'In Person, In School, Is The Best Option': RI Tackles Reopening

PROVIDENCE, RI —Amid a "huge amount of misinformation ... and fear-mongering," the Rhode Island Department of Education is working to make in-person classes possible this fall, Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.

Last month, Raimondo said the state's intention was to resume in-person instruction in the fall, with all schools starting Aug. 31. All districts were asked to submit reopening plans to address three possible scenarios: mostly in-person instruction, entirely distanced learning or a hybrid model. These plans were due back to the department by July 17, and are currently being reviewed by the educations and health department, Raimondo said. Each district will receive individual feedback to ensure the safety of students and staff.

"We owe it to our children to get them back to school," the governor said. "We owe it to them to do it safely. We owe it to our teachers to look out for their safety. We are going to get it done."

Raimondo acknowledged that reopening schools is a herculean task with a lot of as-of-yet unanswered questions including issues of transportation, testing schedules, students with differing abilities and more. Rather than simply capitulate to these concerns, however, the state will take the coming weeks to find solutions and inform the public, she said.

"It's not ok in mid-July to say that we can't figure it out," Raimondo said. "It's ok to say that it's hard, and we need to figure it out. But we need to see more work around the unanswered questions."

Starting this week, the governor and Education Commissioner Angélica M. Infante-Green will discuss updates about school reopening at each weekly news conference on Wednesday afternoons. In addition, Raimondo and Infante-Green will hold virtual forums featuring experts every Thursday at 3 p.m. on Facebook, starting with two pediatricians this week. The governor's daily email newsletter will focus on school updates each Friday, as well.

Addressing the concerns of parents and school leaders who say it's simply not possible to safely reopen in the fall, Raimondo said she's "not ready to throw in the towel."

"There is more work to be done," she said. "I am not yet convinced yet that we've done enough work to come to that conclusion [that we can't go in person]."

Continued distance learning has its own drawbacks, the governor continued, including access to food, ability to learn well at home, mental health, socialization and more.

"It's wrong to say that it's safer to keep kids at home, because I don't know if that's true. Our children are suffering," Raimondo said. "It's hard. I know most teachers don't want to go back to school but can't imagine the consequences of keeping kids home for a year."

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, voiced her support for the reopening plan.

"The in-person learning does provide safer learning opportunities for children," Alexander-Scott said. "You talk to the children, they are missing that engagement with each other ... Children being in person, in school, is the best option."