Counties warned on private schools

State: There should be no blanket closings

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration renewed its efforts Thursday to prevent counties from banning in-person classes at private schools during the coronavirus pandemic, sending a memo to health officers saying that blanket school closures are contrary to state policy.

The memo comes as Hogan has disagreed with Montgomery County’s decision to order private and religious school buildings to remain closed through Oct. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“At this time, it is the health policy of the State of Maryland that non-public schools not be closed in a blanket manner,” Health Secretary Robert Neall wrote to the state’s local health officers.

Instead, Neall wrote, health officers should “carefully evaluate the facts and circumstances of each individual school” and their pandemic precautions.

Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery’s health officer, has said that the county and region are experiencing transmission rates and new daily caseloads that are too high to make it safe for students and staff to return to school buildings.

Montgomery County’s public school system, like many public school systems, already decided to start the school year with online- only instruction. Some private schools across the state have planned to offer in-person instruction.

Gayles issued a directive Friday prohibiting private schools from reopening their school buildings through Oct. 1.

That action received blowback from Hogan and some private school parents who have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the order.

Hogan issued an executive order Monday in an attempt to negate Montgomery County’s action. Gayles responded Wednesday night with a fresh county order that cited a different legal authority to keep private s chools closed.

County officials said they’re reviewing Neall’s memo to determine how it may impact Gayles’ new order.