Missouri Gov. Mike Parson orders schools remain closed for rest of academic year
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson ordered Thursday that public schools remain closed for the remainder of the academic year.
“This recommendation was made by working together with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and several school superintendents from across the state -- from both urban and rural districts,” he said.
Schools should continue remote learning for their students, Parson said, and the order does not impact nutrition or child care services.
Parson said that he understands that for those set to graduate this spring will be disappointed, but he vowed to “make sure you get to walk down the aisle and receive a diploma.”
The order comes as the number of COVID-19 deaths spiked in Missouri, from 58 on Wednesday to 77 today.
“It may not look like it right now, but our aggressive efforts to combat COVID-19 are working,” Parson said Thursday.
Parson issued what he called a stay-at-home order last week, although the action continued to leave it up to local governments to establish their own standards for what businesses could remain open.
He had also hesitated in ordering schools to close, saying he would leave it up to local districts to make the determination.
All school districts eventually closed voluntarily, and Parson’s social distancing order prevented them from re-opening until later this month.
Parson’s order on Thursday prevents those districts from re-opening during the current academic year.
Melissa Randol, executive director of the Missouri School Boards’ Association, said that even though traditional classes will not resume this school year, “education of our students will continue for the remainder of the year. “
“The buildings may be closed,” she said, “but quality education continues.”
Kenny Southwick, executive director of the Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City which represents 31 districts in the area, 14 of them in Kansas City said districts, “applaud this decision. Now all our students, parents, teachers and administrators can plan for the next phases in closing out the school year.”
He praised the work already done by schools, “I just want to say that our people have done an amazing job turning on a dime to the very best of their ability providing education for our kids and feeding our kids.”
The governor’s decision,“was not a happy decision but it seemed like the most prudent decision,” said Doug Thaman, executive director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association. Now, he said, “those conversations about how this will impact fall classes can begin.”
Thaman said the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has already put together a task force of top educators to “figure out what summer school might look like, if there is summer school, and to figure out what school re-start will look like.”
Includes reporting by The Star’s Mará Rose Williams.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 3:42 PM.
