WELCOME BACK TO SPOTLIGHT.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER TODAY SO LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

IT IS A HOT TOPIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN ALABAMA RIGHT NOW.

THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SCHOOL BOARD IS WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN STATE SCHOOLS.

YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A RESOLUTION WITH THE BOARD AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE HOPING TO VOTE ON THAT RESOLUTION, THE BOARD IS, IN AUGUST CORRECT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THE BOARD WILL VOTE IN AUGUST ON A RESOLUTION.

SO FIRST UP, JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR, CRT IS NOT TAUGHT IN ANY OF OUR STATE COURSES OF STUDY AND THAT'S THE ONE THING EVERYBODY OFTEN ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUE SEEMS TO AGREE TO.

IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

IT'S NOT A PART OF WHAT WE COULD.

BUT THERE IS SOME CONCERN BY SOME GROUPS THAT IN THE FUTURE IT COULD BE ADDED.

CERTAINLY IN SOME DISCUSSION ACROSS THE NATION ABOUT WHETHER CRT CONCEPTS SHOULD BE ADDED OR NOT.

THEY'RE REALLY MORE GRADUATE SCHOOL, LAW SCHOOL TYPE OF CONCEPTS BUT STATE BOARD IS LOOKING AT PASSING A RESOLUTION.

IT DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT CRT BUT SPEAKS TO ANY THEORIES OF ETIOLOGIES THAT WOULD PLACE ONE RACE ABOVE ANOTHER AND EVEN THAT IS CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY THAT'S NOT WHAT CRT DOES AND THAT'S WHY THE BOARD DID NOT WANT TO SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT CRT AS A PARTICULAR THING.

>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD IS ACTUALLY DEFINING WHAT CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS IT.

IT'S SORT OF GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT CRITICAL RACE THEORY THAT RACISM IS SYSTEMIC IN OUR POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS.

I KNOW AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK YOU WERE READ A DEFINITION FROM THE ENCYCLOPEDIA.

IT'S NOT THE OFFICIAL POSITION FROM THE BOARD BUT HE SAID THIS IS THE BEST DEFINITION WE CAN COME UP WITH.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT'S VERY HARD TO PIN IT DOWN.

YOU CAN ASK 10 PEOPLE, EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE SCHOLARS OF CRT AND ALL TEN WOULD GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF WHAT EXACTLY IT IS.

THAT'S ONE REASON IT HAS BECOME KIND OF A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BECAUSE THERE'S -- IT'S DIFFICULT TO TAKE A POSITION ON SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON'T CLEARLY HAVE DEFINED OR CLEARLY UNDERSTAND EVEN.

AND CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING COMPLICATED FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND.

SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN WE DON'T INCLUDE IT ANYWHERE IN OUR COURSES OF STUDY, THE DISCUSSION OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DON'T DISCUSS IN OUR COURSES OF STUDY.

IT'S A DIFFERENT THING OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH LAW SCHOOL AND GRADUATE SCHOOL.

THOSE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS THAN YOU WOULD HAVE IN SAY 8TH GRADE HISTORY CLASS.

>> DURING THE DISCUSSION OVER THIS ISSUE LAST WEEK SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD INTERESTING COMMENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE TRACY WEST I BELIEVE SAID THAT SHE WASN'T FOR ANY KIND OF THEORY THAT SAID ONE RACE HAD NO HOPE OVER ANOTHER RACE SAYING THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ON HOPE.

AND THEN ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, TONYA CHESTNUT TOOK AN OPPOSING VIEWPOINT.

THERE'S BEEN SOME PRETTY PASSIONATE DEBATE ABOUT THIS ALREADY LEADING UP TO THE RESOLUTION.

>> WELL, I THINK IF YOU TALK TO THOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND TALK TO THEM AS I HAVE, ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS NOT JUST IN THE MEETING BUT OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING, THAT'S A BENEFIT I HAVE THAT MOST ALABAMIANS DON'T HAVE.

YOU FIND THEY'RE DIGGING DEEPLY INTO IT AND THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT AND THEY WANT TO DISCUSS AND HAVE GOOD DIALOGUE WITH ONE ANOTHER ON THESE THINGS.

AND MAY NOT ALL COME TO THE SAME POINT IN THE END BUT CERTAINLY THEY HAVE HAD REALLY GOOD DIALOGUE WITH EACH OTHER TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S PERPS IN HOW WHO COME AT THIS TOPIC.

ONE THING CLEARLY IS THAT WE CAN'T JUST IGNORE IT.

SO THERE'S NO WHAT I JUST TO SAY THAT'S NOT A TOPIC WE CAN'T DISCUSS OR DEAL WITH BECAUSE WE HAVE GOTTEN LOTS OF CALLS AND EMAILS COMING INTO THE DEPARTMENT, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS, BUT MORE AND MORE RECENTLY, AND ON ALL ISSUES -- YOU KNOW I SAID IN THE MEETING THAT THERE ARE NOT TWO SIDES OF THIS ISSUE.

CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT SIDES AND PEOPLE IN ALL DIFFERENT PLACES ALONG THE CONTINUUM.

>> AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, AS I MENTIONED, IT IS DIVISIVE, IT IS A PASSIONATE ISSUE AS WELL, AND PARENTS, I GUESS, ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO IMMEDIATELY BE ON THE BOOKS.

IT'S NOT ON THE BOOKS AS YOU POINTED OUT AND IT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY GOING TO BE ON THE BOOKS.

>> NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING PARENTS NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE CRT IS NOT ANYWHERE IN OUR COURSES OF STUDY.

WE ARE SET TO REDO OUR CIVICS AND U.S. HISTORY, ALABAMA HISTORY, ALL OF OUR HISTORY STANDARDS IN ABOUT TWO YEARS.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CAN IT BE DONE IN THAT TIME FRAME.

AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE NAMED JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AS AN EXEMPLARY STATE IN U.S. HISTORY AND CIVICS EDUCATION, ONE OF ONLY FIVE IN THE U.S. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

AND WE'RE TAKING THAT AS A STAMP OF APPROVAL THAT WHAT WE HAVE IS REALLY GOOD.

DO THEY MAYBE NEED TO BE UPDATED, NEED TO BE TWEAKED SOMEWHAT?

POSSIBLY SO.

BUT I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD SEE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN A NEW SET OF STANDARDS COURSE OF STUDY GOING FORWARD.

>> AGAIN THE RESOLUTION OF THE STATE BOARD IS SET TO VOTE ON IN AUGUST WOULD YOU DEFINE IT MORSE AS A POSITION STATEMENT?

>> CongregationI THINK.

SO BASICALLY IT'S A PRETTY SHORT RESOLUTION THAT SAYS WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE ANY ONE RACE OR GENDER BEING PROMOTED AS ABOVE THE OTHER OR INHERENTLY INNATELY BETTER THAN THE OTHER.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE STATE DRUGGED WITH A LONG TIME AGO.

WE HAVE GOTTEN TO A POINT, CLEARLY ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID THEY DON'T WASN'T TO GO BACKWARDS.

EVEN IF THEY CANNOT AGREE ON THE NEXT STEP FORWARD ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, EVERYBODY AGREES, WE ADOPT WANT TO GO BACKWARDS.

SO THAT'S ONE THING.

THERE'S SOME INFORMATION IN THERE ABOUT CHANGES, VERY SMALL CHANGE TO OUR CODE, WHICH GOVERNS OUR STATE SCHOOLS OBVIOUSLY.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL CHANGE, JUST A COUPLE OF SENTENCES IT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE STATE WILL NEVER AGREE TO ANY ETIOLOGY THAT PLACES ONE RACE ABOVE ANOTHER RACE.

>> DR. MACKEY, THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE EXAMINING THIS NEXT YEAR.

I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT HAD A COUPLE OF BILLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PREFILED FOR CONSIDERATION NEXT YEAR.

ONE PROPOSES BANNING THE TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN OUR SCHOOLS AND ANOTHER DEALS WITH THE BROADER STATE GOVERNMENT IN CRITICAL RACE THEORY NOT JUST EDUCATION.

>> YEAH, SO SINCE WE DON'T TEACH ANYTIME OUR K-12 SCHOOLS THAT'S IMPORTANT AND THAT BILL REALLY WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING WE CURRENTLY DO UNDER OUR COURSES OF STUDY IN ALABAMA.

I THINK THAT IT MAY BE IS PROSPECTIVE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT DIDN'T CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW THE OTHER BILL THAT IS MORE GENERAL TO ALL STATE AGENCIES AND TALKS ABOUT, I THINK, GRANTS AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, I'M NOT A LEGAL SCHOLAR, I HAVEN'T LOOKED DEEPLY INTO THAT.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT ENGAGED IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT BILLS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, TOO, AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS A LEGAL CONCEPT THAT CAME OUT OF LAW SCHOOLS.

IN FACT SCHOLARS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LAW SCHOOL HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THAT DISCUSSION FOR YEARS, AND SO I COULDN'T WEIGH IN ON THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU FOR K12 I DON'T KNOW IF THIS A LEGISLATURE WANTS TO JUMP INTO IT AND SOME BILLS HAVE BEEN PREFILED BUT THE STATE BOARD IS OBVIOUSLY AHEAD OF THAT ISSUE AND I THINK IS GOING TO HANDLE THAT ISSUE BEFORE OF THE LEGISLATURE RECON CONVENIENCE.

>> LET'S TALK A MOMENT OR TWO ABOUT AN INFUSION OF NEW MONEY THAT STATE SCHOOLS ARE REALIZING NOW.

$2.02 BILLION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE SEVERAL INFUSIONS OF MONEY DUE TO COVID.

THE LATEST WILL PUT US OVER $3 BILLION AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LARGEST INFUSION WE HAVE EVER SEEN LIKE THIS.

>> THIS IS MONEY THAT DOES HAVE TO BE SPENT.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING UNTIL ALL OF IT IS SPENT IN LIKE 42 MONTHS BUT WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT, IT'S COMBINED DOWN TO LESS THAN THREE YEARS TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.

IT'S THE MOST MONEY WE HAVE EVER SPENT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.

SOME OF IT OBVIOUSLY IS GEARED TOWARD RECOVERY, SO PAYING FOR SOME THINGS THAT WERE ALREADY PURCHASED BY SCHOOLS.

AS YOU KNOW LAST YEAR THEY HAD TO DO A LOT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PURCHASE A LOT OF NEW MATERIALS AND THERE WILL BE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.

GOING FORWARD, THERE WILL BE MORE OF THOSE EXPENSES AND THERE WILL BE SOME DIRECT EXPENSES ON THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAND SANITIZER FOR INSTANCE, AND MUCH MORE INVOLVED MEDICAL SUPPLIES.

BUT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF THAT MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON ACADEMIC RECOVERY.

SO TUTORING, AFTER SCHOOLWORK, EVEN WEEKEND, SATURDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM, SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

WE HAVE SEEN A MAJOR UPTICK IN SUMMER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR AND PARDON ME FOR SAYING IT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING NO NOT CALL IT SUMMER SCHOOL BUT SUMMER PROGRAMMING, SUMMER READING CAMP AND STEM CAMPS GOING ON ACROSS THE STATE AND WE WANT TO MAKE THOSE FUN AND ENGAGING SO STUDENTS WANT TO COME BUT THE NUMBERS ARE UP IN MANY CASES.

THEY'RE UP 4 TO 500 PERCENT THIS SUMMER AS COMPARED TO A REGULAR SUMMER.

>> WE'RE MAKING UP FOR THAT LEARNING LOSS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE MAKING UP FOR IT.

THE PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER, ONE SUMMER DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH REALLY OVER THE LAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS.

AND ARE GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT HOW NORMAL THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WILL LOOK.

I THINK IT WILL START OUT LOOKING NORMAL BUT ALREADY EVEN THIS SUMMER WE'RE SEEING QUARANTINES FROM SPORTS CAMPS AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR OUTBREAKS IN OUR SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE'VE CONTINUED TO KEEP A LOT OF PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO KEEP KIDS SAFE OUGHT SCHOOL.

>> IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL TIME ALMOST.

SOME SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY GEARING UP TO GO BACK IN LATE ANNUAL AND THEN ON STAGGERED SCHEDULES AFTER THAT.

WE WILL ALL BE GOING BACK TO IN PERSON LEARNING; RIGHT.

>> WE WILL ALL BE BACK IN PERSON LEARNING, BEGINNING IN AUGUST.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE QUARANTINE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN CAUTIONING PEOPLE ABOUT IS TO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF VACCINATION.

WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON REQUIRING VACCINES BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CLEARLY THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE.

FOLKS WHO ARE VAX THEY WANT WHO HAD BECOME A CLOSE CONTACT TO A PERSON WHO IS COVID 19 POSITIVE DON'T HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED SO I TELL YOU FROM MY POSITION, I WORRY WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A SITUATION IN THE FALL WHERE, YOU KNOW, FIVE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO COVID, THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN VACCINATE SOD THEY JUST COME BACK TO SCHOOL AND KEEP GOING.

THE OTHER TWO HAVE NOT BEEN AND THEY HAVE TO GO HOME IN QUARANTINE.

SAME THING WITH THE ADULTS IN SCHOOLS.

I'M REALLY CONCERNED OUR VACCINATION RATES AMONG TEACHERS HAVE BEEN VERY LOW.

>> THE FEDERAL CDC EVENTUALLY SAID THAT VACCINATED ADULTS AND CHILDREN WON'T HAVE TO WEAR MASKS INSIDE SCHOOLS THIS FALL.

BUT A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS WILL BE BASED VERY LOCALLY BASED ON LOCAL DECISIONS OR LOCAL CONDITIONS; RIGHT.

>> SO LAST YEAR WE WERE UNDER A GENERAL STATE ORDER THAT APPLIED TO OUR SCHOOLS AS FAR AS WEARING MASCOTS AND THAT APPLIED TO -- ONCE VACCINES BECAME A LITTLE MORE AVAILABLE THIS SPRING, WE ROLLED THAT BACK AND GOVERNOR AS YOU KNOW DID AWAY WITH THE MASK ORDER.

MANY SCHOOL BOARDS KEPT IT IN PLACE UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND IT WILL BE UP TO A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD FOR THIS FALL.

WE HAVE A FEW DISTRICTS THAT HAVE HAD OF MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS IN THE FALL.

SOME MAY REQUIRE IT FOR ALL STUDENTS WHICH THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO.

SOME MAY SAY JUST FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED.

CHILDREN UNDER 12 CANNOT GET THE VACCINE SO THAT WOULD APPLY TO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS AND THE SAME FOR ADULTS, BUT WITHOUT A GENERAL STATE ORDER, A HEALTH ORDER OR STATE OF THAT WILL REMAIN UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.

>> I WILL REMIND THE THAT THE LAST STATE ORDER DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC EXPIRED EARLIER IN JULY, SO WE ARE WITHOUT ANY OF THOSE ORDERS NOW LIKE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST YEAR, THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE AMBIGUOUS BUT THESE ARE LOCAL DECISIONS.

>> THEY ARE LOCAL DECISION AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH SOME FRUSTRATION OUT THERE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES OF JURISDICTION.

SO IF I COULD JUST GIVE A SHORT EXAMPLE, LAST FALL, YOU REMEMBER, BEFORE WE WERE -- WE WERE TOO DEEP INTO THE ORDERS WE WERE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT WHAT FOOTBALL GAMES WOULD LOOK LIKE AND I KNOW AT ONE TIME I HAD TO PUT OUT A MEMO THAT THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO FOLLOW THE ORDER OF THE JURISDICTION.

SO WE HAD CERTAIN TOWNS OR THAT ALREADY SAID WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE MASKS BEFORE THERE WAS A STATE MASK ORDER.

SO IF YOU WENT TO PLAY FOOTBALL IN ONE OF THOSE TOWNS YOU HAD TO WEAR A MASK.

IF YOU PLAYED IN ANOTHER TOWN YOU MAY NOT HAVE TOO.

AND ESSENTIALLY WE'RE BACK THAT, THAT HOME CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD HAS JURISDICTION AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE SETTING THE RULES FOR CONTESTS THAT OCCUR ON THEIR PROPERTY OR IN THEIR TOWN, THEN YOU TRAVEL SOMEWHERE ELSE AND MAY BE UNDER A DIFFERENT SET OF STANDARDS.

>> STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION DR. ERIK MACKEY.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION" WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

Reporter: FINALLY ON "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION" TONIGHT, WE'RE JOINED BY STATE HEALTH OFFICE OTHER DR. HARRIS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS.

DR. HARRIS WE HAVE JUST BEEN TALKING WITH SUPERINTENDENT MACKEY ABOUT COVID AND THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON.

HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT KIDS SAFETY AS THEY GO BACK TO IN PERSON LEARNING EN MASSE?

>> I CERTAINLY THINK ALL OF US HAVE THE GREATEST CONCERN FOR THEIR SAFETY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE PROTECTED AND SAFE AND ALSO THAT GOES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL.

WE HAVE ALL LEARNED A LOT IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF ABOUT HAVING KIDS IN SCHOOL AND IN PERSON.

THAT'S THE WAY WE WANT TO DO THAT BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE AND DO IT SAFELY.

>> WE TALK WITH DR. MACKEY ABOUT MASKING AND BECAUSE THERE IS NO LONGER A STATE ORDER CONCERNING MASKING HE MENTIONED MASKS IN SCHOOLS WILL BE LOCAL DECISIONS THAT LOCAL PRINCIPLES AND ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BOARDS WILL MAKE THESE DECISIONS BASED ON CONDITIONS IN THEIR OWN SYSTEMS.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S EXACTLY; RIGHT.

I THINK THE SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE HAD A LOT OF LATITUDE ABOUT WHICH OF THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY WANT TO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW FOR THEIR LOCAL SYSTEM.

CERTAINLY EVERY SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN ONE COMMUNITY MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS.

OF THE MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO CONTINUOUSLY GET OUT IS THAT WE TO BELIEVE MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.

WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE NUMBERS OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WITH OUTBREAKS GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY, MASKS ARE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT MANY TIMES ABOUT THE POLITICIZATION OF MASKS AND HOW PEOPLE COME DOWN ON THAT ISSUE BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THE SCIENCE THERE.

MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING DISEASE TRANSMISSION.

>> IT CONTINUES TO BE A PASSIONATE ISSUE.

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION HAS SAID THAT VACCINATED TEACHERS AND STUDENTS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO WEAR MASKS INSIDE SCHOOLS STARTING THIS FALL, BUT THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS CAME OUT AND SAID IT WOULD RECOMMEND MASK WEARING INSIDE SCHOOLS.

>> CERTAINLY REASONABLE PEOPLE WHO ALL HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS CAN CERTAINLY DISAGREE ON THAT.

ALABAMA AND IN PARTICULAR ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS CONSISTENTLY FOLLOWED GUIDELINES FROM CDC, THAT'S AMERICA'S FOREMOST PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY.

CDC IS CURRENTLY REALLY NOT CHANGED VERY MUCH WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING FROM A YEAR AGO EVEN EXCEPT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED DO HAVE A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT STATUS.

WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT CLOSE CONTACTS IN THE SAME WAY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED AND MANY KIDS NOW AGE 12 AND UP HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE VACCINATED BUT CDC DOES CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND MASKS FORE EVERYONE AGE 2 AND UP THAT IS NOT VACCINATED AND CERTAINLY KIDS UNDER 12 DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE VACCINATED.

>> GOVERNOR IVEY AMONG OTHERS SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE MASKS IN SCHOOLS.

THE STATEWIDE ORDER I MENTIONED EARLIER IS NOT IN EFFECT ANYMORE SO THIS REVERTS TO LOCAL SYSTEMS TO DECIDE.

BUT YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF EMAIL ARE YOU NOT ABOUT THIS FROM PARENTS?

>> SURE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AS YOU SAY ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND OBVIOUSLY OUR JO BE SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROMOTE THE HEALTHIEST ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CAN FOR PEOPLE.

AGAIN MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE.

NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

DISTANCING IS EFFECTIVE.

NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

BUT EVEN CDC HAS SAID THESE NONPHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS, DISTANCING AND MASK REQUIREMENTS SHOULD NOT BE A LANIER TO KEEP KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL.

THERE ARE STILL CERTAINLY THINGS THAT ARE SAFER POST-SECONDARY THINGS THAT ARE LESS SAFE BUT THAT SHOULDN'T U.N.

DECIDING FACTOR IN WHETHER A KID IS ALLOWED TO ATTEND.

>> KIDS 12 AND UP ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE NOW.

KIDS UNDER 12 THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR THEM YET ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NEWS REPORTS RECENTLY THAT SAID PFIZER WOULD BE APPLYING FOR EMERGENCY APPROVAL OF A VACCINE FOR KIDS UNDER 12 MAYBE THIS FALL.

SO WE HAD WILL MONITOR THAT CLOSELY.

GIVEN THAT KIDS UNDER 12, THERE'S NO SHOT FOR THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY'RE IN CONTACT WITH ADULTS AND OTHERS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED IN OTHER SETTINGS, IS CAUSE FOR AT LEAST SOME CONCERN; RIGHT?

>> SURE.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY HOW PARENTS FEEL ABOUT THAT AND I WOULD SAY CERTAINLY WE HEAR FROM MANY TEACHERS ERRORS AND ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE FULL OF CHILDREN AND AS ADULTS AS WELL.

THEY DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET VACCINATED BUT WE URGE CAUTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE, SENIORS OR THOSE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS.

EVEN WHEN VACCINATED WE WANT THEM TO EXERCISE CAUTION.

IN TERMS OF WHAT TO DO WITH KIDS THERE'S NO ONE ANSWER THAT IS GOING TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.

MASKS HAVE BECOME VERY CONTROVERSIAL AT THE SAME TIME THEY OUGHT NOT TO BE.

WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE EFFECTIVE AND MOST KIDS SEEM TO DO WELL WITH MASKS.

>> KIDS 12 AND UP CAN YOU GIVE US AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF HOW WE'RE DOING IN GETTING SHOTS IN ARMS IN KIDS 12 AND UP.

>> I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSE 0 ON THAT.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THAT GROUP IN LARGE NUMBERS YET.

SOME OF THAT COULD BE THE TIMING.

PARENTS TEND TO START GETTING THEIR KIDS VACCINATED THEY THINK ABOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR COMING UP SO IT'S THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, MIDSUMMER WHEN THEY'RE GETTING APPOINTMENTS TO GET SHOTS UPDATED AND CHILD'S BUSINESS DONE SO WE LO HOPE TO SEE A BUMP IN THAT.

WE DO TEND TO SEE PARENTS ARE CHOOSING TO VACCINATE THEIR COUNTRYSIDE NOT IN LINE WITH THEIR OWN BELIEFS AS PARENTS.

WE KNOW YOUNGER ALABAMIANS IN GENERAL ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE VACCINATED THAN OLDER ALABAMIANS AND YOUNGER ALABAMIANS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, SO I THINK WE ARE NOT SEEING HUGE NUMBERS IN THAT AIM GROUP.

>> WHERE CHILDREN WHO ARE SICK WITH COVID ARE CONCERNED, WE HAVE CASES IN ALABAMA, DO WE NOT?

>> CERTAINLY WE DO.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF CASES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR KIDS TO BE ANYONE EFFECTED WITH COVID.

GENERALLY SPEAKING THEY TO A LOT BETTER THAN ADULTS DO.

WE HAVE HAD -- IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVE HAD FATALITIES IN CHILDREN.

SOME YOUNGER KIDS AND SOME KIDS THAT WERE COMPLETELY HEALTHY WITH NO UNDERLYING HEALTH PROBLEMS BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF THAT.

KIDS GENERALLY DO VERY WELL.

BUT THERE ARE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES THAT COME WITH HAVING COVID THAT WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE YET WHAT THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES ARE GOING TO BE FOR SOME OF THESE CHILDREN.

>> YOU MENTIONED KIDS DO BETTER WITH COVID THAN ADULTS BUT THERE ARE SOME KIDS HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID; RIGHT?

>> CongregationIT HAPPENS.

DEFINITELY DOES.

SOMETIMES OR MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IT'S KIDS THAT DO HAVE CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS.

IN SOME CASES THERE THE CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEM MIGHT BE OBESITY WHICH WE DON'T ALWAYS THINK OF AS A RISK FACTOR BUT CERTAINLY IS A RISK FACTOR BUT NOT ALL CASES.

THERE ARE SOME COMPLETELY HEALTHY APPARENTLY NORMAL KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED AS WELL.

WE HAD KIDS ON A VENTILATOR IN ALABAMA THIS WEEK IN FACT?

>> NO, IT'S AT COMMON OCCURRENCE BUT IT DOES STILL HAPPEN.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY HERE SOMEONE IS ON THE VENTILATOR, THAT BECOMES WORRISOME TO THEM.

IS THAT ALWAYS A VERY SERIOUS CASE OR VENTILATORS SOMETIMES JUST PRECAUTIONARY.

>> GENERALLY SPEAKING, SOMEONE PUT A VENTILATOR IS NOT CAPABLE OF BREATHING FOSTER THEMSELVES AND MOST CASES THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY SERIOUS UNLESS IT'S AN ELECTIVFE OF SURGICAL PROCEDURE WHERE SOMEONE IS ANESTHETIZED AND PUT TO SLEEP.

WHEN SOMEONE IS UNABLE TO BREATHE FOR THEMSELVES, THAT'S ALWAYS A SERIOUS SITUATION.

SEEMS WE KNOW IT MAY ONLY BE FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME AND WE EXPECT THEM TO RECOVERY AND WE DON'T THINK IT ULTIMATELY I IT WILL BE DANGEROUS BUT IT'S ALWAYS A SERIOUS THIS SITUATION.

>> AND TO COMPLICATE MEASURES WE'RE DEALING WITH THE DELTA VARIANT WHICH IS THE DOMINANT STRAIN IN THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN ALABAMA.

AND AMONG ITS CHARACTERISTICS IS THAT IT IS VERY INFECTIOUS.

>> IT'S HIGHLY INFECTIOUS, MUCH MORE THAN ANY VARIANT WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR.

IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT IT CAUSES WORSE DISEASE THAT BE THE STRAINS WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR ALTHOUGH THERE IS WITHIN STORY FROM SCOTLAND THAT SUGGESTS THAT IT IS.

GENERALLY SPEAKING THE CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE IS IT'S MORE INFECTIOUS.

SO THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVE EIGHT TO 10 PERCENT OF OUR COVID PATIENTS ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL.

ONE AND A HALF TO TWO PERCENT ULTIMATELY DON'T SURVIVE.

HAVING A STRAIN THAT IS JUST NOR INFECTIOUS AND THAT REACH MORE PEOPLE IS REALLY A CONCERN, EVEN IF THE STRAIN ITSELF IS NOT INHERENTLY MORE DANGEROUS.

>> BUT WE WILL REMIND FOLKS THAT, FOR THOSE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED, THE VAX SCENES WORK FAIRLY WELL AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT?

>> THAT'S REALLY THE NUMBER ONE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUTRIGHT NOW.

THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION OVERLOAD AND PEOPLE SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR ANSWERS BUST THE VACCINE PRODUCTS THAT WE HAVE NOW INCLUDING JOHNSON & JOHNSON, THEY'RE ALL THREE PROTECTIVE AGAINST THE VARIANT.

>> JOHNSON & JOHNSON HAS BEEN LOOKED DOWN FROM COMPLICATIONS THAT HAVE ARISEN ALTHOUGH THEY'RE RARE COMPARED TO THE MILLIONS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE VACCINE.

THERE'S ALSO THE COMPONENT OF IT NOT BEING OR HAVING QUITE THE EFFICACY RATE THAT PHASER AND MODERNA DO BUT STILL IF THAT'S WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU, YOU RECOMMEND GETTING JOHNSON & JOHNSON.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

EVEN THOUGH THE OVERALL EFFICACY RATE IS A LITTLE LOWER, THE PROTECTION AGAINST SERIOUS ILLNESS AND DEATH IS THE SAME.

SO SLIGHTLY LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE MAY BECOME INFECTED IF THEY'VE HAD THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE COMPARED TO THE OTHER PRODUCTS BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING SERIOUSLY ILL OR DYING IT'S THE SAME SO THIS VACCINE HAS KNOWN SIDE EFFECTS AND SO DO THE OTHERS AND SO DO EVERY OTHER VACCINE THAT WE GET WHERE IT'S SHINGLES OR MEASLES OR CHICKENPOX.

THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE IS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINE.

AND IF YOU WANT ONE SHOT INSTEAD OF TWO IT'S STILL A GREAT WAY TO GO.

>> AS WE GET READY TO CLOSE WHAT SO IS YOUR BEST ADVICE TO PARENTS GETTING READY TO SEND THEIR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.

>> IF YOU HAVE A CHILD 12 OR OLDER TALK TO YOUR CHILD'S PEDIATRICIAN ABOUT VACCINATING YOUR CHILD.

YOU NEED TEED TIME GET THAT TON.

THE SHOTS ARE THREE WEEKS OR FOUR WEEKS APART AND WE LIKE TO ALLOW FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SO YOU NEED FIVE OR SIX WEEKS TO GET YOUR CHILD FULLY VACCINATED.

WE WOULD RECOMMEND EVERY DOING THAT.

IF YOUR CHILD IS UNDER 12 AND THERE'S NOT HAD A VACCINE THAT CAN BE USED FOR THEM, TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICS ABOUT WHAT TO DO SAFELY BUT REMEMBER DISTANCING, MASK WEARING, HAND WASHING, STAYING HOME IN SICK, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PREACHING FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF STILL APPLY.

>> WHERE MASKS ARE CONCERNED THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOCAL DECISION.

LOCAL SYSTEMS MAY OR MAY NOT REQUIRE MASKS INSIDE OF BUILDINGS AND EVEN IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, MASKING CAN BE AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION.

>> CERTAINLY.

I THINK THAT IS RIGHT.

AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY SCHOOLS HAVE RULES THAT YOU CAN'T WEAR MASKS IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT.

CERTAINLY THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE DEPENDING ON THEIR INDEPENDENT HEALTH SITUATIONS OR PERSONAL PREFERENCE WHO MAY CHOOSE A WEAR A MASK AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT THE.

>> INDEED.

BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT ABOUT A SITUATION BE SAFE RATHER THAN SORRY; RIGHT?

>> THAT'S EXACTLY; RIGHT.

THE VARIANT WE HAVE NOW IS SO EASY TO TRANSMIT.

WE WANT TO PROTECT EVERYONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

>> DR. SCOTT HARRIS IS ALABAMA'S STATE HEALTH OFFICER.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THAT DOES IT FOR "SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION" FOR THIS QUARTER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

FOR ALL OF US AT ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION, I'M DON DAILEY, GOOD