It was late Friday afternoon when social media was abuzz with the rumor that HSE Schools would begin the school year virtually, at least through Labor Day, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  When I was able to confirm the rumor, comments have been flying throughout the community.

This is not the way anyone wants to begin the new school year.  Parents, staff, administrators and school board members all wanted students in the classroom to start the 2020-2021 school year.  But facts and data point to virtual learning.

The statement issued by the school district, in the form of a letter to parents, said the decision was “based on our local health indicators that are showing an increase in infections in our community and current staffing projections.”

The health indicators, just reviewing the numbers, are not encouraging.  At the level of the entire state, Sunday’s number shows 927 new positive tests….that is a lot and the number has been generally growing in recent days.

In Hamilton County numbers provided by the state Sunday, 45 new positive cases were reported, for a total positive tests of 1,933.  The positive test number in the county has been increasing steadily.

The Fishers City Health Department reports 105 positive tests in the past 14 days and a total of 591 tests coming back positive since the novel coronavirus pandemic began in March.  July has been a particularly difficult month for Fishers, with a high of 22 positive tests reported July 7th.

These numbers, particularly from the Fishers Health Department, had an impact on the local school corporation’s decision not to open the school year with in-person classes.

Note that the HSE letter to parents cites “current staffing projections” as a reason to start the school year virtually.  Many teachers are high-risk due to age, health condition(s) or a combination of both.  Do not blame the teaching staff, they have families and loved ones to consider just as we all do.

The decision to have virtual learning at least through Labor Day at HSE Schools has drawn a lot of reactions.  Just keep in mind school officials were balancing a number of important factors in reaching this decision.  School board members and administrators want in the worst way to get students back in their classrooms, based on everything I know and their public statements, but doing so safely, without major health risks, is a challenge with the number of positive cases in our local community.

This is the 4th largest school system in the state based on the number of students, so there will be a wide variety of opinions about all this.  However you may feel, and you are certainly entitled to whatever views you may hold, just understand the HSE Schools, and most school districts throughout America, are dealing with a once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic.  Whatever decision school officials make, it will leave a large segment of the community unhappy.