Dallas County health official issues order forbidding in-person classes until Sept. 8
The senior public health official in Dallas County on Thursday issued an order prohibiting in-person public and private school classes until Sept. 8.
Dr. Philip Huang said the status of new coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations in the county made the order necessary. Dallas County reported 1,195 new cases and 13 new deaths on Friday, which made this the deadliest week of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We feel that this is what’s best for the safety for our children and staff and schools at the present time,” Huang said at a press conference.
The order, which does not restrict online education, prohibits school-sponsored activities and events, including sports, before the second Tuesday in September. It concerns primary and secondary education and does not restrict college instruction.
Sports delayed include football, volleyball and cross country. Football and volleyball are scheduled to start fall practices on Aug. 3.
The delay would include the first two weeks of the football season, which is scheduled to begin on Aug. 27.
Beyond Dallas, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Highland Park, Coppell, Garland, Grand Prairie, Mesquite, Irving, Rowlett and Richardson are among the public school districts in Dallas County.
Huang, the health authority for much of Dallas County, said he had discussed the order on Thursday via videoconference with Dallas County school superintendents.
The first day of school in the Dallas Independent School District is Aug. 17. The district has not described the ways in which instruction will occur.
Such a schooling public health order has not been issued in Tarrant County. Classes in the Fort Worth school district are also set to begin on Aug. 17. The district announced last month that students would have the option of returning to the classroom or to take classes online in the fall.
The counties of El Paso, Travis, Hidalgo and Cameron, school districts in Houston, Round Rock and Fort Bend, and the city of Laredo have also delayed the start of in-person classes and sports seasons.
The University Interscholastic League could make an official statewide announcement on the fall season Monday. The UIL said “we’re actively working to finalize plans for fall competition seasons and hope to share details soon.”
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 8:08 PM.
