MCPS Responds to Gov. Hogan: “Our Focus Remains on the Academic Needs and the Health and Safety of Our Students and Staff.”
Earlier today, Governor Hogan held a press conference where he announced that he is “urgently calling on all county school systems to return to hybrid instruction no later than March 1 if not sooner.”
During the press conference, he stated that “our health metrics are beginning to show signs of plateauing” and that “there is no public health reason” that is preventing the return to buildings.
MCPS responded to Hogan’s conference with a statement, which they shared via a press release.
Per the press release, MCPS maintains that they are committed to the safe return to in-person learning for all students but are “deeply concerned by the abrupt change to the health metrics guidance set forth by the state given that we are in the height of the pandemic.” (The link shared in this statement leads to the MCPS Coronavirus dashboard, which at this moment shows a 14 day average case rate of 42.7 positive cases per 100k people and that 43 staff members are currently COVID positive and quarantining.)
They acknowledge that many in our community will have questions about what this announcement means for our students, staff and the MCPS recovery plan. They stated that they will take the time to thoughtfully assess these important developments and continue to prepare for a successful start to the second semester.
MCPS has shared that the upcoming decisions about a return to in-person learning will be done with the collaboration of state and county health leaders. The county acknowledges a shared sense of urgency in getting students back in buildings as soon as possible and as safely as possible, and concluded with the promise: “Our focus remains on the academic needs and the health and safety of our students and staff.”
The press release can be seen in full here.
By: Michelle Katz @pike.and.rozay
