Indiana School Reopens and Ends Up Having To Quarantine Students Within Hours

If you’re a teacher, you already know that there has been so much back and forth about what to do about the upcoming school year. With the coronavirus pandemic still going on (though with fewer cases in some areas), it’s been a constant struggle to determine what the safest but also most effective option will be.

Greenfield-Central Junior High School, a school in Indiana, made the decision to reopen after being closed since March and pursuing online education. However, that took a turn for the worst when a student was diagnosed with coronavirus on the first day and the school was required to quarantine students within just hours.

“We understand that this information will cause concern for some of you,” the District Superintendent Dr. Harold Olin wrote in an open letter, but adding that he was pleased with how prepared everyone was to ”properly follow the safety protocols we have established.”

“Adhering to these protocols is essential for maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff,” he added.

He’s referring to the school’s “Positive Covid-19 Test Protocol,” which includes ensuring the infected student is isolated in the school’s clinic. They then determine who the student was in contact with and having them quarantine for 14 days before they can come back to school. If they test positive, they must remain home another 10 days and be symptomless for 72 hours before returning.

In addition, areas in which the affected student was in will be closely disinfected.

The school allowed families to choose whether they wanted to send their child back to school after knowing there was a coronavirus case or pursue remote learning. Only 15 percent of students stayed home.

To learn more about this school’s case, as well as what other schools are doing, check out the video below.

Do you think schools should do in-person learning or remain at home doing remote work?