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Shelby County Schools starting school year August 31st with all virtual learning for time being

Move comes after parent survey strongly supported online learning, continued COVID-19 spread in Shelby County.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — "Public safety cannot be about politics. It must be about science," Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joris Ray said.

Monday morning, in a video message, the SCS Superintendent pointed to data for his decision to have the district begin the school year August 31st with all virtual learning.

"I know this may be an unwelcome and unpopular announcement for some families," Dr. Ray said.

The superintendent said no SCS student would be left behind and without the needed technology for online learning.

"Every student will be provided with a device and have the opportunity for an internet hotspot based on need," Dr. Ray said.

He said Shelby County's stubbornly consistent pace of new COVID-19 cases made safe in-person learning all but impossible for now.

"Direction signs on floors, spacing desks, more hand sanitizer and masks cannot make a school safe in a community that's experiencing a daily triple digit increase of virus cases," Dr. Ray said.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Steve Threlkeld said district leaders - at SCS and elsewhere - must take into account more than just students as they consider in-person versus virtual learning, or a mix of both.

"There are administrators and there are parents and grandparents, because these kids live at home and maybe with grandparents," Dr. Ray said.

The SCS superintendent said Monday more details will come out next week for students and teachers.

This past Friday ended a weeks long survey period for SCS parents to weigh in on their reopening preference.

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