South Hennepin News

Last week's return-to-school announcement from Gov. Tim Walz has Senate Republicans begging for local school districts to have the final say in how to safely educate students during the 2020-21 school year.  

The current back-to-school plan revolves around the state's virus tracking data. School districts are only able to welcome students back to classroom instruction if the COVID-19 cases remain below specific levels. 

The metrics are not entirely clear or easy to understand. A full return to class in a pre-coronavirus setting will only be considered if there are fewer than 10 cases per 10,000 residents over a two-week period. Counties with more than 50 cases per 10,000 residents may need to resort back to remote learning. These numbers take the entire population into account. 

"[Walz] has put unworkable caveats in place such as including prison COVID cases to determine whether or not schools have to close. Combining those numbers with the rest of Sherburne County residents really skews the numbers," Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer said, according to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus website.

If schools can meet those thresholds, they still need to prove they have the physical space to maintain social distancing, that their buildings are properly ventilated and prove they have the means to upkeep the vigorous cleaning protocols necessary to keep everyone safe. 

“This decision should be left in the hands of local leaders and teachers," Kiffmeyer said. "We trust them to care for our kids every day, and we can trust them now to safely school our children."