- A Nebraska school district just canceled classes until August 24 due to an outbreak among staff members, joining districts in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama that canceled classes after similar outbreaks.
- That one Nebraska district pales in comparison to Mississippi – where 71 of 82 counties have already reported positive coronavirus cases within schools.
- In a Monday news conference, a Mississippi health official said 245 teachers and 199 students have tested positive, leading to 589 teachers and 2,035 students quarantining due to exposure.
- The dangers of widespread school reopenings are quickly becoming apparent. One Oklahoma student attended the first day of classes at an Oklahoma City high school after testing positive, the school district told parents on Friday. All those in contact with the student have been notified, and the student is quarantining again.
- The state of California plans to skirt contending with reopening in person. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a Friday press conference that roughly 95% of that state’s 6.2 million students will start the school year with distance learning due to the state’s spike in coronavirus cases.
- Meanwhile, New York City, the country’s largest school district, is set to welcome students back to the classroom in a hybrid model. Families have the option to opt out and continue remote learning at any time.
- As of a Monday tally, roughly 304,000 – or 30% – of New York City students plan to continue learning remotely this fall, per data from the city Department of Education. Asian Americans are leading the charge, with 47% having already opted to stay home versus about 27% of Black students and 23% of white students.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.