Coronavirus update: Gov. Newsom warns of more California school closings, leaders call for calm
Did Elk Grove school officials overreact in deciding to close all their schools this week after discovering a student’s family has come into contact with the coronavirus?
Sacramento County’s health chief and other leaders are stopping short of saying so, but are urging schools to keep the doors open unless students or staff test positive with the COVID-19 virus. They are also calling on other institutions and event organizers not to take disruptive measures without due consideration.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement Saturday, however, warning that more school closures are likely around the state as the virus spreads.
In a surprise Saturday announcement, Elk Grove Unified School District officials said they will close all of the district’s 60-plus schools after learning that a family in the district has been exposed to the virus. The district said it will move spring vacation to this week in hopes of avoiding losing classroom days this school year.
“After careful consideration and in light of the new information, effective immediately, the District will close its schools, cancel classes and any student-related activities from today, March 7 - March 13, 2020,” a district letter said. “Please know that to date, no student or staff has tested positive for COVID-19.”
The district has 64,000 students and is fifth largest in the state. It is the first California district to announce a major closure due to the virus, which has been spreading nationally for several weeks after the initial outbreak two months ago in China.
Sacramento County Health Department chief Dr. Peter Beilenson told The Sacramento Bee on Saturday night that he “respects” the Elk Grove decision, but said he and state officials are advising schools to take several other steps first before closing a school, including talking it over with local health officials.
“If two or three students come down with cases, we probably will recommend closing the school,” Beilenson said on Saturday nigh
On Sunday, speaking at an afternoon press conference, he amended that, saying school and health officials likely will choose to close down a school if just one student there tests positive for the virus.
Otherwise, he will encourage schools conduct business as usual, with precautions.
In contrast to Elk Grove, officials at two Sacramento City Unified schools announced on Friday that someone connected with the schools was potentially exposed to the virus and are in self-quarantine, but both schools remain open after being deep-cleaned this weekend. The schools are Leonardo da Vinci School and C.K. McClatchy High School.
“Sac City Unified has not been advised to close or cease normal activities by the Sacramento County Public Health Department or the County Office of Education,” district officials wrote in a follow-up message to parents on Saturday. “Therefore, our schools will remain open until further notice and we will continue to take proactive measures such as disinfecting high touch areas and other on a daily basis.”
Elk Grove school closing a surprise
The Elk Grove decision appeared to come as a surprise to community leaders. The district also canceled off-campus events, including the Pleasant Grove High School prom at 1 p.m. Saturday hours before it was scheduled to take place. At 2 p.m., the district sent a notice stating any student who rented from Men’s Warehouse will get a full refund if they returned the tuxedo on Saturday.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who coordinated a Sunday afternoon press conference with other local leaders, said he will preach caution and communication, and will ask the public and institutions not to cancel events too quickly.
“Faced with this new health challenge, we must rely on collaboration, communication and sound decision making based on consultation with experts,” he said in a text to The Bee Saturday night. “We should take it seriously, of course, but we should not cancel major events, close public spaces or take other actions that disrupt peoples’ lives unless fully advised by public health officials.”
Reacting to the Elk Grove closure, Folsom Cordova Unified district officials issued their own update to district families Saturday, saying they are conducting classes as usual.
“As of this evening, there are no plans to close schools in Folsom Cordova Unified,” they wrote. “All student events will continue as scheduled. We continue to monitor developments closely in coordination with Sacramento County Public Health and follow all guidance to protect the health and safety of our students, staff and community. The situation remains highly fluid and we remain prepared to take action as needed, including school closures if warranted.”
Newsom, though, warned this weekend “it’s a question of when – not if – some California public schools will face closure because of COVID-19. School districts must prepare for these scenarios so that parents and children can plan for what would happen if their local school faced closure.”
“It’s also not lost on anyone that these scenarios would put significant stress on families – especially those with the least financial resources. Already, we are seeing how this outbreak is having significant economic impact on families, workers, businesses and communities across California.”
In Sacramento, state and local officials this weekend, released a series of guidelines to schools and other institutions, including large group event guidelines, on what safety steps they should take, and when they should consider closing a school or canceling an event.
The school guidelines state that schools do not necessarily have to be closed, even if a student, teacher or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.
It does say, however, in case of a positive test, “in consultation with the local public health department, the appropriate school official may consider if school closure is warranted and length of time based on the risk level within the specific community as determined by the local public health officer.”
SXSW, other events canceled
The announcements come after some major institutions announced event closures this week. The South by Southwest conference and music festival, which draws people from across the country to Austin, Texas, in mid-March, was canceled this weekend.
Train officials on the East Coast announced the shut down one of their Acela passenger rail lines as well.
The Elk Grove closures came as a shock to some students and families.
Zenaida Raji took her 15-year-old daughter to Lodi to compete in a regional track meet, but Aisha, a Franklin High School sophomore, was pulled from the meet when the district notice showed up on family cell phones. Aisha’s coach told the team that all Elk Grove teams, including Cosumnes Oaks High and Pleasant Grove High, needed to leave the race.
Aisha left before she was able to compete in the 200 meter sprint race.
“She was a little upset because it’s her favorite race,” Raji said. “But there was nothing her coach could do.”
All other schools from other districts at the meet continued to race.
Elk Grove Unified’s closure also abruptly ended the season for Sheldon High’s boys basketball team, the top-ranked team in Northern California.
Other Elk Grove district community members had to rearrange spring week outings and some stand to lose out on money they have already paid for events.
More than 50 people from LifePointe Church are heading to Mexico to build homes for single mothers. The trip, which cost individuals $700, was scheduled during the school district’s spring break to accommodate nearly two dozen students.
Dawn Souza, an Elk Grove para-educator and trip leader, no longer has spring break off. With the schedule change, she is forced to take time off, and says most of the youth registered to go will do the same.
“It’s not just a few dollars,” Souza said. “We have families of four that have paid $2800 for this trip.”
This story was originally published March 8, 2020 at 10:59 AM.