KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wyandotte County on Monday issued a new order that prohibits public schools from opening with in-person classes until after Labor Day.
The order takes effect on July 28 and will remain in place “until COVID-19 pandemic conditions in Wyandotte County are such as to warrant a change or modification."
The new order, which does not prohibit virtual learning before Labor Day, applies to public schools within Wyandotte County, including:
- Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Unified School District;
- Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools;
- Piper School District; and
- Turner Unified School District.
KCK Public Schools already announced it will not reopen until after Labor Day. Both the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville and Turner school districts previously indicated they will follow county guidance in reopening.
The order also mandates that students wear masks indoors and while in outdoor groups when 6 feet of social distance cannot be maintained.
It requires cohorting at every grade level while also physically spacing out students throughout buildings. Under the order, schools must show 50% less density of students. According to examples provided by the county, schools can do that by sending certain grades back to school while keeping others on distance learning or by rotating days that students go to school in-person.
School districts will be required to submit plans to the county for approval.
“The decision to prohibit schools from opening to in-person classes until after September 7 was not made lightly, as we know that in-person socialization plays an important role in the longer-term positive health impacts on individuals and our community as a whole,” said Dr. Allen Greiner, chief medical officer with the Unified Government Public Health Department. “This Order was issued to protect our children, young adults, teachers, and those populations most vulnerable to COVID-19 in Wyandotte County. This Order does not prohibit distance learning, so all schools may resume virtual classes as soon as they would like.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order earlier this month requiring schools to remain closed until after Labor Day, but the State Board of Education overturned the order, leaving the matter up to individual school districts.
