School reopenings
Governor says districts can decide to reopen, calls out those that don’t fall in line
Gov. Ned Lamont and his administration have said for weeks that Connecticut’s school districts have wide leeway to make their own reopening decisions. But despite leaving the decision in school districts’ hands, in recent days Lamont has publicly criticized districts that don’t fall in line with his preferences.
Gov. NedLamont and his administration have said for weeks that Connecticut’s school districts have wide leeway to make their own reopening decisions, based on the needs and challenges of their particular communities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But despite leaving the decision in school districts’ hands, in recent days Lamont has publicly criticized school districts that don’t fall in line with his preferences.
At a Monday press conference, Lamont called out the NewHaven school district, which has decided to start the school year fully remote despite Lamont’s continued push for students to attend in-person classes.
“Come on, New Haven. I think you ought to take a look, you have a very low infection rate and these kids ... ought to have an option to go to school. Obviously, nothing is mandatory,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, during an appearance on WNPR’s “Where We Live,” Lamont also bristled at the idea of entire schools closing down when one student or one staff member tests positive for coronavirus. But a number of Connecticut schools had already done just that — this week alone,
East Hartford, West Haven and Westbrook and Killingly high schools, along with Dag Hammarskjold Middle School in Wallingford all closed after a single COVID-19 case was discovered in each of the school communities.
“No, no, no,” Lamont said on WNPR Monday. “Especially through K through 8, we’re trying to keep that fourth grade class unto itself as a pod as a cohort. So that if there happens to be an infection in that one class, it’s just those 20 students and that teacher who would have to quarantine — not the entire middle school or not the
entire school.”
At a Wednesday press conference, Lamont reframed his critiques as encouragement.
“I would say — as opposed to ‘criticized’ — I’ve encouraged people to open up wherever you think you can do it safely,” he said.
Lamont reiterated that he strongly prefers that school districts reopen for in-person learning and underscored the benefits of classroom learning for children. In the past, including at his Monday press conference,
Lamont has also pointed to the relatively small number of coronavirus cases that have been identified in schools. But despite his preferences, Lamont said Wednesday that he wouldn’t step in and order school districts to reopen their buildings.
“Education has historically been a local decision. Public health is a statewide decision; education is local,” he said. “People know where I stand, people know what I believe, but now it’s up to each and every school.
“I can’t mandate that.”