Marin School Coronavirus Outbreak Triggers Firestorm

MARIN COUNTY, CA — A Marin coronavirus outbreak that followed parents knowingly sending their infected child to school has put a tiny local district in the national media spotlight.

The parents at the center of the firestorm, who have not yet been identified, sent the child that they knew tested positive for COVID-19 and their sibling to Neil Cummins Elementary School, Larkspur-Corte Madera School District Superintendent Brett Geithman said in a newsletter.

The K-5 school has experienced eight known cases, three of which are suspected to be school-based transmissions, Geithman said. Also, nearly 75 additional students were placed on modified quarantine for Thanksgiving break, resulting in the cancellation of some family gatherings, Geithman said.

The Corte Madera school enrolls 597, and the district serves 1,533 students.

The parents were notified by county officials the week of Nov. 8 that the child tested positive and were told to keep the child and their sibling at home, The Marin Independent Journal reports.

The parents continued sending the children in school the next two weeks, the report said.

“Marin County Public Health has been given the details regarding this case and LCMSD will be taking corrective action,” Geithman said.

“While I cannot disclose the details of what action will be pursued, please know we take the safety of our students and staff with the utmost seriousness.”

The infected child’s sibling later tested positive, too, The Associated Press reports.

"What I've heard from other parents is that they are definitely frustrated and there definitely was anger at the family that made this poor, or this lack of, judgment," Geithman told KQED.

Marin Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis told The Associated Press that a decision is expected to be made early this week on whether any official action will be taken against the parents in connection with the alleged protocol violation.

“It’s a violation of the law that we’ve put in place,” Willis said. “More importantly, it’s also a violation of just basic ethics of community responsibility.”

The outbreak has made headlines in The Daily Beast and Forbes, among others.

“Our enforcement team is evaluating the circumstances and will respond accordingly,” the Marin County Public Health Department said in a statement.

“Thankfully, this is the only known occurrence of a household knowingly sending a COVID-19-positive student to school.”