COVID-19 causes rancor at Montgomery County School Board meeting | Local News
“I would like to see cases decreasing for at least 14 days,” Cherbaka said. “And a positivity rate less than 5%.”
But cases have been going up. Virginia Tech reported 238 positive cases last week with a positivity rate of 19.8% after its most recent documented testing. And dozens of students — including a fraternity with more than 100 members — are in quarantine after being exposed to the virus.
Graham argued that university cases have “absolutely nothing to do with our school system.”
Kass and Cherbaka pushed back.
“They live in our town,” Kass said.
“They’re our neighbors,” Cherbaka said.
Kass also pointed out that student teachers from Tech and Radford University will be assigned to county schools.
The increase in university cases was expected, and the New River Valley Public Health Task Force, made up of local public health and other officials, has assured the board that with mitigation strategies in place, schools could reopen safely.
On that advice, in July the board approved a plan to let 50% of pre-K to 12th-grade students attend class on four half-days a week. Families may opt out and choose remote schooling.
Still, some school board members are not reassured. Continued doubt over the reopening comes as other school districts in the state and region are reworking previously approved plans due to pressure from concerned families and teachers.
