FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Kempner High School’s more than 2000 students will be learning from home leading up to the holiday break, including those who’d returned to the physical campus.
"My daughter is a 9th grader at Kempner,” said PTO vice president Imraan Husain.
All four of his children have been learning from home all semester, partly because of COVID cases he suspected would arise despite safety protocols.
"We decided that we would try and do everything online at home to begin with, and basically assess the situation,” said Husain.
Fort Bend ISD made the decision to transition Kemper to online-only learning after a review of its contact tracing data showed several positive COVID cases and after staff members who’d been exposed to those cases were asked to quarantine.
“Further investigation also shows that the positive cases are a result not of spread on campus, but of interactions and activities held outside the school environment,” the district said in a statement.
“I wasn’t surprised," said Husain. "I think it’s a very, very challenging thing.”
And it’s definitely not limited to Kempner or Fort Bend ISD.
We checked a Texas Department of State Health Services dashboard that keeps track of self-reported cases at public schools across the state.
It showed student cases rose from 1942 cases the week after Thanksgiving to more than 6800 the following week.
That's a 252% increase.
Cases among staff members went up 58% from 2235 to more than 3500, according to the dashboard.
Both are very small amounts compared to the total number of students and staff.
However, off-campus activities and their impact at school have been a growing concern.
"Especially when kids are gathering outside of the school and are gathering with other schoolmates or gathering with classmates," said Dr. Maria Rivera with Harris County Public Health last week. "Or having parties, etcetera.”
Husain wondered what impact the upcoming holiday break might have as he hopes for relief thanks to things like vaccines.
"I'd like our kids can go back to school and this whole thing can be under control,” said Husain.
Fort Bend ISD's full statement regarding the situation at Kempner High School:
The safety of students and staff remains the Fort Bend ISD’s top priority, and out of an abundance of caution, Kempner High School will shift to online instruction for the week, beginning December 14.
The District made the decision to shift instruction for Kempner after a review of its contact tracing data for the campus showed several positive COVID cases, and staff members who had been exposed to the positive cases were asked to quarantine. The District remains committed to continuing instruction with little to no interruption and to maintaining appropriate staff support for students. The shift to online instruction will allow for learning to continue while maintaining a healthy and safe environment.
Further investigation also shows that the positive cases are a result not of spread on campus, but of interactions and activities held outside the school environment.
Fort Bend ISD will begin its Holiday Break on December 21, and encourages its families and staff to maintain health and safety protocols during this time. Students and staff are encouraged to continue reporting symptoms, exposures and positive results in the District’s daily wellness screening.