Beshear stops all in-person K-12 classes in Kentucky starting Monday as COVID-19 surges

Starting Monday, all K-12 schools in Kentucky, including private schools, will stop in-person classes and move to remote learning, Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference Wednesday.

“This virus at its level right now is and will overwhelm each and everyone of our schools if we do not take action,” he said.

In response, Senate President Robert Stivers said lawmakers were not consulted.

Stivers said they were not “presented any data that justifies a blanket policy to close public and private schools, especially when we are seeing the loss of a year of educational opportunities and destructive effects to the mental health of our youth.”

All middle and high schools will move to remote learning until at least Jan. 4, Beshear said. Fayette County Public Schools has already made a similar move.

Only elementary schools in counties where there are fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 people and that are following health guidelines will be able to reopen Dec. 7.

Beshear said there will be close to 10,000 Kentucky K-12 students in quarantine or isolation by the end of the week and 2,000 faculty members.

He said teachers and administrators were rightfully concerned as COVID-19 surged through their areas. Beshear said he had made the decision along with Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass.

“As for our schools, I want to thank everyone who is working to continue to educate our children and to make sure they have access to healthy meals,” Beshear said. “Our children are resilient, but they are sacrificing so much and we need them to sacrifice even more right now so we can protect them from this surge in cases.”

Officials at Lexington’s private Sayre School did not immediately comment. Tom Brown, the school superintendent of the Catholic Diocese of Lexington said he had no comment Wednesday night.

“We will issue a statement tomorrow,” he said.

Scott County Schools, which had remained open to in-person instruction for several weeks, said in a social media post that based on Beshear’s announcement it would move everyone to virtual learning beginning Monday, Nov. 30.

As previously announced, schools in Scott County will be closed November 23-27 with November 23 & 24 being used as enrichment and remediation days before Thanksgiving Break. Scott County Schools will re-open for in-person instruction for all grades K-12 beginning Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 “if the data supports that decision,” the announcement said.

The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence “supports Gov. Beshear’s decision to close schools during this critical stage in the pandemic. It is imperative that students and educators remain safe through virtual learning, and that we do all we can to defeat this virus,” said spokeswoman Jessica Fletcher.

The Kentucky Education Association said in a statement that “Governor Andy Beshear showed that he is the right leader at the right time, willing to make hard decisions for the greater good. “

“This decision will save the lives of students, educators, parents and grandparents,” the statement said.

“His decision to use his executive authority to close all middle and high schools to in-person learning through January, with the possibility of some elementary schools opening to students again on December 7 is a dramatic step, but certainly, it is a step that will save lives,” said the statement.

Kentucky Department of Education officials said in a news release Wednesday night that an executive order will be forthcoming and is expected to be signed by Nov. 20.

Beshear’s announcement came during a news briefing where he reported 2,753 new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky, the state’s fourth-highest daily total. Of those cases, 292 were children ages 18 and under.

He also reported 15 new deaths, including a 15-year-old girl from Ballard County, identified as the first student to die because of the virus.

“Now there were some significant pre-existing conditions,” Beshear said. “But (she was) a beloved member of her community and COVID was a factor in what took her from that community.”

Beshear said he has friends whose kids were “significantly and positively” impacted by this student.

As the virus escalates, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said it is imperative that Kentucky’s school and district leaders continue to model healthy behaviors in their communities.

“We urge you to continue stressing the importance of wearing a mask and following the guidance issued by the Kentucky Department for Public Health,” she said. “In order to get our students back in school, and keep our teachers and school staff safe, we need to unite as Team Kentucky in these critical efforts.”

Glass agreed with Beshear’s decision to issue the executive order as it will “provide the clarity that our districts desperately need.”

“Schools in Kentucky have been doing an amazing job managing COVID-19, but virus levels in our community are making normal school operations impossible and we also have to consider the increasing risks to our students, families and staff members,” he said in the news release. “It is our expectation at the Kentucky Department of Education that all of our schools and districts will follow this order and ensure they are doing their part in keeping our communities safe.”

Though the order is expected to suspend in-person instruction, it will not prohibit schools from providing in-person targeted services to small groups., the news release said.

This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 6:18 PM.