Schools struggle to stay open as quarantines sideline staff

(AP) Contact tracing and isolation protocols meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus are sidelining school employees and frustrating efforts to continue in-person learning. It’s happening even in districts that take precautions and have successfully prevented much spread in classes

In Kansas, the 27,000-student Shawnee Mission School District announced recently that middle and high school students would return to remote learning until January because of difficulty keeping buildings staffed. Scores of employees are quarantined because of known or potential exposure.

“It is important to emphasize that this decision is not being made because of COVID-19 transmission within our schools,” Superintendent Mike Fulton wrote to families. He said available substitute teachers would be shifted to elementary schools to keep up in-person learning for younger students.

Social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and completing daily COVID-19 assessments “seem to be working to keep transmission low within schools,” Fulton said.

The effects of school staffing struggles have prompted some officials to suggest relaxing quarantine rules.