New Britain Considers COVID-19 School Closing

Amid numerous school closing in the state, Mayor Erin Stewart and Schools Superintendent Nancy Sarra say they will decide today whether to close New Britain Schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As coronavirus continues to spread, WFSB has reported, numerous school districts have decided to close, including Bristol, Newington, Hartford, West Hartford and Southington for as long two weeks or more.

Earlier in the day yesterday, March 12, 2020, New Britain Board of Education President Merrill Gay, had pressed for a decision for school closing, commenting online that,

We’ve all dealt with snow days when it didn’t really snow. It’s a complete inconvenience for working parents. I’ve also rushed my 85 year old mother to the hospital and know what that’s like. Closing schools is not about protecting kids from the virus. No kids died from it in China. Closing schools is a very public sign that we’re in a public health emergency and we can’t continue pretending that this is no big deal. Schools are a place where lots of people gather every day and germs spread easily. They are a avenue for the spread of infection. The reality is that we are dealing with a new virus. None us us have any immunity to it and estimates are that 40% to 70% of the world’s population will get it before it plays out. The real question is how fast it spreads and whether we take the steps to slow it down enough that we don’t find ourselves in Italy’s situation in two or three weeks.

Commenting on a WVIT news story on coronavirus school closures, Gay added, “Ask the Mayor, why are we waiting?”

When asked if the Board of Education makes the decision on school closings, Gay replied, “The superintendent tells me it is the Mayor and local health department that make the call.”

In late afternoon, Stewart announced that, “As of right now, New Britain Public Schools will remain open.” The Consolidated School District of New Britain also announced that, “we want to reiterate that our schools remain open.”

One person commenting online about the announcement said that, “As a parent of a New Britain child that attends school in New Britain the school’s should closed before the spread starts.”

Another person added, “I do not understand why they are waiting so long. I’m getting frustrated as a parent.”

In the early evening, Stewart commented online that, “Superintendent Sarra and I plan to make a final decision and an announcement tomorrow regarding #newbritain schools,” adding that, “There are many supports for children in need that we need to identify before announcing a final decision for example; meals.”

Many people responded to Stewart’s comments, urging that schools be closed. Others said that they should remain open, such as a person who commented, “I understand all the concern on closing school but what about the parents that can’t take time off of work.”

By evening of Thursday, March 12th, the school district announced that,

We have been communicating with local and state officials throughout the week to ensure we are able to meet the needs of our students in the event of a school closure.

Tomorrow, Superintendent Sarra will meet with the Department of Public Health and Mayor Stewart’s office to determine the next steps regarding possible school closure.

The superintendent will communicate that update before the end of the school day tomorrow via Facebook and www.csdnb.org. Please check back for those updates.

We understand what a difficult time this is because of the unpredictability of COVID-19. If you are nervous about sending your son or daughter to school tomorrow, please keep them home. Thank you.

In the afternoon, Governor Ned Lamont had announced an executive order, on the COVID-19 pandemic. A part of his order contemplates if school districts have to add days to the end of the school year to make up for days lost due to pandemic school closures. Lamont’s order waives the requirement, “that schools be in session for 180 days,” per year if that would push the school year past June 30, 2020.

Meanwhile, others in the local community have also been announcing cancellation of events, such as Saint Joachim Parish, which announced, that, “The Sacred Heart Society Pasta Dinner at St Ann, scheduled for Saturday March 14, is cancelled.”

Also, the “Maple Sugaring Pancake Breakfast” that was being planned by the New Britain Youth Museum at Hungerford Park has been cancelled.