A local high school, which was one of the first public schools in the state to go back to a full-time in class schedule is now reversing course after a COVID outbreak lead to 18% of the student population having to be quarantined for 14-days. Tri-City United Superintendent Lonnie Seifert sent out the email announcing the change back to hybrid learning yesterday afternoon.

In the email to parents, Seifert explains that "From Tuesday, February 23rd through [Thursday], there have been six confirmed cases and 86 students quarantined due to being identified as close contacts. We are still waiting on other test results, which may result in more quarantines. Our current numbers impact 18% of our high school students."

Seifert went on to tell parents that he wants to be "clear that these cases have come into the high school and were not transmitted within the building."

According to the email, "high school and district administrative teams have been in contact with Le Sueur County Public Health to determine the appropriate course of action to address this concern. Out of extreme caution for the safety of our students and staff, TCU High School will have in-person learning tomorrow, Friday, February 26th and then transition back to a Hybrid Model of Instruction for grades 9-12 beginning on Monday, March 1st." Parents of other students in the district should note that this change at the high school will not have an "impact on the current model of instruction for our PreK-8th grade students."

It's unclear how long the high school will be back in the hybrid learning model.

I am a 'parent' to one of the students being quarantined for 14 days. Our exchange student wasn't happy hearing the news on Monday night when we got the call from the principal. What's even tougher news, it that based on what the school is choosing to do, even getting him tested within the range that the state allows, between days 5-7, he still couldn't go back to school. We still got him tested during that time frame, and he tested negative.

My question is this, why are we punishing kids who, if they were in the 'working' world would have been allowed to return to the office or work, but not the classroom?

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