Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Rumblings and social media threads about an orchestrated return to remote learning in many area school districts continue to resonate and education leaders are stamping them down as quickly as they can.
The rumors were so 'loud' Friday, the Buffalo Schools tweeted out a formal statement. "There is no truth whatsoever to the rumor that the District will close from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It is our intention to continue to keep children in school, safe, and engaged in in-person learning, five days per week."
Now, the head of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association is stepping into the fray to settle the rumors.
"We have absolutely no intention of going back to remote learning," says Hamburg Schools superintendent Michael Cornell, also president of the association. "The spread of COVID19 in our school setting is extremely rare." Cornell says there has been no talk whatsoever about a return to remote learning.
Cornell says in-person school learning is essential. "Obviously education, but mental, emotional, social, physical reasons. Closing schools would only exacerbate the consequences of having school attendance be limited," says Cornell.
At Buffalo Public Schools, board member Larry Scott says he's heard a number of rumors, the latest coming last week. "The rumor was schools would be in remote learning until New Year's Day," but Scott notes that is not true.
Scott says the board has been discussing COVID rates. "There's concern, however, our position right now is to keep our students in-person and in school. We still feel strongly that is where they need to be for their learning and for their wellness," says Scott. "We also have pretty compelling evidence that the spread of COVID in schools is very limited."
Scott says there have only been 11 classroom closed because of COVID, and no schools have been closed. "Progressing from there would be a determination to close the entire district in consultation with health experts," says Scott, who notes the district is not in that place right now, and there's no consideration to go full remote.
Cornell does note districts have had to close because of a staffing concern, but that's always been a possibility because of the flu for example. Again, he notes there are no plans to close the Hamburg district because of COVID.
