But Spokeswoman Says That Doesn’t Mean Everyone Is Sick.
It Does Mean Significant Number Of Children Have No Live Learning.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The COVID-19 situation is starting to overtake the Palm Beach County School District, just three days into the new school year.
Interim Superintendent Michael Burke Thursday afternoon told an audience on MSNBC that 440 students in the Palm Beach County School District are now quarantined due to COVID-19. That means they are required to stay home.
But Palm Beach County School District Spokeswoman Claudia Shea said it’s important to put that number into perspective.
“That doesn’t mean we have 440 children who are positive for COVID-19,” said Shea to BocaNewsNow.com following the MSNBC appearance. “It means we have 440 children who, due to contact tracing, were told to stay home until the Palm Beach County office of the Florida Department of Health can determine true risk and exposure. That is happening very quickly.”
The students who are told to stay home, however, have another problem. There is no mechanism this year for them to interact with their teachers. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis banned schools from offering virtual learning options this year, so these children are stuck downloading work, watching videos, but not interacting with their teachers.
“Students can access curriculum via the instruction continuity site which is in the (school district’s) online portal,” said Shea.
According to Superintendent Burke, only 5700 students – out of more than 180,000 — opted out of mask use.
