By DAN KLEIN
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
Thousands of Hoosier kids are just a few weeks away from heading back to the classroom or perhaps back to their virtual classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday he supports local control over the decision to reopen classrooms or stick to virtual learning.
Holcomb and Dr. Kristina Box, the commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health, took no sides during their coronavirus briefing Wednesday afternoon between IPS, Carmel Clay and other districts that are offering classroom options versus Washington Township Schools and others that are starting the school year virtually only.
“We’re there for Washington and we’re there for every other school corporation both public and private in Indiana,” the governor said.
Box added, “It’s also important to have a good option for students to be able to get face-to-face if that’s what the families deem is best for their children.”
Teachers who test positive during the year will have to isolate for at least 10 days from when their symptoms began.
As for what happens with students in the teachers’ classes, it depends. Kindergartners are more likely to need to quarantine if their teachers get the virus, while older students may not need to stay at home.
“It really depends on the specific situations we find at that time, so that’s why it’s so critical to involve public health in the decision-making process,” Box said.
Also on Wednesday, Holcomb was asked if he would freeze funding for school districts at last year’s level because so many parents are expected to home-school their children. He replied that it’s too early to decide the funding question.