RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia school board has decided to hold only virtual classes during the fall for all grade levels because of coronavirus concerns.
The Richmond School Board decided in an 8-1 vote Tuesday to have virtual lessons during the fall as COVID-19 cases rise in the state, news outlets reported.
Superintendent Jason Kamras gave the board five plans to choose from that included hybrid lessons or allowing certain students and grades to go back to in-class learning.
Kamras said the virtual instruction will be broken down into live-teaching and playlist-teaching, where students could watch and respond to video lessons.
Teachers and staff will get additional training on how to work in a virtual environment. The district also plans to buy an additional five to eight thousand chromebooks, WIFI hotspots and 250 laptops.
The lone no vote was cast by District 4 member Jonathan Young, who said he wouldn’t support a plan that didn’t allow for in-person study.
“By no means should anyone be naive about the limitations of virtual learning,” Young said. “I really am so concerned for our kids and for the future.”
Scott Barlow of District 2 said the decision was tough because with any outcome certain students would feel an “adverse impact.”
“It’s tough knowing that virtual instruction does not replace the work that our teachers can do with our students in the building,” Barlow said. “Our Black and Latino students are more likely to suffer from infection risks. Many of our higher-poverty students are more likely to be adversely impacted by not being able to go to school, and there’s overlap between those two groups.”
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