Barron Trump's school calls off in-person classes till October despite POTUS pushing for opening amid Covid-19
The private school, attended by President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has received an order, prohibiting on-campus learning for the start of the school year, reports state. The move comes as Trump continues to push for a return to in-person classes for schools across the country despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Barron's school St Andrew's Episcopal School, in Montgomery County, Maryland on Friday, July 31, issued a directive, demanding private schools to not conduct in-person learning until October 1 this year. The president's son, who is set to enter 9th grade this fall, studies in a private school in Potomac, Maryland. Montgomery County Health Officer, Travis Gayles, in a press release, stated: "Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have based our decisions on science and data. At this point, the data does not suggest that in-person instruction is safe for students or teachers. We have seen increases in transmission rates for COVID-19 in the State of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, particularly in younger age groups, and this step is necessary to protect the health and safety of Montgomery County residents."
The letter also states that the administrators of St Andrew's school have aimed to begin the school year in early September, on-time and in-person learning for the staff and students. The final decision, however, would be made in the week of August 10, according to the document sent to parents last month, CNN reported.
"We are hopeful that in September most of our students will be able to return to on-campus learning and relationships," St Andrew's Head of School Robert Kosasky wrote in the letter. "We will continue to follow the guidance of appropriate health officials and refine both our hybrid and distance learning plans." Reports state that the staff and faculty of St Andrew's have been preparing for in-person, combination in-person, virtual and fully virtual learning scenarios for all of the student body since May. The school reportedly has a total of 645 students in its student body.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, this week, had dismissed calls for the Trump administration to release a national plan aimed at opening schools amid the pandemic. Although DeVos suggested that there was no place for federal power flexing, she continued to demand the opening of all schools as the pandemic continues to claim thousands of lives in the country. President Trump, in a press conference on Thursday, July 30, had again demanded all schools to reopen with in-person learning. "Indefinite school closures will inflict lasting harm to our nation's children," Trump said. "We must follow the science, get students safely back to school while protecting children, teachers, staff and family."
The Governor of Maryland, Lary Hogan, a Republican critic of the president on issues linked to the federal response of the Covid-19 outbreak, in a statement, disagreed with the Montgomery County directive. "I strongly disagree with Montgomery County's decision to mandate the closure of private and parochial schools. As long as these schools develop safe plans that follow CDC and state guidelines, they should be empowered to do what's best for their community. This is a decision for schools and parents, not politicians," he wrote.