Hello from the State Capitol,
One week ago, House Republicans held a news conference to discuss legislation giving local school boards total control over whether schools could stay open during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, Governor Walz finally unveiled a plan that attempts to get more middle and high schoolers back to in-person learning. While it does nothing to incentivize local districts to reopen if they are currently in distance or hybrid learning, it does provide a target date of March 8 for all schools to offer some form of in-person learning.
We’ve been wanting our kids back in schools for weeks. The science and data show that we can reopen schools safely, and we need to do so as quickly as possible. The impact school closures are having on student mental health, social wellbeing, and academic achievement has been horrible.
For more proof that schools aren’t COVID-19 hotspots, look no further than our private and parochial schools who have not been bound by the governor’s orders. Most have been in-person almost the entire year, with fantastic results.
As a former teacher, I can tell you there is no substitute for an in-person education. The sooner everyone can safely return to school, the better.
Have a good weekend,
Bob