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IPS parents react to starting 2020-2021 school year with remote learning

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Public Schools plans to begin the 2020-2021 school year remotely.

The school system announced that it plans to use remote learning instead of meeting in-person to start the school year.

The school system says that its board will hear recommendations for remote learning and vote on whether to approve or deny them during their Thursday board meeting.

If the plan is approved, there will not be any in-person classes until at least October.

“From the beginning, IPS administration has said we would remain flexible and respond to the changing data with an emphasis on the health and safety of our students as our top priority,” said Aleesia Johnson, IPS superintendent. “The decision to delay the return to in-person learning will allow more time for the number of COVID-19 cases in Marion County to stabilize and decrease to a less dangerous level.”

The district begins classes on Aug. 17.

Some parents tell News 8 they’re not surprised by the decision and didn’t have confidence in starting out the school year. The decision made to do virtual over in-person learning has relieved the pressure off parents to make the decision.

Parents who spoke with News 8 said it’s too risky and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Some have stated they were learning toward virtual learning due to the amount of uncertainty within the school administration.

Many don’t feel reassured by the administrators that students will remain socially distant and keep their face masks on throughout the day. Evette Cureton said her middle school son finished the spring semester with honors and didn’t have many concerns.

“He’s able to be at home on his own tablet and do e-learning, learn and just ask questions, but he’s really good. I think he will really excel in that. He’s really good he can stay at home and do it himself,” Cureton said.

Sierra Glover said it shouldn’t be as difficult for her kids to resume virtual learning since starting it in the spring. “We don’t want to take the gamble. The perks in sending our kids to school is more of a social aspect being to interact with their friends and interact with their teachers and we feel that piece will be gone. It’s going to be more stale,” Glover said.

The mother said she would much rather wait until after the first quarter of the school year to consider in-person learning.