Kentucky Education Association says in-person learning should put on the brakes

Today, the Kentucky’s teachers union said that the state’s public schools shouldn’t move forward with in-person teaching until the COVID-19 positivity rate for Kentucky is 4% or below. 

The Kentucky Education Association sent out a statement today saying, “By every objective measure, and without public schools being open to all during the last few months, the coronavirus situation in Kentucky at this moment is far worse than it was in March. If we all believed it wasn’t safe to operate schools then, how can it possibly  be safe to reopen now?”

KEA said they believed that the positivity rate of below 4% should remain below this number for 21 consecutive days as measured by a 7-day rolling average. 

"Districts must also consider other factors unique to their own communities," KEA said, "such as the infection rate among school-aged children and whether the Department of Public Health supports their reopening plan."

"Doing anything else is simply irresponsible," the teachers union added.

Kentucky’s positivity rate is 5.57% as announced today by Governor Andy Beshear.  Beshear’s office is said to be in close contact with KEA representatives.