Teachers union calls for more virtual classes

The state’s largest teachers union is urging schools where the coronavirus pandemic is surging to go virtual.

Coronavirus cases in Chester County are labeled as moderate, but have skyrocketed in the past week, and are close to being labeled as substantial.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association issued a statement Wednesday calling for schools to strictly adhere to state public health guidelines, including recommendations on whether school buildings should be open.

Prior to the start of the school year, the state Department of Education launched an online tool that measures the risk of community spread of COVID-19 in each county. It uses countylevel data on incidence rates and the percent positivity of diagnostic testing to group counties into one of three categories of risk of community spread: low, moderate or substantial.

For the substantial category, the state recommends all classes be virtual.

However, that is only a recommendation, not a requirement. School districts have the ability to choose what mode of instruction they use regardless of the county’s risk category.

Many local school leaders have lamented the fact that the state is only providing guidelines, not directives.

PSEA President Rich Askey is urging school districts to follow the state’s suggestion.

“The state departments of health and education developed these guidelines based on good science and what the infection rates are in a school’s community,” he said Wednesday. “We must follow these guidelines to the letter. It’s the best way for us to slow the spread of this virus and keep our students, staff and their families safe.”

Askey’s statement came with Pennsylvania in the midst of a surge of COVID-19 cases.

On Thursday the state reported 5,488 cases new cases, the fifth daily record in the past week. Recent statewide numbers far exceed ones from this spring where the highest oneday total was 1,989.

Chester County had 179 new cases reported on Wednesday. The positive rate has gone from 51 people per 100,000 four weeks ago, to 85 people per 100,000 people last week, according to the Chester County Health Department.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Nov. 12 there were 5,488 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 248,856. This is the highest daily increase of cases since the pandemic began.

As a result of the statewide trends, more and more counties have been placed into the substantial risk category.

When the online tool was unveiled in mid-August only one county was listed as having substantial risk. For the week ending last Friday, that number had ballooned to 38, representing more than half of the state’s 67 counties.

Berks fell into the moderate category from the start of the school year until Oct. 16 when it was moved to substantial. It has remained there since.

In the region, only Chester County remains outside of the substantial risk category, according to the state’s most recent report released Monday.

• Bucks County — substantial.

• Chester County — moderate.

• Delaware County — substantial.

• Lancaster County — substantial.

• Lebanon County — substantial.

• Lehigh County — substantial.

• Montgomery County — substantial.

• Schuylkill County — substantial.

Askey, in his Wednesday statement, commended school districts that have adjusted how they provide instruction to reflect their changing community spread risk ratings.

“Those districts are placing a high priority on the health and safety of students, staff and their families,” he said.

But, Askey added, many districts that are in counties labeled as substantial risk for two weeks or more have not opted to shift from in-person classes to virtual.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for any school district to disregard the advice of medical professionals and scientists during a pandemic and put the safety of students, staff and their families at risk,” he said.

Askey said temporarily moving to virtual instruction will allow students to stay on track academically while also not risking their health.

“As educators and support professionals, every PSEA member wants to be at school with their students, providing them with the best possible education,” he said. “Our concern is that in-person instruction in communities with a substantial spread of the virus will put the health and safety of everyone in those school communities at risk. That is why it is so critically important for every district to follow the state guidelines.”

Askey