Nearly All Ohio Schools Set To Reopen March 1

COLUMBUS, OH — Only one Ohio school district will not reopen on March 1, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday.

DeWine agreed to release COVID-19 vaccines to teachers only if their districts agreed to reopen in March. The governor has since said not all teachers will have received both parts of the COVID-19 vaccine before they will be asked to reopen.

"One of the goals for our vaccine distribution has been to get kids back in school by March 1," DeWine said.

While nearly every school in Ohio has agreed to in-person education, teachers unions and associations have criticized DeWine for coercing a reopening out of districts. The Ohio Federation of Teachers asked the governor to rethink his timeline for reopening.

"We are disappointed that Governor DeWine has decided to use the distribution of a life-saving vaccine as a bargaining chip, holding this precious commodity hostage while pitting parents, administrators, teachers, other school workers, and students against each other," the Federation of Teachers said in a statement.

The Federation said teachers long to be back in classrooms.

"However, we should not rush to reopen before it is safe, especially when adding mere weeks beyond March 1 could allow for full vaccinations of school employees," the group noted.

Despite the state's inability to fully vaccinate teachers and school staffers, DeWine said districts signed a document ensuring they would reopen by March 1. The governor said his office had instead provided flexibility to districts by allowing them to return either in hybrid or full-time models.

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The conflict has also trickled into the district level. The Cleveland Heights Teachers Union, for example, said many teachers still feel their working environment is unsafe, largely because vaccines are not readily available. The union's comments spurred a public spat with district administrators.

Thursday's COVID Numbers

Here are all of Thursday's COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases: 5,432
• New deaths: 75
• New hospitalizations: 256
• New ICU admissions: 23

The Ohio Department of Health estimates that 748,132 Ohioans have contracted COVID-19 and recovered.

Nearly 6 percent of Ohioans have received at least the first part of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state health department. As of Wednesday afternoon, 682,705 Ohioans have received at least the first shot.

More reading:

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• 'In Lieu Of Flowers,' Wear A Mask: Late Teacher's Request Ignored
• 'Screaming My Head Off For More': States Plead For Vaccine Boost