Despite calls for the resumption of in-person learning in theAnn Arbor public school district during the ongoing pandemic and a March 1st recommendation to do so by the Governor, there is still no date set for that to happen in the district. WEMU’s Lisa Barry talks with Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jeanice Swift about her current thoughts and plans for the district.
Ann Arbor school superintendent Dr. Jeanice Swift says she agrees there is a need to get everyone back in the classroom after only offering virtual learning this school year due to the ongoing pandemic, but she says they are not yet at the point for setting a date.
Dr. Swift says there is still a “great deal of concern and fear” amongst faculty and staff about the area’s high rate of variant infections and a low rate of teachers being vaccinated.
Dr. Swift says they continue to monitor the situation week to week and could not say whether or not they would be able to meet the governor’s recommended date to offer some in person learning on or before March 1st.
Dr. Swift says she agrees with the groups of parents and concerned medical professionals about the need to get students back in the classroom but believes the risk of community spread is too high to yet announce a date. She said the Ann Arbor area remains at the "top and the bottom of two different lists." Near the top of the number of new variant cases of the virus in the community and near the bottom for the number of teachers who have been able to get vaccinated so far.
She says they are watching the numbers closely but cannot yet announce a date to begin offering any in person learning for Ann Arbor public school district students.
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu
