After watching the JCPS town hall last night, listening to teachers and parents over the last several weeks, and debating these issues with friends and colleagues over the last several weeks, a clear consensus has emerged. (Thread)

If there were a way to open schools safely in August, our teachers, staff, and Superintendent would find the way. I have no lack of confidence in any of the professionals who have dedicated their lives to Jefferson County Public Schools.

Unfortunately, there simply isn't a way to open schools safely. Positive cases and deaths are climbing in Louisville and throughout the state. We are seeing positive COVID-19 cases in public school students outside of Jefferson County who have come back for youth sports.

And, importantly and absurdly, the public is still fighting about whether masks should be required (which, in my opinion, eliminates any chance that we'll be able to keep students and staff in masks throughout a seven hour school day).

For these reasons, and for countless others, I've urged the Superintendent to begin school on August 25 via NTI. I hate this. But I'm not willing to put a single student or staff member's life at risk. Until there is broader social acceptance of the safety measures

needed to fight this pandemic, and until the numbers of positive cases in Kentucky have subsided, we must take the most cautious route possible.

Students and parents have every right to expect that their NTI experience will be better than it was in the spring. I am confident that it will be. Over the next six weeks, JCPS professionals should dedicate all of their resources to ensuring

that the quality of instruction we delivery remotely is as good as it can be. I'm confident they can do it.

As of today, I don't know what metrics we should use to reopen schools to in-person instruction. The public health data seems to change every several days.

But I'm hopeful that we can have in-person instruction at some point during this fall semester. Everyone agrees and will be pushing towards that goal. Only time will tell.