MINNEAPOLIS _ Minnesota's public K-12 schools will stay closed for the rest of the academic year under an order from Gov. Tim Walz, an unprecedented step being taken in states across the nation to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The order, issued Thursday, assures that students and teachers will finish out the school year through distance-learning plans, which have been underway for weeks, and it gives some finality for high school seniors across the state who wondered if they'd get to walk in their graduation ceremonies.
"As a former teacher, this is a heartbreaking decision," Walz said. "I am sorry for all of our students who will miss out on graduations, tournaments, and end-of-year celebrations. While I recognize distance learning is a challenge for many families, it is critical to social distancing in Minnesota and supports the health of Minnesota's families. We will continue looking for ways to improve the current system and better support our children."
The state's schools have been closed since March 18, an order the governor previously extended until at least May 4. His decision ends weeks of speculation about whether students would be heading back to their classrooms at any point this spring.
Epidemiological evidence shows that, while children can contract COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, they typically experience mild symptoms. But children can spread the coronavirus to their parents or teachers, which triggered the school closures in March.
Minnesota, which has nearly 900,000 students in K-12 public and charter schools, is one of only a handful of states that had not yet ordered schools closed for the remainder of the academic year. Some states, including Washington and Maryland, are already considering closures into the summer and fall.
"I feel that's the expectation of the public, that we should be through this by the fall, but if there are signs that we are not going to be, I think we need to be cautious as well. I think we need to follow the data," said state House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. "If we can show it's safe to open up schools either now or in the fall, we should do it. If we don't think it's time yet to do it, then we shouldn't do it. But we should let data drive those decisions."
Walz has acknowledged that school closures have been challenging for families where parents are out of work or working from home and juggling their children's distance-learning plans.
His initial order required schools to continue mental health services for students and deliver meals for children in need. Legislators are debating a proposal to require districts to pay hourly school workers, including bus drivers and food service employees, who lost wages due to school closures during the pandemic.
