Last-Minute Student Quarantines Present Challenges For Parents
Sep 4, 2020, 12:08 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Families across Utah are doing their best to prepare for the ramifications of in-person school and potential last-minute quarantines.
Over the first few weeks of the new school year, the domino effect has begun as COVID-19 cases pop up in districts across the state and send exposed students home to quarantine for a mandatory 14- day period.
On Thursday, Jordan School District officials sent an email to families with an update on the numbers for the district. Over 500 students and adults have been sent home for two weeks after positive COVID-19 tests and possible exposure.
The logistics of a last-minute quarantine can be a nightmare for families with two working parents. Nicole and Brian Goeckeritz have three kids in school, and they both work full-time.
Nicole and Brian Goeckeritz.
“It’s really frustrating for us, especially because our schedules are so hectic,” said Nicole Goeckeritz. “Having my kids all at home, knowing what they’re all doing is really stressful.”
However, they appreciated their school district’s transparency.
“I think it shows that the Jordan School District respects the parents as adults enough to say hey, this is the truth,” Brian Goeckeritz said. “It also gives the parents a better judgment. If you don’t have the facts. You’re shooting in the dark.”
There is no standardized tracking system for schools to use for reporting, and districts are not required to provide the information to the Utah State Board of Education or parents.
