Hunter
09/01/20
Iowa City Schools will move forward with a lawsuit challenging the state’s authority to mandate on-campus instruction.
That, despite the state approving a two-week waiver to begin the school year exclusively online.
The school district, along with the Iowa State Education Association, says that a hearing is still needed to determine what happens after that two-week waiver expires.
The original lawsuit, filed August 19th, claims that state law gives local school districts to make the determination on when remote learning is necessary, without facing retaliation from the state.
When Governor Kim Reynolds issued the mandate in July, she said local positivity rates have to be at least 15% before schools can ask for a waiver of up to two weeks at a time. Districts who don’t follow the guidelines won’t get credit for online days of learning.
Over the weekend, the Iowa City School Board voted unanimously to start school on September 8th exclusively online.