An Iowa pro-Trump governor’s aggressive drive to reopen schools amid a devastating coronavirus outbreak has plunged into chaos, with some districts and teachers in revolt, and experts cited the scientific benchmarks used by the state random and insecure.
The clash in the Midwest has illustrated in condensed form the tension between science and politics – and between economic concerns and health fears – that has characterized the nation’s response to the downturn in the White House. The virus has devastated the U.S. economy and killed more than 170,000 Americans.
‘We’re about to see a tragedy in the state. And there is not much they can do about it. That’s scary, “said Sara Anne Willette of Ames, a senior and former math teacher who has a website that tracks infection data.
At issue is the mandate of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds in July that districts offer at least 50% class instruction.
The conflict escalated on Wednesday when the statewide teachers’ union announced a lawsuit challenging the governor’s ability to make such decisions for local districts. The Iowa City School Board, which like many others had planned to start the year fully online, voted to participate in the lawsuit.
In its order, the governor said districts where 15% or more of coronavirus tests were positive over the previous 14 days could request permission to go to online instruction for two weeks at a time.
Health experts say Reynolds’ 15% threshold is not based on science and is three times higher than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests is safe. The surgical general has recommended a limit of 10%.
States and local districts have set extensive thresholds for reopening of schools, but Iowa’s is the highest everywhere.
‘They decided they wanted to open schools and then set the threshold, instead of deciding what was safe and which served that purpose. They did it backwards, “said Eli Perencevich, an infectious disease expert at the University of Iowa.
In contrast, New York City says schools may reopen if the positivity rates are below 3%. Arizona has set its rate at 7%.
Perencevich and others warn that it will only be a matter of time before Iowa educators, students and their families face illness and death in growing outbreaks. About half a million students are preparing for the coming days with school.
Reynolds dismissed the health warnings as a scare tactic and, in agreement with President Trump, claimed that children rarely get sick from the virus or transmit it. She said schools should be open for the benefit of children and that parents can go to work.
“Education is fundamental to the well-being of our children, and our teachers are essential to ensure that our school children return to learning as time is marked and they lose ground,” she said. “We can do this safely.”
Reynolds notes that one of her daughters will be teaching in-person classes, and eight of her grandchildren will be going to school this fall.
Since their order, Iowa’s outbreak has only diminished. The cases per capita are the highest in the Midwest, the number of patients now in hospital has risen to nearly 300, deaths have risen on Wednesday, and dozens of nursing homes have suffered outbreaks. The mayor has refused to order the wearing of masks from the state.
As of Wednesday, only a few districts in the state would be eligible to apply for an exemption under the state’s calculations.
Make matters worse: the data used by the state to calculate local positivity levels are flawed.
The Fort Dodge neighborhood said this week that its positivity figures looked worse than it really was because a clinic failed to report up to 3,000 negative tests.
Other school districts are seeing worse outbreaks than state data would indicate. The Reynolds bureau announced Wednesday that it was repairing a major bug in the data that inadvertently backdated thousands of negative and positive test results, which would reduce or increase the county’s 14-day position.
Thomas Tsai, a Harvard health policy researcher, called Iowa’s 15% threshold arbitrary and said it was made less so by data problems. He said Iowa is running among states to reopen schools despite not containing the virus, while others who could not safely reopen have done so.
“You see both extremes,” he said.
The governor’s mandate also required school districts to give parents the option to choose only online education, and many have agonized over what to do.
A storm that damaged school buildings in the state last week with 100 mph wind caused another blow, and many districts have delayed their start dates so they can clean up and make repairs.
The order also highlighted the friendly relationship between Reynolds and Trump, who traveled to Iowa on Tuesday to discuss the damage with the mayor.
Business groups have renewed their support in their move to schools. Democratic lawmakers and school officials have lined up primarily against them.
“I believe the governor misinterprets that law,” said Iowa City School Board member JP Claussen, who said the state’s metrics are not designed to keep our staff and students safe. ‘
The governor has warned that state-defending administrators could take discipline against their licenses. In addition, the state said schools moving to 100% virtual instruction will not be able to offer sports or other activities. This can put pressure on administrators to keep classrooms open, even if outbreaks occur.
Under pressure, some districts, including Iowa City, have decided on a hybrid arrangement in which students will go to class two or three days a week.
But the Des Moines neighborhood, the state’s largest school system, still shot back against the state, despite the province’s positivity rate well below 15%. The school board intends to start new month in an online-only format, but allows sports and other extracurricular activities.
