State school officials raise concerns about keeping kids in classrooms as cases rise

“If we want them in school, then we need to be safe. We need to be ultra safe.” 

That was the message from Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) President Jenni Benson as schools across the state press on, but health department risk dials continue to rise. Several school districts across the state base their plans, whether they learn in-person or remotely, on those risk dials. 

The recent bump many have experienced recently is concerning state school officials. 

“Just because your insurance company says they won’t cover a liability, doesn’t mean we’re not responsible or liable if we’re not creating safe spaces for our educators and students,” Benson said.

Benson believes the best place for students to be is in the classroom. She says It leads to better quality of learning and improves mental health among other benefits.

Benson says listening to health experts’ advice on topics like masks and social distancing is a must to accomplish that goal.

“These are the things that work. If we keep doing these things in schools then we can stay in school. That’s the bottom line. We want kids to be in school,” she said.

Benson referenced recent guidance released by the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) about what precautions schools should take. NSEA also has guidance on their website. Benson says they base their guidance off directed health measures and advice from health experts like those in county health departments and at UNMC. 

Benson believes schools are doing a good job stopping the spread inside the building. The responsibility doesn’t end when the last bell rings, however.

“You leave your school and you go into the community, that’s where the cases are. Very few cases have come from school contact. The cases are from outside school contact,” Benson said.

Lincoln officials backed that claim during a press conference Friday. Lincoln Public Schools has seen over 200 cases district-wide since school started in August, but they say COVID-19 is not spreading in their halls. 

"One of our health team's closest and most significant partners in protecting the public continues to be Lincoln Public Schools," Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said. "Thanks to LPS's commitment to practices that slow the spread of COVID-19, after eight weeks of in-person classes, we still have no evidence of the virus being transmitted in the classroom setting."

Benson says it will take everyone to turn the risk dials around. Since many districts base their plans on those dials, if they continue to rise, more and more students may find themselves learning from home again.

“In person is better. It is what we want, but we want that maximum safety as well,” Benson said.