Jan. 3, 2022 11:45p
(WGTD)---Under pressure to keep schools open despite a surge in COVID, Kenosha Unified has decided to continue to hold in-person classes.
The school board—meeting in special session Monday night—accepted an administration recommendation to make no changes to the district’s COVID response plan.
This, despite a steady increase in the number of students in quarantine for either testing positive or being exposed to someone who tested positive. According to the district, the number of students in quarantine before the holiday break was 555. Monday—the first day back from break—the number was 640.
The board discussion on COVID was preceded by nearly two hours of public comment, with the majority of the speakers against reverting back to remote learning.
Board member Todd Battle said he believes the district has done a good job of limiting the spread of COVID in the schools. "Circumstances keep changing, but we have kind of done a good job mitigating it," Battle said. "We all know kids do better in the classroom. We've done everything we can to keep them in the classroom," he said.
But Kenosha Education Association Executive Director Kendra Mulwana said the district can--and should--do more. She advocated for expanding the district's sick leave policies for employees to cover times when workers may need to stay home to take care of dependents who are ill. She also said the district should distribute to students and staff the more effective N-95 or KN-95 masks. Most significantly, she urged the board to be proactive and pivot to remote learning for the short term.
Mulwana found no support among board members for switching to virtual or taking a stronger stance against COVID.
In fact, two board members suggested that the district's mandatory mask policy be loosened. A proposal from outgoing board member Tony Garcia to make masks optional was rejected, with Garcia and Battle casting the only 'yes' votes.
Said Garcia before the vote: "Honestly I am sick of this...they (students) have to get up in the morning and say I have to wear this mask again."
The board did pass a motion to allow the parents of elementary and middle school students to shift immediately from in-person to virtual learning, as long as slots remain available.
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