Some Fox Valley school officials are urging the Illinois State Board of Education to release revised public health guidelines so that final plans can be made for the upcoming school year.
A number of educators recently sent a letter to Illinois Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala expressing concerns over what they say is a prolonged wait for public health guidelines concerning COVID-19 as it relates to the beginning of in-person learning in the fall.
School District 308 Superintendent John Sparlin said he participated in a call with area superintendents and representatives from the Regional Office of Education, Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health to discuss the health issues.
School District 308 Superintendent John Sparlin. (District 308 / Handout)
The superintendents who sent the recent letter are members of the Large Unit District Association founded in 1976 to represent the largest unit school districts in the state including many in the Aurora area.
“We were encouraged in May to see your in-person learning resolution for the fall of 2021 as we want to have our students fully back in-person,” the letter states. “Given this resolution, coupled with the move to phase 5 statewide, we believed new guidance reflecting these changes would be quickly forthcoming. Unfortunately, to date, that has not happened. While new guidance was issued earlier this month, it did not reflect the reality of conditions needed to conduct full in-person learning or the provisions of the recent Illinois’ phase 5 designation.”
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The superintendents said while there are a number of concerns about current guidance for the implementation of in-person learning this fall, they specifically focused on quarantining and social distancing in the letter.
The superintendents specifically made two requests in the letter.
“We request that social distancing, quarantining, and masking guidelines in schools be consistent with health guidelines of phase 5 as applied to other venues in Illinois,” the letter states. “Through science we know that children are the least vulnerable population to COVID. Generally, we know that in normal circumstances, schools are the most controlled, supervised venue that kids attend. Schools should not have to operate under tighter restrictions than what has been deemed safe in other circumstances.”
For their second request, “We request that full guidance from ISBE for the fall be issued immediately,” the letter states.
“Unless there is a significant change in the spread of COVID over the next two months, there is nothing that will be known in two months that is not known today,” according to the letter.
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Sparlin said school districts are looking for guidance as preparations are underway for the return of full in-person learning.
“We want state officials to treat students in schools with the same equitable guidance and allowance for the return to activities that Illinois residents are following across the state,” Sparlin said. “As COVID-19 rates fall, coupled with the majority of eligible residents vaccinated, the risk to students and staff is very minimal, and the return to a more traditional learning environment is essential.”
West Aurora School District Superintendent Jeff Craig discussed the issue of state guidance at the June 21 West Aurora School Board meeting.
“We are continuing to push because we cannot fully bring our kids back for in-person learning under the current guidance,” Craig said. “We cannot wait until August for these rules to change. It takes a lot of manpower and hours to make these plans and then to communicate them to people so they understand. People are making choices based on our plans but no one is able to make plans yet.
“We can’t do this to parents. We owe it to our community, staff and kids,” he said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
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