 | LM Otero | AP
July 31, 2020
'It’s gonna be a first day of school unlike any we’ve seen' | |
|
|
|
Good morning. I've a lot of news to drop on you today, mostly regarding the governor's school plan that isn't really a plan. That's after a nice forecast, at least.
A fine Friday. Sunny with mid-80s highs and calm winds in the Twin Cities. Highs in the 80s with sun across the state, but a chance of storms after midnight in the north and west. More on Updraft | Forecast
Gov. Tim Walz's schools plan offers guidance, but no firm rules. While the state will recommend schools on how to start their year, districts will have the final say on whether they reopen, have distance learning, or some combination of the two.
Walz admitted his plan was "not perfect," but that it was localized and data-driven. "It’s gonna be a first day of school unlike any we’ve seen,” Walz said, again imploring Minnesotans to wear masks, socially distance and wash their hands to check the spread of the disease. “This plan doesn’t work if community spread accelerates. It will end up impacting our children,” he said. “COVID is not their fault.”
In addition, the state will offer schools some practical help. It'll fund masks for all school staff and students, plus at-home COVID-19 saliva tests for teachers and staff. Private schools will get the same help.
County health data is the starting point for the state's recommendations. Calculations from Walz's office showed that schools in counties with about 40 percent of the state’s population would be recommended to have all students in classrooms if school started today. Another 52 percent of the state’s population would be recommended that elementary students are taught in schools while upper grades get a hybrid of in-school and distance learning.
The plan does have one strong requirement ... Districts and charter schools must give families the option to choose distance learning for their student no matter their district’s plans. Districts are expected to share their plans with families at least a week before the school year begins.
The statewide teachers union, Education Minnesota, gave its qualified backing to the plan. “Physically reopening requires both a low level of community spread and rigorous safety precautions inside a school. At first look, that’s an approach that educators can support,” the union said in a statement, while acknowledging a “tremendous amount of work” must be done before buildings can reopen to large numbers of students.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 isn't going anywhere. There was another big jump in cases and hospitalizations trended up, once again.
Here are the latest coronavirus statistics:
- 53,692 cases confirmed (745 new) via 1,007,882 tests
- 1,594 deaths (5 new)
- 5,112 cases requiring hospitalization
- 298 people remain hospitalized; 141 in intensive care
- 46,965 patients no longer requiring isolation
— Cody Nelson, MPR News | @codyleenelson |
|
|
|
|
