The rising number of Coronavirus cases prevented the general public from gathering for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education Meeting Monday night.
Families used last night’s meeting as an opportunity to express frustration over the lack of in-person learning. There was an organized protest outside Kenai Central High School from people through the Peninsula demanding schools open back up. Similar sentiment was echoed in the Board of Education’s public presentations/comment period.
The public presentation/comment period went for nearly an hour and included statements from parents, students and teachers. They felt that their choice to have in-person school learning was taken away. Those who spoke also said that the children need a proper education without sitting behind a screen all day.
One individual thanked the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District for sticking to the Smart Start Plan, saying that children catch and spread the virus, even if their outcomes may not be as severe as other age groups.
The District is working on new mitigation plans to safely bring more students back into schools during periods of RED/High Risk and community transmission beyond the current Pre-K, K, and Special Education Intensive needs students currently attending in-person classes.