SHARE THIS

Easton Area School District (EASD) announced yesterday that it will be “pro-active,” in an attempt to curb what has become an explosion of positive Covid-19 cases, now numbering well over 100 students and staff, since re-opening.

For every staff member in a teaching role that is sent home for quarantine, or who calls out sick, a substitute must be found, and EASD has been unable to find enough substitutes the last few days, which may have been a contributing factor to their newly announced decision.

Yesterday, EASD informed parents that all schools will go to full remote (online only) learning beginning on Monday, December 21, through Friday, January 15th. Until December 21, individual schools may be subject to full remote learning, should it exceed the number of cases set forth in guidelines.

Reputable physicians and immunologists were predicting the worst of the pandemic to hit in the Fall and Winter months, and are being proven correct.

Positive Covid-19 cases are breaking records with the healthcare system and workers being strained. Main Street businesses that have survived thus far are finding it increasingly difficult to remain viable as restrictions are again, being put in place.

School districts are also under pressure. Many parents want them to remain open so they can work while their children are in school, but schools have to follow Department of Health guidelines and perform rolling closures of individual schools, should the amount of staff and children exceed the limit of positive cases allowed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Meanwhile, school districts are looking at a potential future lack of personnel, resulting from the pandemic. Even if parent protesting of closures were to get the attention of Harrisburg, if schools don’t have enough staff showing up for work, children can’t be taught effectively.

Those who work in support staff roles as hourly employees, are beginning to resign and finding other employment, freezing their  retirement accounts for when they reach the age of 62. Others are considering early retirement options, if they qualify with years of service.

For many support staff, they find their retirement account, Social Security, and investments will allow them to survive financially, without risking their health working with children, many of which are being reared by parents, who still believe the pandemic is a massive hoax, or simply another flu.

Parents in other school districts can look toward EASD as a harbinger of what the new year will bring.

Closures of individual schools, if not entire school districts, can be expected. The worst is yet to come, with a vaccine for the masses still months away.

Personally, I don’t see how more school closures can be avoided. People gathered for Thanksgiving. They will do so again for Christmas and New Years, despite warnings to practice social distancing.