Utah continues to reach record-breaking COVID-19 cases, now Utah Education Association calling on officials to take action

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 News) – The Utah Education Association is calling on Governor Gary Herbert and school boards to shift secondary schools to at-home learning if students live in high COVID-19 transmission areas.

With the state reaching record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 cases, UEA members are calling on state and school officials to take action.

“To require all public, secondary schools – in communities where the virus’ transmission is high – to adopt remote learning, at-home instruction,” said UEA President Heidi Matthews. “And suspend all extra-curricular activities that can’t socially be distanced.”

Matthews said current strategies to address the virus’s spread are not working, as schools throughout the state continue to go between in-person and at-home learning due to the outbreaks.

And she said it’s taking a toll on everyone.

“When you are caring and looking out for educators, that we’re caring and looking out for the children, the students and their families and our communities and they’re not to be separated,” Matthews said.

Members of the UEA hope Governor Gary Herbert and school board officials will make this temporary change for secondary schools in high transmission areas by the Thanksgiving break.

“This is not forever, and then we get back to the ideal, which is in-person learning,” Matthews said.

She continues to say the UEA hopes students and teachers can return to in-person learning after Christmas break, or when the virus’ spread slows down.