KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Shawnee Mission School District announced Friday it plans to move forward with winter sports and activities despite warnings from health officials that they could be risky.
"After careful consideration, and with specific mitigating factors in place to limit the transmission of COVID-19, we have made the decision to move forward with high school winter activities and athletics," Superintendent Dr. Mike Fulton said in a letter to families. "These considerations include mask wearing, appropriate social distancing, cleaning and sanitation requirements, limits on crowd attendance specific to each activity and sport, and other safety protocols. Additional guidance for specific activities and athletics will be forthcoming."
On Tuesday, officials with the Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Health and Environment strongly recommended that districts not allow these activities to happen.
The department said indoor activities pose a higher risk of spreading COVID-19 because mitigation techniques are not as possible.
In sports like wrestling and basketball, it is difficult to wear masks and social distance.
In its letter to families, SMSD said: "We have an abundance of safety protocols built into our in-class instructional models, and have confidence that through rigorous adherence to these protocols, we are able to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 in schools. Our school buildings and grounds continue to remain closed to rental by outside organizations, in order to support necessary safety protocols."
