COLUMBUS, Ohio — Back on March 12, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a sweeping order to close all K-12 schools throughout the state through April 3 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.
That would mean classes, per his original order, are set to resume Monday, April 6.
But as cases of coronavirus continue growing in Ohio, many parents have been wondering if their children will return to classrooms at all anytime soon.
“As far as the schools, we don’t know,” Gov. DeWine said in his daily press conference Thursday afternoon. “Clearly, if Dr. Acton’s projection that we peak in the latter part of April, early May, obviously you’re not going to have school open before then. It’s going to take some time after that before you have school.”
Gov. DeWine then echoed a previous statement he made earlier this month about the possibility schools may not resume at all for a while.
“Is it possible that we do not go back into school this academic year? Absolutely. But I don’t think we’re at the point where we can make that determination,” he said. “The legislature, as you know, has already taken care of the mandated tests, that’s been taken care of. Our teachers, administrators and parents are doing heroic work. They’re doing some amazing, amazing work in regard to distance learning. The real challenge comes in those schools where they don’t have internet in homes and it’s much more difficult to do that distance learning. That’s a big, big challenge.”