BOSTON (WHDH) - Teachers and parents were left stunned on Tuesday when Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius mistakenly said certain students with high needs could return to class as soon as Thursday.
During an education committee meeting, Cassellius stated that the city was prepared to allow students back into the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and The Carter School.
Cassellius’ comments came after Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced last week that all students would be shifting to a fully-remote learning model until further notice due to a surge in coronavirus cases and a seven-day positivity rate that had jumped to 5.7 percent from 4.5 percent.
A Boston school staffer who was listening in on the virtual meeting interrupted Cassellius to clarify, and said, “Though we are operationally ready for this Thursday, we are not intending to have students in buildings two days from now.”
With places like malls and restaurants allowed to remain open as daily cases counts surpass 1,000, many anxious parents now want to know when their children will be allowed back into the classroom.
“Everything else is open. We were at the CambridgeSide Galleria today and everything was happening like usual, but school is not open,” said Megan Castro, whose high-need son was pulled out of school last week following Walsh’s announcement. “How do you explain to a little kid that they can eat in a restaurant but they can’t go to school.”
Castro was one of dozens of parents who gathered outside City Hall for a rally on Wednesday in an effort get high-need students back in class, despite Boston’s infection rate now at an alarming 7.8 percent.
“Educators and parents just really want to have some predictability, and also a more thoughtful longterm plan that provides in-person services for our highest needs students,” said Jessica Tang, president of the Boston Teachers Union.
Tang added that the union has asked for safety improvements in schools, as well as more personal protection equipment, but still have not gotten answers.
In a statement, BPS confirmed that schools will not be reopening Thursday and vowed to work with teachers to “construct an approach to provide services to our students with the highest needs.”
Officials have said that schools in the city will not be reopened until the infection rate falls below 5 percent.
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