Governor Andy Beshear has recommended that all Kentucky schools should wait to begin in-person classes until Sept. 28 at the earliest.
"Yes, that's about six weeks from now, but it's also six weeks from what I hope is the peak of this virus," Gov. Beshear said in a Monday afternoon news conference. "Let's face it, we're trying really hard, and we've got good steps that we've taken, masks are working, but we do not have control over this virus."
The governor said children are at risk for testing positive for COVID-19, even if the risk is lower than other age groups.
"It is a myth that kids do not get this virus. It is a myth that kids can't spread this virus," Gov. Beshear said.
The governor also said that schools shouldn't restart in-person classes until the state is in a decline when it comes to positive cases of COVID-19. He says to start and stop—going between in-person and virtual learning—would be disruptive.
"My kids are in that developmental time when they need to be in school, but their overall health and safety, along with that of their teachers and others, has to be paramount, and we have to have a plan that has an opportunity of working," Gov. Beshear said.
Several districts in central Kentucky were planning to have in-person classes, including Madison, Scott, and Estill County. In Madison County, school officials say more than 60% of students had signed up to return to school buildings.
The governor says there should be flexibility for schools in terms of how they plan for virtual and/or in-person learning. This is solely a recommendation for in-person learning, and schools planning on non-traditional instruction can continue to do so.