MS Gov. Tate Reeves to announce school reopening plan Tuesday. Here’s what to know.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves says he has spent the last three days reviewing 598 pages of school district plans — “every letter of them” — and will have an announcement at his 2:30 p.m. news briefing Tuesday about the return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reeves posted the announcement on social media Monday night as many districts prepare to reopen this week, while others have decided to delay school starts. Reeves said the Mississippi State Department of Health is on board.
“We’re still finalizing the plans, but here’s how I’m thinking about them: we have to balance the very real risk of more community spread and the devastating life impact of extended school closures,” he wrote.
Mississippi has one of the most severe COVID-19 outbreaks in the nation, although some counties are in worse shape than others.
The state currently ranks second behind Florida in number of cases per capita, with 2,054 per 100,000. Mississippi is ranked first in deaths, with seven per 100,000, according to a database The New York Times maintains.
Nobody under 18 has died from COVID-19 in Mississippi, But public health experts say young people can experience mild symptoms and are spreading the virus to older family members who often have more serious symptoms. Many who test positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic.
Parents and teachers are worried about catching the virus.
Reeves indicated he will issue an executive order that covers the state’s hardest-hit counties and will minimize damage in those areas.
“We also need to recognize that not every district can be treated the same.,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “They all have different staff, resource and population considerations. Local school districts are still the best-equipped entities to manage the details of local school decisions. “
He said younger children need to be thought of differently than older ones because they are less likely to spread the virus. He has previously said that it is more important for younger children to attend in-person classes, while older ones could learn virtually.
“We know that young children are at far less risk than any other population of damage from the virus,” Reeves wrote. “It’s certainly no more than other sicknesses they may catch in schools. The public health question is whether schools serve as vectors and cause rampant community spread.”
Districts have submitted a mix of plans, with some calling for classes as usual, which State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs has called “wholly unacceptable.” Dobbs said during a video conference last week that 10% to 15% of schools submitted plans to have a normal opening.
“That’s not a plan,” he said. “It’s going to bite us.”
Reeves also has indicated he was looking for innovative plans from school districts that would take into account the pandemic and offer a mix of in-person and online learning.
Medical leaders advise delay on school
The Mississippi State Medical Association, which has almost 5,000 member physicians and medical students, says the start of school should be delayed until after Labor Day and the governor should order a statewide mask mandate.
Jennifer Bryan, chair of the MSMA board of trustees, tweeted the position Monday, along with Twitter comments from LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center and School of Medicine dean.
Woodward tweeted:
“It is time to make the tough decisions — for the health of all Mississippians:
— a statewide mask mandate (wash hands, too!)
— K-12 schools delay start until after Labor Day (#COVID19 case counts, hospitalizations and deaths need to move in the right direction).”
How Mississippians are responding
Reeves’ Facebook post announcing his decision on schools is forthcoming had received more than 4,000 comments by Tuesday morning and had been shared more than 7,000 times.
Comments varied.
Courtney Galjour wrote: “I do not envy your position. It will be a mess. Pray, and do what you feel is right in your heart. Pay close attention to Dr. Dobb’s suggestions.”
Moore Grace said: “With all due respect Governor Reeves, I think you may have missed one or two or several of these re-entry plans because some of them are not safe re-entry plans. Then some of them are a copy/paste of what another district has without even thinking of the well-being of the students, teachers, and even the family members that you infect unknowingly. I’m praying harder tonight than I have before. Lord be with us all.”
Clay Purvis said: “Might be nice in your lengthy discussion about schools if you at least mentioned concern for the well-being of teachers. You DO know that there are more than just kids in the buildings right?”
Kecia Corban pointed out the hour is late for school decisions: “A lot of schools in Mississippi started today and last week. Isn’t this announcement a little late? Shouldn’t this announcement (have) been sooner before any of the schools opened doors? The timing on this one topic should have been in better timing.”
The Corinth School District, the first to return to school on July 27, has reported that three students have tested positive for COVID-19 and are under quarantine. The district reported its first positive case Friday afternoon.
You can watch the governor’s afternoon news briefing on school reopenings live at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on his Facebook page.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 7:46 AM.
