The state Division of Public Health (DPH) will require face coverings in schools and other public settings for K–12 students. The DPH director says that, though children ages 5–10 seem to experience milder Covid symptoms when infected, they can still carry the virus and infect others. The state has said it will not enforce the mask mandate among children.
The court case brought against the state by the Delaware NAACP and other parties seeking more education funding for students with disabilities, students from low-income households and English Language Learners will enter mediation next week. A UD education policy expert says that mediation could enable both sides to reach an agreement, avoiding a legal process that could last for years. If no agreement is reached, the case will go to trial in November.
When schools began to close for the pandemic this spring, educators encountered trouble providing children with disabilities receiving special education services remote instruction and services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy. Parents, caregivers and advocates have expressed an expectation that, with time to plan, schools opening in the fall will have more creative solutions. If not, parents may sue under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or other civil rights law.
In a video segment during the last night of the Democratic National Convention, 13-year-old Brayden Harrington, who has a stutter, spoke of the bond he formed and disability he shares with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Harrington said Biden, who speaks publicly about his own speech disorder, gave him advice on the campaign trail that helped him better deal with his stutter. Commentators and politicians from both parties praised Brayden’s courage.
Cape Henlopen School District officials said construction on the Sussex Consortium will be complete by the end of August and the building will be ready for students by the first day of school, Sept. 16. The school, which serves students with special needs, is also an option for all Sussex County students with an educational classification of autism.
