歪歪漫画

CASS LAKE -- The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Council recently announced its recommendation for school reopening -- distance learning for all students.

While some area schools are already planning to follow this guidance, others are still deciding. Cass Lake-Bena 歪歪漫画s are expected to announce their plans on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

鈥淎t this time, we strongly urge the school districts to open the school year in a distance learning model. We understand the complexities of learning in distance models and providing access to equitable education settings at any point in time,鈥� the release from Leech Lake said. 鈥淧lease consider the impacts of reopening on families who have multi-generational households, and families who have underlying health conditions within the household. We ask school districts, at a minimum, to utilize hybrid models that limit close interaction and allow students to learn from a distance as much as possible.鈥�

The recommendation asked schools to consider the health and well-being of elders in Leech Lake, many of which have underlying health conditions.

鈥淲e know those underlying conditions are rampant in our community, including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illness and others. In addition, we also understand COVID-19 has a higher likelihood of causing severe illness in our elderly population,鈥� the release said. 鈥淎s Anishinaabe people, protecting our elders and vulnerable population is at the core of who we are and why we take the actions we take.

鈥淚t is far easier to remain closed than to reopen and be forced to close again. We ask the school district to use this same logic. Reopening slowly will very likely save lives within our community and continue to curb the spread of this virus in our communities,鈥� the release concluded.

Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school announced in July that it will begin the school year with a distance learning model. The school will offer every family an internet subscription and provide a computer for every student, according to an announcement on the school website.

The Leech Lake Tribal College is also following a primarily distance learning program model.

Cass Lake-Bena is still holding out on deciding, although Superintendent Rochelle Johnson released a video statement Monday night explaining how the three learning models could look in Cass Lake.

鈥淲e expect that decision to be made on August 19 at the regularly scheduled school board meeting,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o matter which model the school board decides, families always have the option to do distance learning.鈥�