Board of Education Calls on D.O.E. to Delay Return to In-Person Learning, Says Department Attempting to Evade Requirement to Ensure Safety of Students and Staff

The V.I. Board of Education on Friday called the V.I. Department of Education’s move to return select public school students to in-person learning, premature, and said it is against the return to in-person learning until the department has attained the required clearances that attest to the readiness and safety of the territory’s public schools.

D.O.E. on Friday announced the resumption of in-person learning on Sept. 7 for students in grades PreK-3rd, Special Education self-contained classes, and Career & Technical Education students enrolled in a specific career pathway. Students in grades 4-12 will continue to learn virtually. Parents of students slated to return to campuses may also choose to have their children continue to learn virtually, the department said.

Kyza A. Callwood, chairman of the 20th Board of Education, said D.O.E.'s decision to return to in-person learning was not made in collaboration with the board or in accordance with statutory requirements.

“Title 17 of the Virgin Islands Code mandates that the Board, in consultation with partner agencies to include the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Health, and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources will certify the safety of schools prior to the commencement of every school year,” Mr. Callwood stated. “While the Board has conducted a walk-through of the territory’s schools and provided the Department with recommendations and suggestions for the reopening of schools, it has not received those reports or pertinent responses needed to conclusively determine that our schools are adequately and equitably prepared for the return to in-person learning and instruction. In short, the Department is attempting to circumvent those statutory requirements that are intended to ensure the safety of education personnel and students.”