Kristen Graham is the urban education writer, with a focus on the Philadelphia School District and issues facing schools in cities across the region and beyond.
There is “increasing evidence” of transmission in schools around the area — and possibly more than is known as contact tracing efforts falter, said David Rubin, director of the CHOP PolicyLab.
Lee Huang, the third board member to resign, will remain until his replacement is sworn in. It’s unlikely any new members will be seated until February or March.
Students in grades Pre-K through 2 were supposed to return to school Nov. 30, and teachers in those grades were scheduled to return to classrooms Monday. Now, they will remain home indefinitely.
“We think that in-person education for our children is extremely important, and we think we should do it, even if the risk isn’t zero,” Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said.
PFT president Jerry Jordan told Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. that he did not want the district’s prekindergarten through second-grade students back in buildings because of a COVID-19 surge.
“We’re preparing for all scenarios, a scenario that will allow for us to bring some children back, a scenario that would allow for all children to remain virtual,” the superintendent said.
With a stock of old buildings and a shaky history of building maintenance, the school system has a daunting job getting buildings ready, officials said.
