Cd'A School Board: 'We're begging you, please, help us'

COEUR d’ALENE — As the special meeting of the Coeur d'Alene School Board came to a close Friday evening, Chairman Casey Morrisroe delivered a sobering statement.

He began by saying that these last few weeks and months "have been some of the most stressful and challenging of our lives."

Unfortunately, he said, the school board has the "unenviable position of being the last man standing, with no one left to pass this hot potato to, whether that's from the governor, the state board, to county commissioners, public health districts, mayors. They've passed this potato and stuck it with us."

That's the school board's burden to carry, he said, "and it has been a burden."

The trustees are feeling alone as they make big decisions to navigate their district through a global pandemic. The special meeting, which streamed on YouTube and was watched by roughly 400 people, was held in response to Panhandle Health District elevating Kootenai County's COVID-19 risk level to "red" as positive cases are once again on the rise and Kootenai Health is at capacity.

It also comes on the heels of the Idaho State Board of Education changing its reopening plan, which provided guidance for school districts across the state, and the Centers for Disease Control updating the definition of "close contact" regarding COVID exposures and contact tracing.

On Oct. 16, Superintendent Steve Cook made an administrative decision to immediately move the high schools to the "orange" risk level as so many kids were out from positive cases or quarantining because of COVID exposure. Three days later, the board voted to move back from "yellow" to "orange" starting Monday, allowing K-8 grades to remain in school four days a week. Venture High will now also be in session four days a week. Online learning takes place on Wednesdays.

The exponential number of quarantines and positive cases rapidly increasing in the county have created a huge cause for concern, for students, families, teachers, staff and board members alike.

"If you've been by our schools, you know that our students and staff are taking the necessary safety precautions of masking, distancing and hand hygiene serious when they're in our care," Morrisroe said. "I'm sure you're also aware when they're outside of our walls and fences, people let their guard down.

"We need your help," he said. "And our businesses need your help."

Children and businesses can't afford another shutdown, Morrisroe said. No one wants another shutdown.

"I am begging — and I'm sure my colleagues are begging — our civic and business leaders in our community to come together and take the necessary precautions so we can get back on track," he said. "We don't have to look very far in our past … earlier this summer, we saw a similar rapid rise in cases followed by more diligent use of masking, distancing and hand hygiene, and that improved our situation."

As a community, he said, "we've let our guard down, but if that's the path we choose, that's the path we choose."

"We're begging you, please, help us," he implored. "Practice these simple safety precautions so we can keep our kids in school, so we can keep your kids in school."

Another special meeting of the Coeur d'Alene School Board is scheduled for Monday at 11:30 a.m.