Turning to a “last resort” she hoped to avoid, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Thursday night ordered all schools closed for at least two weeks to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. The move will affect 583,000 students.
The stunning order will close schools from Monday, March 16, until Tuesday, March 31. Brown said in announcing her decision that students would return to class on Wednesday, April 1. She said in her statement:
“I have heard from superintendents, school board members, teachers, parents, and students that it has now become impossible to functionally operate schools due to workforce issues and student absences.”
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The development will disrupt life not only at schools but in homes and businesses across Oregon as thousands of parents face the prospect of children at home. The closure will be especially challenging for low-income or homeless families whose children count on free meals from school. The governor, who said she was left with little choice, remarked:
“So many of our families depend on school in order for parents to go to their jobs, and for students to access health care and receive nutrition.”
“I want to be very clear. Sending Oregon children home will not stop the spread of the coronavirus.”
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Oregon is not the only state to issue statewide closures. Michigan, Ohio and Maryland have done the same, and another 21 states have closed some schools as federal and state officials deal with what has now been termed a global pandemic.
John Larson, president of the Oregon Education Association, said in a statement:
“It is critical that our students who rely on our public schools for their only reliable nutritious meal in a day continue to receive access to those meals. It is essential the governor’s office release guidance instructing school districts to keep public school employees financially whole during the closing of schools. Oregon’s students and educators should not have to bear the burden of a public health outbreak that is far beyond their control.”
Brown acted just hours after a news conference where she announced state restrictions against gatherings of 250 people or more.
She said then that it was “critically important” for schools to remain open and said she was heeding the advice of public health experts in deciding to leave schools open.
State officials, however, did advise schools to cancel most group activities, including parent-teacher conferences, field trips, and school programs. Those restrictions still apply to school systems remaining open.
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Brown anticipated the need to close Oregon schools in a letter Wednesday to Vice President Mike Pence that sought federal help on several fronts with money and supplies. Among her requests was a relaxation of federal rules governing meals provided in schools heavily populated by low-income students. She also asked permission for closed schools to distribute food supplies to local food banks, adding:
“This is an important tool to ensure that low-income students and their families who qualified for free or reduced price meals do not go hungry when schools close.”
In her announcement Thursday night, Brown said that “districts are tasked with developing plans to continue nutrition services during the closure.”
Brown also asked for federal help for child care providers “to prevent the collapse of the overall child care business, further depleting the supply of affordable child care in the state.”
While young children and teenagers are among the least vulnerable to the virus — the majority of fatalities have been recorded in people older than 60 — public health experts have said preventing crowds from gathering is one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of the disease and keep hospitals and health care workers from becoming overwhelmed by serious cases.
