The Tulsa School Board voted to keep secondary students in distance learning until January in a reaction to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

Meeting online, the board voted 6-1 to have students in middle schools, and junior and senior high schools to not go back to classrooms until January 4, 2021, at the start of the spring semester. 

Board member Dr. Jerry Griffin voted against the January 4 date because he thinks they could safely return weeks before that. Griffin had previously made a motion to have older students return to class on November 16 but that idea failed.  Board Vice President Jania Wester, and board members Jennettie Marshall, Shawna Keller and John Croisant voted against a motion to schedule the return on November 30.

In January, students will be in classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays but will be distance learning on Wednesdays.

In an earlier vote, the TPS Board approved a plan to have elementary students return to school buildings four days a week, beginning in November. Wednesdays would be devoted to distance learning.

Three board members voted against that plan.

Students in prekindergarten and kindergarten are scheduled to return for four days a week Nov. 9. Students in the first through third grades will return four days per week starting Nov. 16. Those in fourth and fifth grades will go back to schools on Nov. 30, along with sixth-graders who attend elementary school.

Families have the option to have their elementary students remain in distance learning. Students who are registered in Tulsa Virtual Academy may also remain in distance learning for the rest of the semester or even the school year.

Superintendent Deborah Gist said in-person instruction is difficult in a pandemic and that teachers are suffering because of “society’s failure to take action” during the pandemic. But Gist admitted that returning to the classroom was workable, as evidenced by some suburban schools.

Gist wanted students to return to the classroom gradually through the second nine weeks of the 2020-21 school year. But her idea was rejected by the board.

Gist said she couldn’t assure “social distancing” in a return to the classrooms.

Critics of distance learning – including many parents and TPS teachers – has been harmful for many students, especially those needing more academic help or economically related assistance.

Medical experts claim that the coronavirus is less likely to be spread among younger students than older ones. The virus is rarely deadly among healthy children but there is a concern for older teachers and staff who might have other medical problems.