Minnetonka Superintendent: Flu Riskier Than COVID-19 For Students And Families

From the Minnesota Reformer:

By Rilyn Eischens
August 7, 2020

Minnetonka Public Schools Superintendent Dennis Robertson said at an Aug. 6 school board meeting that there are "more risks to our students and our families from the flu than there are from the virus."

The traditional flu poses more risks to students and families than COVID-19, Minnetonka Public Schools Superintendent Dennis Peterson said during a Thursday evening meeting about the district’s reopening plans — a claim refuted by experts since the beginning of the pandemic.

That comment and others made by Peterson Thursday night alarmed some parents and staff as the board approved a plan for hybrid learning — some distance learning, some in-school instruction — this fall. During the six-hour meeting, Peterson outlined strict safety measures the school will implement in hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

But he said news outlets have overblown the risks of the virus, which has killed more than 150,000 Americans.

“It feels like sometimes the media tends to emphasize those studies that scare people and increase concerns about the threat of the virus. The media has a mission to encourage people to stay away from each other and stay away from businesses and schools,” Peterson said. “There are probably more risks to our students and our families from the flu than there are from the virus.”

Although older people have suffered the worst effects, by virtually any measure, COVID-19 seems to be worse than traditional influenza. The novel coronavirus is more contagious and more deadly, and symptoms tend to be more severe and unpredictable, experts say. Plus, vaccines are available for the flu, but not for COVID-19.

Minnetonka Public Schools didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Parent Jen Bezyak said that she didn’t have any issues with the district’s reopening plan but was concerned by Peterson’s “insensitive, dismissive and questionable commentary.”

“As a leader of a large district, it is very irresponsible to use misinformation to justify your decisions,” she said.

Peterson seemed to suggest the spring school closures weren’t effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, since they didn’t stop students from interacting with others outside of school.

Closing school buildings was “intended to keep school-age children from infecting grandma and grandpa,” he said. “How did that work? We still had thousands of grandmas and grandpas get it and get ill, and many passed away.”

Students have suffered more from the school closures than from the coronavirus, Peterson said. They’re less likely to get seriously sick from COVID-19 and less likely to spread it to others, he said.

Research shows that school-age children may become ill with the coronavirus less often than adults and experience milder symptoms if they do get sick, but evidence about their role in transmission isn’t conclusive.

A recent study that found infected children carry at least as much of the virus in their systems as adults has further complicated our understanding of transmission from children. The findings don’t prove that kids spread it to others but should play a role in the discussion about reopening schools, experts say.

Robertson seemed to reference this study, saying, “I know there’s a recent new argument to the contrary, but that information is just unnerving. It’s not validated by officials.”

The district will start the school year with hybrid learning. There will be a strict mask requirement for all students and staff, Peterson explained, as well as social distancing, frequent cleaning and other safety measures. Families can opt for distance learning and will be able to switch models each quarter if they change their minds, he said.

“We need to open our schools with … complete safety for everyone who wants to be in school. Also, no students should be forced to come to school by the district. We have good choices for everyone,” he said.

The Minnesota Reformer is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping Minnesotans informed and unearthing stories other outlets can’t or won’t tell..