LINCOLN- A civil rights panel is seeking in-person comment in August regarding the effects of COVID-19 on K-12 education in Nebraska, with a focus on the digital divide and mental health. The Nebraska Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is following up a duo of virtual briefings this month with an in-person forum Aug. 9 in Lincoln. Students, teachers and other stakeholders are asked to describe their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and what areas are still in need of support.

Committee Chair Nikitah Imani, a professor of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, noted the committee has heard from subject matter experts so far and now has invited the public to engage. “We need to hear the stories of directly impacted individuals in order to ensure that the recommendations we develop are relevant to current needs,” he said in a news release.

The Aug. 9 forum will be at Embassy Suites Lincoln, 1040 P St., in Room Regents B from 1-4 p.m. The event will be transcribed and recorded for the public record. Written testimony will be accepted until Sept. 11 and can be sent to Victoria Moreno at vmorena@usccr.gov. People wishing to speak can sign up the day of the forum.

For the full article click HERE