Oregon In-Person Learning At Risk, State Warns School Districts

PORTLAND, OR —It would be hard, but not impossible, for Oregon to be clearer about the danger facing in-person learning. The danger is omicron and how schools react to the surge that's underway.

On Monday, the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education issued a joint advisory suggesting that schools around the state putting a pause on extracurricular activities at least until omicron has passed.

While they stopped short of requiring schools take that action, officials made it clear what to expect if they don't.

"If schools and other organizations proceed with extracurricular activities, especially as these activities move indoors and individuals are unmasked, they should expect rapid transmission of COVID-19 that will prevent students from participating in in-person learning due to isolation for those that contract COVID-19 and lengthy quarantines for those that come into close contact with infected individuals," the advisory states. The bold and italics are in the advisory.

Officials add that "this risk should be clearly communicated to families participating in these extracurricular activities."

School districts are also urged to do as many activities such as parent and family conferences online instead of in person.

Districts are told that they also must take care to make sure to exclude students and staff who show symptoms or who have had contact with a person who has.

The Oregon Health Authority also wants districts to have teachers go over all the guidelines for staying safe.