SLC School Board Approves In-Person Learning

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Students in the Salt Lake City School District will soon be heading back to in-person learning.

The district has been the only one in the state to hold back on hybrid learning options so far.

Starting Feb. 8, junior high and high school students can go back to the classroom two days a week.

The plan is that teachers will have half their students for two days of the week and the other half the other two days, automatically cutting class sizes in half.

However, there is still the option for parents to keep their kids online full time.

Superintendent Larry Madden said it’s a safe first step in getting back into the classroom.

Board members in favor of the return to the classrooms said their decision was based on data, and they were not pressured by legislators or a recent lawsuit filed by parents.

Emily Snow, who has three children in the district, said she supported the lawsuit and applauded the district’s vote, saying it’s a great first step.

However, she felt more needs to be done.

“It’s just sad, because we have great teachers and we have so many issues because of it, we have so many failing kids,” Snow said. “I can sit and watch my fifth-grader on Zoom and it’s painful — he’s not paying attention after an hour.”

Attorney Christopher Snow said they will continue with the lawsuit and push for a four-day, in-person option.

Vaccinations are also underway for teachers. School board member Katherine Kennedy, the only one to vote against the move, said it’s not enough since only half the teachers will get the first dose of the vaccine by Feb. 8.