A small but passionate protest against distance learning in Grand Marais

With only a one-day notice, a gathering was put together at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19 to "peacefully protest in support of our children going back to school." About 30 people turned out to ask the School District 166 school board to begin the 2020-2021 school year with an in-person learning model. 
 

Participants ranged from toddlers being carried to grandparents, with a number of students carrying signs asking to return to school. Signs declared "We belong in school," "Distance Learning Sucks," "Kids need each other" and more. See a video of the walk through Grand Marais here. 
 

One of the organizers, Stephanie Radloff, told WTIP that while the majority of the school board may agree that the school year should begin with distance learning, she believes the majority of students and families want to start school in person. She pointed out that a survey of ISD 166 families had 78 percent of respondents wanting in-person learning, as opposed to 22 percent of families opting for distance learning.
 

Organizers say they hope to convince the school board to reverse its Aug. 13 decision to begin the 2020-2021 school year with distance learning. That decision passed with a 4 to 1 vote, with Board Chair Dan Shirley and board members Deb White, Carrie Jansen, and Rena Rogers voting for distance learning. Board member Sissy Lunde introduced a motion to start the school year with in-person learning, but her motion was not supported. Lunde cast a no to the distance learning model. 
 

While the group that gathered at Artists Point Aug. 19 and the nearly 20 parents who spoke at the Aug. 6 special school board meeting are urging an in-person start to the school year, there are others who applaud the School District 166 board decision, such as Bryan Hansel. 
 

Hansel summed up the thoughts of many parents supporting distance learning in a note to WTIP. Hansel said he supports the school board's decision, stating that "it protects the entire community and provides equity in learning opportunities for all the district's students." 
 

It is not known whether or not the school board will consider a change to the distance learning decision. There is a school board meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Aug. 20, online via Zoom. 
 

The meeting agenda makes little mention of the return to school plan other than the document labeled "Principal's Report" which says the COVID-19 Fall Planning team will "now undertake the task of implementing the best distance learning program possible."

An enrollment update notes that since Aug. 13, the school has heard from 16 students who will either be attending local charter schools or online virtual academies. 
 

Great Expectations School in Grand Marais is expected to finalize its plan for the 2020-2021 school year on Thursday as well. 

Birch Grove Community School in Tofte and Oshki Ogimaag School in Grand Portage are both planning to start the school year in person, stating that they are able to do so because of small student populations.