On Wednesday last week, an Orangeburg County circuit court judge signed a restraining order, temporarily blocking Gov. Henry McMaster’s SAFE Grants. The stipend was originally in place in order to subsidize private and parochial school tuition for lower-income students. Now, it’s unsure as of when those will return.
McMaster’s SAFE Grant stands for Safe Access to Flexible Education. With $32 Million allocated toward funding the program, qualifying households can receive up to $6,500 on an as-needed basis. Though, the circuit court judge claims the grant program is in violation of the South Carolina Constitution.
“These funds could be better used by ensuring our public schools have as many resources as possible to ensure a safe return to in-person instruction when public health conditions make it possible to do so,” a member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association stated on the topic.
With Coronavirus impacting this coming school year, it’s no secret that educators need all the help they can get in these difficult times. As of now, the grant remains temporarily blocked, just weeks before the academic calendar is set to begin.