Schools Defy Orders On In-Person Schooling And COVID Reporting

The New York Times: Des Moines Schools Defy Governor's Reopening Order Amid Coronavirus 
No matter how much tension has surrounded the reopening of schools during the coronavirus pandemic, most state and local officials have found a way to arrive at some sort of plan by the first day of classes. But not in Des Moines, where school began this week with local officials openly defying Iowa’s governor and a judge’s order by teaching remotely. The decision puts the district’s funding and administrators’ jobs at risk, and leaves students locked out of athletics and their parents uncertain whether online classes will even count. (Levin and Taylor, 9/10)

Politico: Florida Schools Defy DeSantis Order To Keep Virus Stats Under Wraps
Florida school districts are defying Gov. Ron DeSantis and publicly reporting new Covid-19 cases among students and staff that the state government considers confidential. The state Department of Health has tried to directly quash reporting on the virus in some instances, after DeSantis said K-12 testing data “needs to be put in the right context.” (Atterbury, 9/10)

In other K-12 updates —

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Schools Won't Fully Reopen Until November
No campus in Los Angeles County will be allowed to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November, although schools can begin to offer small in-person classes for children with special needs at no more than 10% of capacity at one time, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. The news will be a blow to students, parents and educators who have been hoping that progress against the coronavirus might allow for campuses to reopen on a faster tract. However, the small in-person classes for children who need special services, announced last week, could allow at least 200,000 students back to campus across the county. (Blume, 9/10)

Boston Globe: Boston To Randomly Test Teachers And Other Educators Weekly For COVID-19
Boston officials and the teachers union unveiled plans on Thursday to randomly test teachers and other educators on a weekly basis for COVID-19, making the city’s school system one of the first in the state to commit to routine testing. Under the plan, the district will test up to 5 percent of the members of the Boston Teachers Union on a weekly basis, giving high priority to those working in schools in neighborhoods with high COVID-19 positivity rates as well as employees who work directly with students where social distancing is not possible, such as those providing hands-on support for some students with profound disabilities. (Vaznis and Vasquez Toness, 9/10)

Dallas Morning News: Dallas ISD Rolls Out A New Plan For Returning To Campuses During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Select groups of Dallas students are poised to return to campuses earlier than planned if the COVID-19 case level in Dallas County stays relatively stable. Dallas ISD rolled out new phased plans Thursday with administrators stressing that in-person classes and extracurricular activities could come with late-minute surprises. That had some trustees expressing concerns that the revised plans could potentially leave parents in a bind when it comes to juggling school and child care. (Smith, 9/10)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Metro Atlanta High School Marching Bands Adjust To Pandemic
Across metro Atlanta, high school marching bands are adapting their operations because of the coronavirus pandemic. The DeKalb County School District postponed all band and athletic activities until at least the end of September. In districts where bands can meet, many students are undergoing temperature checks and filling out symptom questionnaires before entering practice. (Coyne, 9/11)

In higher-education news —

USA Today: COVID Cases At Colleges Fuel Top US Outbreak Rates, Tracker Shows
About three weeks ago, the University of Mississippi started its fall semester, bringing students from around the country back to Lafayette County. The university had hoped its mix of in-person and online classes and mask-wearing guidelines, among other measures, would be enough to prevent an outbreak. On paper, the college appears to be doing well. According to recent numbers, the University of Mississippi has recorded about 430 confirmed cases since Aug. 24, the first day of classes in Oxford, and still has plenty of housing for those who have been infected or exposed to the virus.  (Quintana and Stucka, 9/11)

The New York Times: The University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign Had A Great Coronavirus Plan, But Students Partied On 
At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, more than 40,000 students take tests twice a week for the coronavirus. They cannot enter campus buildings unless an app vouches that their test has come back negative. Everyone has to wear masks. This is one of the most comprehensive plans by a major college to keep the virus under control. University scientists developed a quick, inexpensive saliva test. Other researchers put together a detailed computer model that suggested these measures would work, and that in-person instruction could go forward this fall. But the predictive model included an oversight: It assumed that all of the students would do all of the things that they were told to. (Chang, 9/10)

Also —

AP: Arizona Governor Warns Of Suicide Risk Amid Pandemic
Arizona officials warned Thursday that children and teens are at risk of suicide as depression increases during the COVID-19 pandemic.Counseling resources are available to help struggling children, even as schools hold classes online, Gov.Doug Ducey said at a high school in Chandler. “I would like to ask all our parents, especially if your kids are still at home, to engage in that conversation and check how your child is doing,” Ducey said. “We have resources.” (Cooper, 9/10)

The Washington Post: Remote-Learning Health Tips To Prevent Neck Pain And Eye Strain In Children 
This spring, adults suddenly working from home full-time got a lesson in ergonomics the hard way. This fall, make sure your kids don’t have to. To ensure learning from home isn’t a pain in the neck (or strain on the eyes), we turned to experts in ergonomics and children’s health. They prioritize two conditions for healthy learning: frequent movement throughout the day and a screen at eye level. (Long, 9/10)

Politico: Spotty Virus Tracking In Schools Is Leaving Millions In The Dark On Infection Rates 
The data on how coronavirus is spreading at schools and colleges is inconsistent, erratic — and sometimes purposely kept out of the public’s reach. Federal rules don’t specifically require tracking or reporting the numbers by school or college, despite pressure from President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to open schools and colleges for in-person classes. The result is a distorted picture of how and where the virus may be spreading, not just for parents, teachers, students and professors, but the cities and towns where campuses are located. (Quilantan and Goldberg, 9/10)

In sports news —

AP:  2 South Carolina Football Players Test Positive
South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp said two players have tested positive for COVID-19 while another nine are being held out because of possible contact with the infected players. Muschamp gave the update Thursday night. The Gamecocks open the season at home Sept. 26 against No. 25 Tennessee. (9/11)

The New York Times: How The N.F.L. Started Football Season On Time In The Pandemic 
The N.F.L. opened its season Thursday night with a game between the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, a milestone reminder of normalcy during a completely abnormal time. The kickoff, which came after the Texans remained in their locker room during the national anthem and one member of the Chiefs knelt during the playing of it, marked the culmination of months of intense planning and negotiations between the league and its players’ union, who sought to resolve a central question: How could a sport contested by players who slam into one another on every play begin safely amid the coronavirus pandemic? (Shpigel, 9/10)