Montco Schools Ordered To Go Fully Virtual For 2 Weeks

NORRISTOWN, PA — Over the intense objections of groups of parents and school leaders, Montgomery County's Board of Health unanimously voted 5-0 to close schools to in-person instruction during a meeting Friday.

The vote means all public and private schools must go fully virtual for two weeks starting Nov. 23.

Officials pointed to the recent steep rise in cases as well as guidance from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Policy Lab, which cites the anticipated rise in cases surrounding the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

The decision came a day after an emotional three-hour public meeting during which dozens of commenters expressed their virulent rejection of the proposal. A vote was placed on the agenda for Thursday's meeting, but the Board of Health said they wanted more time to consider public comments.

"Traditional celebrations around Thanksgiving have the potential to dramatically increase cases," Board of Health Chair Michael Laign said.

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Montgomery County is seeing the highest levels of coronavirus since the pandemic began, with 2,344 cases over the last two weeks, and rapidly rising hospitalization rates as well.

Board member Dr. Martin Trichtinger quoted Wayne Gretzky in supporting the measure, noting the proactive scheme was meant to prevent a longer shutdown in the future.

"You don't try to head toward the puck, you try to head toward where the puck is gonna be," he said. "We're trying to look ahead, we're trying to put our community in the best position possible...If we do nothing right now, all we are doing is abdicating our position."

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The move makes Montgomery the first in the region to order a shutdown amid the fall surge of the virus, after CHOP released their guidance to schools last week. Teachers unions in Pennsylvania have expressed strong support for the measure.

School administrators who spoke in the meeting Thursday kept coming back to many of the same points: schools are not causing spread, the decision to close should be left up to individual districts, and the county should issue recommendations and not mandates.

"If you spent the time home with your children, you would never, ever consider this," one Montgomery County parent, Jaclyn Mason, said during Thursday's meeting.

“We want residents to know that we did not take this decision lightly," Lagin added.

Officials said they were "extremely concerned" about a number of outbreaks among students connected to Halloween gatherings, and health experts expect cases to similarly rise immediately following Thanksgiving.

Furthermore, school superintendents have noted staffing shortages, with more than 100 staff members in schools around Montgomery County unable to come into work due to a positive test. These shortages are putting schools at risk of closing.

The order was altered slightly from Thursday's original plan, which stated that the two week closure could be expanded. While acknowledging that orders from the state level are out of their control, the Laign specified that the order approved Friday states clearly that students will return on Dec. 7.

Board members expressed empathy with parents who were struggling but reiterated that they hoped the move would ultimately shorten the pandemic and prevent a future shutdown.

The full order can be viewed online.