Scott Braband, superintendent of the Fairfax Public Schools, recommended that Virginia’s largest school district begin the school year with virtual classes, as school districts across the country feel increasing pressure from the Trump administration to return to instruction in person in the fall.
Braband’s recommendations came Tuesday afternoon when the district’s school board met to discuss how to tackle the new school year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic looks very different from what it was even three weeks ago,” Brabrand said, according to The Washington Post. “We are now experiencing an increase in COVID-19 across the country, and it will affect us here in Fairfax County. The numbers don’t lie. “
REST: The Fairfax County Schools Superintendent will recommend starting the school year with fully virtual learning.
I had previously planned to have some students at school two days a week. pic.twitter.com/Ek7Uku7bZ8– Tom Roussey (@ tomrousseyABC7) July 21, 2020
Loudoun County Superintendent Eric Williams was scheduled to make similar recommendations for his Northern Virginia district Tuesday afternoon, according to the Post.
Also Tuesday, Montgomery County Public Schools announced that it would exclusively use virtual learning for the first semester.
We have an important update for our community. MCPS will provide virtual-only learning during the first semester. Read this update for more information: https://t.co/YIcyyS2x5E
– MCPS (@MCPS) July 21, 2020
Almost all of the major school districts in the Washington, DC, area have evaded pressure from the White House and announced virtual-only teaching for the start of the school year. Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) was expected to announce the District’s plans for the school year last week, but he postponed making a final decision until the end of the month, citing “non-ideal” trends in the COVID data- DC 19.
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