Niccijade Reeves-Alhark
Staff Reporter
On Wednesday March 3rd, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order for all schools in the state to open and offer in-person learning for their students.
The executive order states that schools should open for in-person learning by Monday, March 15th, or after spring break. The executive order requires schools to open under the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) revised mitigation strategies and basic regulations for COVID-19. Counties that have high transmissions of COVID-19 according to CDC guidelines are exempt from the order but will still have to open their elementary schools. The counties that are currently exempt from this order are Coconino, Yavapai, and Pinal. Students can continue their virtual learning if their parent or guardian chooses to.
The regulations that the schools must follow for in-person learning are mask-wearing, social distancing, washing hands, clean and improved ventilation, and contact tracing. These are the five key strategies that are explained in more detail in this updated guidance released by the CDC.
Governor Ducey announced he would be signing the executive order in a Twitter thread posted on March 3rd. In the thread, he prioritizes getting children back in school. He explains that schools in Arizona are now prepared for students to come back, because teachers are prioritized for the vaccine with most school districts reporting nearly all of their educators are vaccinated at this point in time, and since there are procedures put in place to control the virus.
He also recognized the parents and guardians who are uncomfortable with sending their children back to in-person school and says that virtual learning will be available for them. Ducey also went on to state his confidence in Arizona’s progress on opening back up compared to other states and that this executive order will speed up and further that progression.
Following this executive order, on March 5th another order was signed out that allowed businesses to open at full capacity
According to an interview with Flagstaff’s mayor, Paul Deasy, there was not a press conference held for the executive order. He shared his concern with the high numbers in his town and surrounding areas, “We understand the desire to be reopening but for us here in flagstaff and Coconino county, the numbers do not match this policy change” Governor Ducey stated that mayors would not be able to enforce major changes that would stop their schools and business from reopening.
With more schools and businesses opening, we here at Ironwood’s Eagle’s Eye encourage you to follow the guidelines put in place to protect everyone, including yourself, from spreading COVID-19.
Image Credit: azgovernor.gov
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