Beshear asks KY public and private schools to stop in-person classes for next 2 weeks

Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday asked public and private schools in Kentucky to, as of Monday, cease in person classes for at least two weeks to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

Beshear said he was making the recommendation on the advice of public health officials.

“It is a big but necessary step,” said Beshear. “It should not evoke fear.”

For those districts that have a spring break scheduled in the week that follows the two week closing, he is asking them to take the third week off as well. Spring break in Fayette County is March 30 through April 3.

Fayette officials said Thursday night that schools in the district would close starting Monday and will not reopen until April 6.

Beshear said while kids don’t appear to be as affected by the virus as older people, children can spread the virus and “this is another critical step to take on social distancing and what we are trying to do to protect the most vulnerable.”

On Wednesday, Beshear had warned Kentucky school superintendents that they should be ready to close their districts on short notice, within 72 hours if need be. Superintendents have this week been reaching out to the Kentucky Department of Education to apply to the state’s non-traditional instruction program that allows students to learn from home.

Eight confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including five in Harrison County, two in Fayette and one in Jefferson, had been reported by 5 p.m. Thursday. But Beshear said at a news conference there had been two more positive test results in Kentucky, one in Jefferson and one in Fayette, raising the state’s total to 10.

Kentucky Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Brown appeared at a 5 p.m. news conference that Beshear held and said he strongly supported the recommendation to close schools. Brown thanked KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett for his leadership in calling off the high school state basketball championships this week . Brown said make-up tournaments would be scheduled.

Brown said he talked to Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk Thursday afternoon and that Caulk has his district team ready to provide resources to students in Fayette County while schools are closed. He said he thought that Fayette would apply to enter the state’s non-traditional instruction program, which currently includes 83 of 172 school districts.

Brown said that students who could not participate in virtual learning could pick up paper packets of educational materials at locations in the community.

Fayette school officials said children should go to school Friday, and they would receive 15 days worth of educational activities, books and other supplies to take home.

The district has developed a plan to provide breakfast and lunch for anyone 18-years-old or younger.

Jefferson County Public Schools officials said that district will be closed from Monday through Friday, April 3, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Beshear said children should go to school on Friday in districts that are open so they can get instructional materials to take home . He said that while children are home while schools are closed, they should get outdoors whenever possible but that “ social distancing” should be practiced.

Brown said he has asked the federal government to give Kentucky a waiver so that during the closing, food will be available to low income children in ways that don’t require them to congregate in crowds.

Beshear said he wanted to give school districts maximum flexibility to continue to help children and families who rely on them, including keeping cafeterias open.

Kentucky Department of Education officials will be available Friday to answer questions from superintendents, Brown said.

Prior to Beshear’s announcement, several Kentucky school districts announced Thursday that they would be closed for nearly a month and Lexington’s Catholic Christ the King Elementary School is closed on Friday.

Elsewhere in the United States, Ohio public schools will be closed for three weeks, officials announced.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 5:18 PM.