(LifeSiteNews) — After American students returned to school in the past week, three districts temporarily shut down due to concerns over positive COVID-19 cases.
Two school districts in Kentucky and one in Texas announced last week that they were postponing classes for several days, citing a rise in coronavirus infections among both staff and students.
On Monday, Runge ISD in Karnes County, Texas, informed students and staff that schools would be closed from August 22 through August 25, with classes and extracurricular activities resuming on Tuesday, August 29.
“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community is a top priority,” Hector Dominquez Jr., superintendent of the district, said according to a local news report. “Please be advised that a new instructional calendar will be presented soon, indicating new instructional dates for students.”
On its website, Runge ISD keeps a “COVID-19 Tracker” which was most recently updated on Monday. As of August 21, there were 10 reported active cases among staff and 61 “recovered” cases in the district.
Shortly after the announcement from Texas, Lee County School District in Beattyville, Kentucky, followed suit. In a Facebook post, the district wrote that “there will be NO school on Tues, Aug 22nd and Wed, Aug 23rd,” with “NTI [non-traditional instruction] Day #2 on Thurs, Aug 24th and Fri, Aug 25th.” The reason for cancellation was “due to student and staff illness” and included extracurricular activities.
Similarly, Magoffin County Schools in Salyersville, Kentucky announced via Facebook that “all schools will be closed in Magoffin County on Thursday and Friday (8/24 & 8/25) due to widespread illness.” These days were also categorized as NTI days.
The unprecedented closures come after some institutions of higher education have reimposed full COVID-19 protocols and amid speculation that nationwide mandates may return in the coming months. Earlier this week, LifeSiteNews reported that Rutgers University was standing by its push for all students to take the experimental COVID vaccines, threatening to disenroll everyone who refuses to comply with the mandate.
Days later, Morris Brown College announced that protocols implemented during the pandemic would be in full force for at least the next two weeks. This includes masking, social distancing, isolation, and symptom monitoring. The school did not disclose the number of positive cases which led to such drastic measures being taken.
While COVID-related protocols and cancellations appear only in scattered areas and within local jurisdictions, Dr. Joseph Mercola has questioned whether the apparent rise in COVID cases is intentional, motivated by a desire to profit even more by pushing risky shots onto fearful citizens. Conservative Americans are also on high alert about the federal government imposing lockdowns and harsh mandates again, citing concern for new variants of the disease.
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