Most students going to Delaware County public schools in a few weeks will likely start off learning virtually at home, at least until Oct. 9.
Classrooms will be open, though, for many private and parochial schools, writes Maddie Hanna and Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Schools like St. Katharine of Siena School in Wayne will be open, with precautions.
“Our teachers want to be in school,” though “we all have some fears and anxieties,” said Bud Tosti, principal at St. Katharine’s.
Private school enrollment has increased as public school parents look for in-class alternatives to virtual learning, even if it costs extra.
The Chester County Health Department has recommended virtual instruction for Delaware County schools until Oct. 9, fearing kids coming back from summer holiday will bring it into the schools.
But there’ a financial incentive for private schools to be open “because otherwise families may take their kids out of the school,” said Sean Reardon, professor of poverty and inequality in education at Stanford University.
There’s also the issue of fairness, with people asking why schools must close when bars, restaurants, gyms and casinos are open.
Read more about this ongoing situation here and at the Daily Times here.
You Might Also Like
Delaware County Schools Should Delay In-Person Instruction, Health Department Says
Delaware County Students Want to Know Why No One’s Asking Them About Reopening Schools
School Leaders Ask State for More Specific Health Guidelines as Districts Plan Reopenings
