TEXAS, USA — The school year has taken a pause just days after it started for several districts across East Texas due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Obviously we're very concerned about that, we want schools to be open very much,” said Executive Director for the Texas Association of School Administrators, Kevin Brown.
Brown also explained the difficulty and pressure that fall on administrators and would bring them to this type of decision.
“For us to be able to hold school this year, it's very important that people take the precautions that are recommended," he said.
Kemp ISD Superintendent James Young says school has only been in session for one week. At the end of the day Monday, 101 students tested positive for the virus. On Tuesday, the district closed their doors.
Young says the fact that it happened so quickly left the potential for those numbers to skyrocket. To prevent this, Kemp ISD will take the rest of the week and weekend to deep clean.
As far as the future is concerned, Young said he has no idea what will happen but suspects Kemp is among the first of other districts that will have to close their doors as well.
Brown predicts these closures will hit small districts the hardest.
“Sometimes the teacher is coaching sports and driving a bus and things of that nature," he said. "When one or two people get sick, it has a much bigger impact than it might have in a larger district.”
Hughes Springs, Woden, Kemp and Wells ISD will all reopen their doors next Monday, Aug. 30.