Quarantine Confusion? Some Parents Seek Clarity On Aspects Of COVID-19 School Policies
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Parent Silvana Arias says one of her kids was exposed to a student who tested positive for Covid. She was told she had to quarantine for two weeks.
Arias and Victor Torres have 5 kids in school at the Ruth K.Broad K-8 Center in Bay Harbor Islands.
When a student in one of their kid's classes tested positive for the coronavirus, one of their children was told to quarantine. The family decided to keep everyone home.
"Our concern was that our daughter was in the classroom of the student who tested positive. We don't know if she got the virus and brought it home and spreading it to her siblings and they, in turn, they're going to go to school and pass it on to the other classmates," said Torres.
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That's when they learned 4 of their children were not eligible for online learning if they weren't specifically told to stay home.
"We were told that if we chose to keep them home they would be marked absent. That they didn't have to option to do online."
The family just got word everyone tested negative, so 4 of their 5 kids can return to class. But they tell us the rules and policies are confusing and some defy common sense.
"That speaks to a tremendous need to clarify many of the ambiguities that we have around this issue," said Miami-Dade School Board Vice Chair Dr. Steve Gallon.
Gallon introduced an item before the board looking for clarification and updates on many aspects of district COVID-19 policies.
"We are now experiencing a new surge of which people are calling a second wave, some are speculating it will be a more deadly wave."
CBS4 learned that the district will announce new rapid testing, in partnership with the University of Miami.
"As of next week, we hope, we're in the final throes of negotiations, at no cost to the district, the district's ability to test students. Not just students who are symptomatic any student," said Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade School Superintendent.
