The Kansas Board of Education couldn’t meet in person Wednesday because indoor gatherings aren’t safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
So they met virtually, via Zoom, and rejected Gov. Laura Kelly’s order to delay the start of school.
“I find it ironic,” said Jim Porter, a former music teacher from Fredonia, “that we are deciding the wisdom of sending half a million schoolchildren and tens of thousands of employees back to school from the comfort and safety of our own homes.”
Ironic is one word for the decision, which may rush children and teachers back into crowded school buildings while the virus is spreading at a record-breaking pace.
Irresponsible is another.
The state board had a chance to affirm Kelly’s three-week delay, which would have bought districts a little time to finalize plans, gather protective equipment and make sure learning — whether in-person or online — is as safe and effective as possible.
Board members could have sent a strong and much-needed message that the coronavirus is real, that it’s unpredictable, and that it ignores geographic and district boundaries.
Instead, five members trumpeted the virtues of local control, opting for what is sure to be a confusing patchwork of school policies rather than a clear, safe, singular mission.
Because the order required a board majority, five votes were enough to squash the governor’s plan, which recognized the dangers of the current surge in coronavirus cases.
The other five board members — including Wichita’s representatives, Kathy Busch and Jim McNiece — wisely supported the proposed delay.
“If Kansans wanted local control over all aspects of education, we wouldn’t even have a state Board of Education,” said Ann Mah, whose district includes Topeka public schools.
“I want to be able to say that when I had a chance to save children’s lives, I voted yes.”
What happens now? Local districts won’t have to worry about a statewide directive — but many, including Wichita, should worry about rushing too quickly to reopen schools before adequate safety measures are in place.
Proponents of a return to in-person instruction say students do better educationally, mentally, emotionally and socially when they’re in the presence of teachers and peers. That’s true.
They also point to lower cases of COVID-19 among children and a negligible death rate when compared to older people. That’s true, too — but it doesn’t take into account the thousands of teachers and other adults at risk of contracting the virus and bringing it home to loved ones.
