Parents want kids back in school full-time, but districts are at a standstill

Parents want kids back in school full-time, but districts are at a standstill

2:12-2:17 "WESHOULD HAVE THATRIGHT TO DECIDEWHETHER ORCHILDREN SHOULDGO BACK TOSCHOOL OR NOTAND FOR ME IWOULD SAY PUTTHEM BACK INSCHOOL."1:59-2:04 "IN ORDERTO GO AGAINSTWHAT IS CURRENTLYIN PLACE I WOULDBE PUTTING THEDISTRICT AT RISK."FRUSTRATIONBUILDING AS THEWAIT CONTINUES TOGET STUDENTSBACK IN CLASS...FULL-TIME..GOOD EVENINGONCE AGAIN...I'M KEITHRADFORD...ERIE COUNTYOFFICIALSREITERATING TODAYTHAT... THEDECISION TO BRINGKIDS BACK TO CLASS5-DAYS A WEEK IS INTHE HANDS OF THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT....THE EDICT IS NOTSTOPPING PARENTSFROM PLEADINGWITH THE COUNTYTO PUSH FORWARDWITH CDC'S NEWRECOMMEDATIONS...THE CDC'S LATESTGUIDANCERECOMMENDSSCHOOLS CANMAINTAIN AT LEASTTHREE FEET IN THECLASSROOM --INSTEAD OF THE SIXFEET -- BUTSTUDENTS MUSTREMAIN IN MASKS.HOWEVER, FORSTUDENTS INMIDDLE AND HIGHSCHOOLS,STUDENTS CANONLY BE THREEFEET APART -- INCOMMUNITIESWHERETRANSMISSION ISLOW.STUDENTS MUST BEAT SIX INCAFETERIAS,PHYSICALEDUCATION ANDMUSIC CLASSES.7 EYEWITNESSNEWS SENIORREPORTER EILEENBUCKLEY GOES INDEPTH .... WITH ACLOSER LOOK ATTHIS ON-GOINGCONTROVERSY OFWHY SCHOOLSCANNOT OPEN TOFIVE DAY LEARNINGRIGHT NOW.DAN STAPLETON."WE'RE NOT GOINGTO STAND IN THEWAY OF SCHOOLSBEING ABLE TOMAKE THATDECISION."NIAGARA COUNTYPUBLIC HEALTHDIRECTOR DANSTAPLETON SAYSTHE COUNTY WILLALLOW SCHOOLDISTRICTS TOSAFELY RETURN TOFIVE DAY A WEEK,IN-PERSONLEARNING, ONCETHE NEW YORKSTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT GIVESTHE GREEN LIGHT.STAPLETON.

"IT'S ASUPERINTENDENTSDECISION...IT'S NOTMY DECISION..ONCETHEY FEEL THEYCAN SAFELYREOPEN SCHOOLS."===BUTT===WE ARE ANXIOUSLYAWAITING TO HEARFROM THE STATEHEALTHDEPARTMENT."NIAGARA FALLS CITYSCHOOLSUPERINTENDENTMARK LAURRIETELLS 7EYEWITNESS NEWSHE IS IN A HOLDINGPATTERN UNTIL THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT ROLLSBACK THE SOCIALDISTANCING RULE INCLASSROOMS FROMSIX TO THREE FEET.EILEEN.

"DOES ITCOME DOWN TOLIABILITY AS APURE LIABILITYISSUE FOR THEDISTRICT?"===BUTT===LAURRIE.

"IN ORDERTO GO AGAINSTORDER TO GOAGAINST WHAT ISCURRENTLY INPLACE I WOULDBE PUTTING THEDISTRICT AT RISK."THE LIABILITY ISSUEIS ALSO A TOPIC OFCONVERSATION INERIE COUNTY.DURING TUESDAY'SCOVID BRIEFING,COUNTY EXECUTIVEMARK POLONCARZSAYS IT IS A REALCONCERN FORSCHOOL DISTRICTS.POLONCARZ.

"IF THESCHOOLS GOBEFORE NEW YORKSTATE -- THEY'REPUTTINGTHEMSELVES ATRISK SUCH THATTHEIR INSURANCEWILL NO LONGERCOVER THEM INCASE THERE IS ANILLNESS -- OR GODFORSAKEN A DEATHAS A RESULT OFWHAT HAPPENS INTHE SCHOOL."RIGHT NOW IN ERIECOUNTY, THECOMMUNITYTRANSMISSION RATEIS MORE THAN 200-CASES FOR A SEVENDAY PERIOD...DOUBLE THE NEWCDC GUIDELINESFOR DISTANCING INTHE MIDDLE ANDHIGH SCHOOLLEVELS.THE COUNTYHEALTHCOMMISSIONERALSO SAYS THEYARE SEEING SPREADIN PRIVATESCHOOLS USINGTHE 3-FEETDISTANCE RULE.BUT SOME PARENTSSAY IT'S TIME FORTHEIR CHILDREN TOBE BACK IN SCHOOLFIVE DAYS A WEEK...CYNTHIA.

WESHOULD HAVE THATRIGHT TO DECIDEWHETHER ORCHILDREN SHOULDGO BACK TOSCHOOL OR NOT."CYNTHIA DIETRICHHAS TWO CHILDRENAT THE CHARTERSCHOOL FORAPPLIEDTECHNOLOGIES INBUFFALO.EILEEN.

"ARE YOUFRUSTRATED RIGHTNOW THAT THEREISN'T FIVE DAY AWEEK LEARNING?"===BUTT===DIETRICH.

"I'M ALITTLE FRUSTRATEDI KNOW IT'S NOTTHE SCHOOL'SFAULT BUT BOTHOF MY CHILDRENWANT BACK INTOSCHOOL FULL TIMEIT'S MUCH EASIERFOR THEM AND IT'SJUST NORMALCYFOR THEM."===BUTT===EILEEN.

"WHAT ISTHEIR BIG - BIGSTRUGGLE?"===BUTT===CYTHNIA.

"THEYHAVE NOMOTIVATION WHENTHEY"RE HOMETHEY DON'T WANTTO DO THEIRSCHOOL WORK .THEY'RE NOTMOTIVATED."THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYSIT IS CONTINUINGITS REVIEW OF THECDC GUIDANCE.EILEEN BUCKLEY, 7EWN.