Manatee County schools see historic COVID-19 numbers in first two weeks of classes

The Manatee County School District has reported more COVID-19 cases in the first two weeks of school than it did the entire first semester last year.

As of Friday, the school district reported 825 cases among students and employees, who started class on Aug. 10.

That stands in contrast to the 419 cases reported during the first semester last year, between August and December 2020, according to a Bradenton Herald review of past reports.

At this rate, the district could see more COVID-19 cases in one month than it did the entire last school year, when Manatee County schools and district offices reported a total of 1,119 cases over two semesters in 2020-21. During that time, thousands of students were still enrolled in online learning.

The local surge comes at a time when Florida is breaking case records, filling hospitals and struggling to fend off the highly contagious delta variant.

Meanwhile, politicians are fighting over the need for mask mandates or parental choice, and students under the age of 12 have yet to qualify for one of three COVID-19 vaccines on the market.

In Hillsborough County, where classes began at the same time, the district recorded more than 2,000 cases and sent 10,000 students and staff into quarantine or isolation.

“You look at these numbers and they are daunting,” said Mike Barber, the spokesman for Manatee County schools.

Barber acknowledged the strain on district staff who — on top of their normal jobs — are now responsible for flagging the many cases and notifying affected families. Covid also has put a strain on transportation staff and school bus operations.

However, another important number, he said, was the approximately 47,000 students and employees in traditional public schools.

“Say it was a thousand cases, that would be just 2% of the 47,000,” Barber continued. “I’m not trying to diminish it because, as I said, it has been a daunting challenge. But we do need to keep it in perspective. It gives us a level of hope and confidence that we can control it.”

Most students are back on campus after the state ended funding for “innovative learning” options. Last year, Manatee County students could learn full time on Schoology, an online platform that connected students with their local teachers and classmates.

That platform is no longer a full-time option for families who prefer to go online and stay connected with their local schools during the pandemic. And according to students who spoke with the Bradenton Herald, many struggled to focus and learn behind a computer screen.

District responds to covid challenges

Tens of thousands of students began their classes on Aug. 10. Just two days later, Superintendent Cynthia Saunders reacted to the high case numbers, adding daily temperature checks for employees, limiting visitors and adding plastic shields to elementary classrooms and cafeterias “where possible.”

The district also took a stance on face coverings and vaccinations for the first time this year, recommending both for those who qualify.

And last Monday, three School Board members — Charlie Kennedy, Mary Foreman and James Golden — voted for a temporary mask mandate. Board members will discuss Tuesday whether to renew the mandate, which includes an opt-out option for students.

That opt-out clause followed a push by Gov. Ron DeSantis to end mask mandates in schools. And aside from a handful of rebellious School Boards that now face sanctions, most have complied with the state, going no further than a mandate with the opt-out option — a voluntary policy, in effect.

“We’re going to have to be flexible, and we’re going to have to react to the circumstances based on what we’re seeing here in Manatee County,” Barber said. “The number of cases has been significantly greater than what we saw last year.”

“The positive thing is the overwhelming majority of kids are in our schools and they are learning, even in the midst of this,” he continued.

For a list of COVID-19 cases in schools and district offices, visit manateeschools.net/covidDB.

The dashboard is updated with new cases every evening. And while it lacked information on student quarantines, Kevin Chapman, the chief of staff for Manatee County schools, said the dashboard would start reporting quarantine numbers starting on Monday.

This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 2:45 PM.