Public health guidelines combined with district survey results has led to Barrington School District 220 now moving to start the new academic year with remote-only learning, district officials said.
“I have this constant struggle between my head and my heart,” Superintendent Brian Harris during a special board meeting Tuesday. “We know having kids in our schools is the best place for them but there are significant reasons why we cannot right now.”
Initially, the district had three plans for starting the 2020-2021 school year which included having students in-person at school buildings, distance learning and a hybrid mix of both.
Harris released an entirely remote learning plan to parents July 29 and talked about it during the special meeting Tuesday – which was held in-person and broadcast on the district’s YouTube social media channel.
The superintendent offered an overview on the new plan and the reasoning behind it. Seventeen people, in total, shared their concerns with the board in person, remotely and by email. A town hall meeting was planned for Aug. 6 to answer any additional questions.
Read the Barrington Courier-Review/Tribune spin on Tuesday’s meeting here.
This is wrong, the schools should open! The rate of dying for children is much lass than the normal influenza rate! We now have drugs that work, especially when used early. Not opening the schools will hurt the kids and teachers!