GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Most Green Bay parents now know what return to school will look like for their kids… virtual.
But, parents of kids with special needs are still waiting to find out.
Kelly Kaiver’s 3-year-old son Leo has autism. She tells FOX 11 virtual learning will delay his development.
“They don’t learn the same way. They need that in-person interaction to be able to focus properly and actually take that information in. He’ll basically see it as a TV show he can walk away from.”
Kaiver believes parents should be able to choose if their kids go to in-person classes.
“I do have a compromised immune system, so I do worry about it being brought back to my home from my son. But, I worry about that for anything that he could catch.”
Claudia Henrickson, the district’s executive director of student services, tells FOX 11 most students with special education needs will have a similar plan as everyone else.
“Parents may be disappointed, but, if there’s any way shape or form that we can access a free appropriate public education virtually, that’s going to be what we want to do to keep everyone safe.”
She believes the district didn’t have any good options to choose from, given the circumstances.
“If one student touches a book we have to put that book into a plastic bag, and nobody can touch that book for 48 hours.”
She anticipates less than 2% of the district’s more than 3,000 special needs students having some in-person learning. Those would be students who need physical therapy or can’t use a computer.
“I want you to come and tell me that maybe she won’t be one of the 2%” Schelley Schurr said. Her daughter has a processing disorder.
“How do you choose?” Schurr continued. “How do you say to a parent, your child’s special need is less important than this child’s special need? We are talking about my child’s education,” Schurr said. “A child who is already in a severe gap.”
Green Bay schools says it will move to a blended model of in-person and virtual learning once Brown County’s positive test rate is 5% or lower over two weeks.
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